On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:51:15 -0500, James Plaisted <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>My feeling on the GMO sugar beet crops, that most if not all will end up being used to create 
ethenol, considering that sugar produces alot more ethenol per pound than corn does.  But, that is 
just conjucture on my part

i agree that sugar beet is a good ethanol choice but drive I94 west through Nodak near the MN 
border and you can follow the trail of beets on the side of the hiway from the elevator all the way 
to the exit at the crystal sugar plants. around here the sugar syrup blends we get is beet sugar. 

in regards to Bill's good post on what are we really referring to on a concern for GMO beets. To me 
its a combination of the factors, since the varroa mite moved in the ways of adding foregin 
materials to our hives has increased. the corn syrup or sugar syrup we feed today is not likely the 
same moecular composition as 15 years ago. The pace of change to the environment we keep 
bees is quite rapid on a fragile insect like a honey bee. Sure the research appears to show nothing 
of concern on human health concerning GMO crops. There is a lot of yap about the protiens that 
are created in the DNA transformation. Should I trust the GMO industry or Monsanto and hope 
that there is no cause for concern? 

While we have no data to show a concern we have no real data or good feeling either that the 
USDA, FDA or EPA is not too highly influenced by Monsanto and the like. How many universities 
are looking "independently" at the risks of GMO's? Like who's going to fund that? 

In addition I'm not aware of a single research paper that looked at GMO HFCS and any risk to 
feeding to honeybees, so frankly I don't think anyone could say either way its ok or not?  since 
they have not made any large scale runs of GMO beet syrup yet and anyone fed it out how can we 
say its ok?  does anyone believe that any testing or research will be done to look at GMO sugar 
syrup relative to bee feed? 

How many times have we seen technology that appears benign turn out later to be a different 
animal? Take something as simple as flexible plastic jugs and baby related products. Phthalates in 
those plastics are now being more seriously looked at. How many years has this been going on 
and nobody asked the question? 

Having my sugar syrup supply go GMO is just another reason for me to go all in with the Russian 
bees and try and not feed at all.

 If I feed GMO sugar syrup is it not a variable that has changed in the long term "experiment" if 
you will,  I'm running on trying to keep my bees healthy and alive?

I could keep bees on plastic foundation and frames, drop a super boost pheremone in for good 
measure, feed them pollen subs based on soy, and GMO HFCS or now sugar syrup blend, put them 
on a truck move them around and put in ag chemical environments for pollination. I could use the 
midwest migratory standard blue shop rag mite mix of the day and feed tylosin in the fall along 
with fumidil. once the frames get nice and contaminated I can blame the pesticide companies  or 
even CCD for my sick bees. 

or i can keep my bees stationary, minimize or stop using any feed at all and if I do not use a 
known GMO source of sugar. keep them on wax foundation and wood frames, run resistant bees 
and never treat or only use soft treatments, i'll shake and bake my FB and never use tylosin or TM. 
i'll rotate my comb just because its a good idea. if my bees die I can blame myself or mother 
nature.

if you see my drift the concern is that we have another variable that is getting us further and 
further from a wild hive of bees in a tree 25 ft of the ground. when you remove all of the 
"variables" in your control you have less to "blame" when the bees don't look right. 

so call me old fashioned but I don't want to change. 

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