Hello Peter, Nick and All,
Peter Bray wrote:
> > Perhaps you feel you don't need them.  If these sentiments are held >by
US  beekeepers, you won't have any more stock arriving than already arrives
from  NZ and Aust via Canada. It takes willing buyers in the USA, for trade
to occur.

Trans-shipment of packages or queens via Canada would
 be a federal offense in both Canada and the US.  Hmmm.

> > Refering to the protocols as an "open border" is more than a
> > little misleading.

The borders were closed to prevent the U.S. from getting tracheal mite,
varroa and small hive beetle among other things. Did not work as the closing
of the borders of your country did not work for you.  Closing the border
helps in preventing the spread of beekeeping problems but we both got a few
of beekeepings new problems even with closed borders did we not?

. Allowing direct shipment without quarentine of bees and queens is asking
for trouble. THE REASON OUR BORDERS HAVE BEEN CLOSED FOR OVER 75 YEARS. Let
us exchange frozen semen  only and forget the direct shipment of queens and
bees without inspection upon entering our country. None of the reasons you
stated for our needing your bees and queens can not be met by our U.S. queen
breeders.

> > I quite agree.  However the *repeated* shipping of this genetic stock is
unlikely to occur due to the immense (impossible?) difficulties of keeping
out the above mentioned pests and diseases,

There are  worse mites than varroa in your area of the world. What
quarenties can you give that the introduction of those pests  will not be
imported into the U.S.? You say you only have so many pests but all over the
world new pests are poping up in places they have never been found before
and even you guys do not have *any idea* how you got varroa or SHB. I said
in a post on the discovery of varroa in your country that varroa had clearly
been in your country TWO YEARS before you detected varroa . You sent me the
information and many asked for my input. Which I gladly gave.  Varroa
slipped up on your inspectors. What other pest will. How many countries
bought packages with varroa thinking the packages were varroa free?  Are you
activly looking for Tropilaeclaps clareae ? Is "Very sorry" the answer we
will get if a deadly pest comes to the U.S. from your direction?

 In my opinion the reasons you gave for why we need your bees is not great
enough to over ride the risks and change policy that has been in place for
over 75 years. A policy change done with much secrecy I might add and rushed
through very fast.

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison