From: "deelusbybeekeeper" <deelusbybeekeeper@excelonline.com>
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 23:23:57 -0700
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: honey ad

Hi to all on Biological beekeeping:

Barry wrote:

> I suggest we start taking line by line of the proposed standard that is now
> posted, and hash it out between ourselves. Whether a committee heeds these
> ideas or not, should not be of concern for in the end, the market place and
> consumers will have the final say as they are independent of the laws and
> rules that form the standard. If they know the difference between how you
> attained your product from the other guys, they will be educated to make
> their choice. If a new website needs to be created for organic honey, then
> it shall be done.

Reply:

It appears that a lot will be going on shortly that will have huge effects
upon our industry in the future both here in the US and abroad concerning
our beekeeping industry. All is to be settled and in place not later than
August 2002, but it is not going to be easy getting there and many will not
like the results.

It is one thing to talk in debate and another to put rules on paper to
govern peoples lives and economic well being, but the process is already in
motion and cannot be stopped. Rather then be left out of the equation I have
choosen to participate for several years and have patientily waited since
1998 when the last Federal Register comments were taken on the subject for
things to progress forward again. It has been a 20 year process.Much has
happened since the organic movement started in the late 1970s and early
1980s.

Complicating things have been the predication of mites and worsening of
secondary diseases within our beekeeping industry that my husband and I
firmly believe have been brought on by artificial practices detrimental to
bees that include enlarged artificial combs, artificial diet, artificial
unnatural breeding practices, and to that end we have worked to keep our
bees and take them back to a natural system of beekeeping free of same and
as organic as possible!

Now before I go further, I really do not wish to see other discussions stop
on various topics of general interest of biological beekeeping on this list
relative to colony maintenance, bees in general, etc. for that would be
wrong.

But since this is a biological list and the topic of biological/organic
beekeeping will be taking on more importance shortly, it is only proper to
discuss changes here that will effect everyone livehood and/or
hobby/interests. You may or may not participate, but FOR REAL the subject
matter is gong down and our industry is splitting into generic honey and
organic honey producers, like it or not! Just like there are classes and
grades of meat and produce, in the future there will be grades and classes
of honey from a health standpoint of being either within residue tolerance
or residue free, modified pure by filtering (for lack of other words) or
organic and it it's whole naturally occurring state.

Barry has already started the discussion with his post now of #1217 and Don
has already replied.

However, much has to be taken into consideration in discussion as this is
technically not a debate, it's rule making and the two are very different!

To get through the maize required by August 2002 what is finalized will have
to comply with the following: 40 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) on the
EPA governing pesticides and chemicals of which honey is listed on the books
as -0- tolerance for both food and feed in the USA. Also to be considered is
the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act which is relative to adulteration of food
and I am not just talking SUGAR. Technically, anything tnot natural and
added to a product is adulteration and you can be libel for such
adulteration action be it artifricail pollen, chemicals, drugs, essential
oils, acids, anything foreign to a hive that contaminated either food or
feed. Also needing to be followed is the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act and it's Amendments that says it is illegal to contaminate
both food and feed.

Because of the above and not wishing to be a walking target, my husband and
I choose a long time ago to fight our bees through for ZERO tolerance for
all dopes placed into a beehive for the control of secondary diseases and
parasitic mites. Please see dictionary definition here for the word dopes
relative to treatment. You will find there is a vast difference in a court
of law!

I am glad to see both Barry and Don have now started discussion. I myself
will actively start shortly, but since ZERO tolerance is on the books in 40
CFR and beekeepers can be found in violation because of it for residues, etc
I will be taking the standpoint that we will keep our bees clean and fully
organic, the only point is .........how to define without restricting so
much very few can comply.

Thanks for reading this.

Dee