On Wed, 20 Mar 1996, my name is Dean M. Breaux wrote:
 
> One of many concerns that I have as a breeder of bees in the USA is the fact
> that we in this country do not have access to the work that is being done in
> other parts of the globe with regards to the bee stocks themselves. Due to
> this limitation we in the USA may be suffering economically due to losses of
> colonies due to tracheal mites and varroa etc.
>
> I have received requests from many parts of the world in regards to stock.
> While other parts of the globe have access to the improvements in stock we
> have made here, we do not have the same rights. This is due as I understand
> it to a law against the import of foreign races of bees that dates back to
> 1922.
>
> I understand that the importation of bees has many hazards i.e. Mites and
> other things that we do not have here in the United States. While I agree
> that importation of the bees  is dangerous, I can not for the life of me
> understand why in 1996 after half a century of Instrumental Insemination that
> we are not allowed to at least import seamen from areas of selected desirable
> stocks.( i.e. from Italy , France, Austria or from some place where they have
> bees eating mites making honey) It would seem to me that we should at least
> be able to import semen from the gene pools of the bee stocks that we now
> have.
>
> I know all of the reasons for not allowing us to do this, if you would like a
> complete list try to bring bee semen into the USA. My main point is this,
> practical bee research is a precious commodity and it is extremely expensive.
> Why should we limit ourselves to the resources that we have here in the USA.
> We need not be so arrogant to think that if some one else develops a bee
> resistant to mites or a better honey producer that we can do the same. Even
> if we can, at what cost in time and resources.
>
>  Please do not misunderstand my motives,  this is not a slight to anyone in
> the United States Government or the research community.  It is however an
> issue that needs to be addressed by the  American beekeepers. This is in fact
> a law, and I for one would like to see it modified at the very least to allow
> the importation of semen. I think it would be, for the good of the United
> States Beekeeping community. It would even allow for the creation of joint
> research projects between countries working with same stocks. The benefits
> would be many and the draw backs few.
 
Hello , Dean, you did a beautiful job on your post. As we speak there is
some work a foot to get the law changed and semen into the US.It will not
happen with just a couple of people working onit. Your right it takes the
whole beekeeping group. I was cheating a little,I'm after the almound
growers ,they have a lot of money to loose if we keep loosing bees.
 I have sent a letter to Dr. Rinderer about 2 weeks ago about this
subject. The truth of the matter is simple. Old law needs change. Who
does not want change? This is not pointed at any person. Its how you get
change in the government.You stated the case for change very well. Now
comes the hard part , getting enough beekeepers to stand up and be
counted. When Vince put the poll on the list for us to take , he did not
get many replys. Thats normal for beekeepers in the USA.
  If people who love bees  would stand together the problem would be
solved soon. The problem will be solved because we all need to help each
other in the research and we can't do it the way things are now.
 This Varroa mite problem is more complex than just the mite
itself.Viruses are spread by the mite.Thats a fact and only one virus has
an antiserum.
 We need to see how many beekeepers want to save money and there bees.You
put a large team of researchers  working on a problem and it will be
solved much sooner. As we all know a genetic fix will take time , but it
is the only way to have a lasting fix .
 Everyone have a great day and remember that a little from each one of us
will be alot. We are not talking money , we need names.
 Roy