No New Update on Aussie Bee Stop import

[Angi_H]

Still not new news. Here is the current report of whats going on. Even though AU package bee suppliers have been told they have the so called GREEN Light it still is not true and is still unresolved. here is a link to read.

http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-...e-l&T=0&P=1016


Angi

ps I am still watching this closely

[alpha6]

Thanks for all the info and updates Angi.

[Tom G. Laury]

10 4 thanks Angie we're all trying to read between the lines!

[alpha6]

Interesting article that is related.

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environ...121501?src=rss

[Tom G. Laury]

Yes well written by Flottum

Scary though

[deknow]

hi angi,

can you confirm that they said "varroa" at the meeting? it seemed absent in jerry's comments.

deknow

[Angi_H]

He was talking so fast as well as filpping through the power point and I was also writing down stuff from the power point as well. In my notes it states it But then again we still dont know the true or all of the facts of the so called bann. Yes they have said in AU that all of the A. Cereina swarms/hive they got were not infected with varoa. But both you and I know that just because they did not see it does not mean it is not there. It hides well and because they have not been able to find every single hive/swarm in Carnes does not mean that no Varoa is in AU. I have a friend in Au and uncle is a beekeeper and said that he said he belives they are already in AU. As he had herd other beek mention having them. BUt this is in the northern teritory where the Apis C is being found and they are now trying to wipe out. We all know how well a quarenteen process works with bees and that is not very well at all. My feelings on the subject with the other very very bad mites that Apis C carries that we dont want nore need here in the usa We need to NOT IMPORT THIS YEAR> And let them work it out and let them try to find all of the apis c hives and destry them all. Then they should have to go so many months or a year apis c free and with testing being done on there colonies showing that they are indeed free of them as well as the other horrable mites that apis c carries. Yes it is gonna affect the almond bloom for those that shipped less then good hives and had planned on boosting with Aussie bees. But if we all work togather and pull into this the sideline and some of the bigger hobbiest into the picture we should have enough hives and good hives to do what needs to be done. That is just my feeling. But for them to say they have no mites when Apis c is in the country is like saying we have no AFHB because we are not living in Africa. Just my 2 c worth.

I tried copying everything from the power point and writing down the key points that were being said that would effect everyone. He got interupted in the middle of his talk by one of the main guys telling him not to mention it as it is not yet known fact and that they shouldent say. Just as he was about to tell it out of his mouth. And I think that is where I got it from. Because he almost had it out of his mouth. I was sitting right up front next to the person who caught him and said dont say it. Or we shouldnt say it because it is not yet truely known yet.

Angi

[loggermike]

Angi, Thanks for taking the time to attend the meeting.While, officially Australia has no varroa,well, I have heard things too that makes me wonder...

[high rate of speed]

Well, the fat lady has supposibly sung and they are on their way.time to buck up and deal with the conciquinces.hee-haw.

[Tom G. Laury]

ACTUALLY ANGI IS QUITE SLIM

[Angi_H]

Ha Ha Tom Yes I am too thin. Even though I am snacking all day long and drink soda like they are going out of style. Anyway I was kinda hoping Au bees would not be able to be brought in this year. As who knows of the other troubles they could bring in. At least for a few more month to give them more time to figure things out. I need to go back to the one site and see if there is an update lately. I have been so busy with holidays and such I had not had time. Oh and BTW guys Happy New Year.

Angi

[dbest]

I checked with my queen supplier and he said that there was only ever a slight hold up and that I can expect my 1000 queens in Febuary without any problems.

[Michael Palmer]

I need to go back to the one site and see if there is an update lately. Angi

I received this from my congressman's assistant. It seems APHIS feels comfortable with a quaranteen. I don't, and made Rep. Welch aware of that. 100 mile quaranteen is rediculous.

Michael,

Called you and you were out skiing – good for you!

It appears that APHIS is going to issue a decision on the Australian bee issue due to concerns like yours.


Here is APHIS response to my question:

"Currently, APHIS is considering whether to continue to allow the importation of Australian honey bees following this incursion of Asian honey bees. We are carefully considering the risks associated with future imports and are in the process of making an informed, risk-based decision. We anticipate issuing a decision very soon, within the next few days if not sooner. "


THEN, I received an update several hours later:


In November, Australia notified APHIS that there was an incursion of Asian honey bees in the Cairns, Queensland area of Australia. Asian honey bees are an invasive species of bees that are known to carry a mite. Neither the Asian honey bee nor the mite are present in the Western Hemisphere. Australia voluntarily stopped issuing export certificates for honey bees to the United States. In response, APHIS required that all honeybee exports be derived from colonies 100 miles away from any find of Asian honey bees known to have occurred in the last two years. Shipments of honey bee imports have since resumed.

Based on the data provided by Australia, we believe the areas outside the quarantine zone in Cairns are free the Asian honey bee and of the mites of concern. Therefore, at this time, we are continuing to allow the importation of Australian honey bees into the United States. We do not believe that a decision to stop imports would be supported under OIE/WTO guidelines at this time.


So, it appears that they will not be changing any trade policies regarding the Australian honey bees. I will be heading out on vacation until Jan. 5. Let me know what you think about this, and if you think we should advocate further.

Tricia


Patricia Coates

State Director

Congressman Peter Welch

[loggermike]

A hundred miles is absurd.What bureaucrat came up with that!!!
If you didn't have varroa, how safe would you feel if it was only a hundred miles away?
I hear the package yards are 1500 miles away from the Cerana finds. But Australians are VERY migratory. I wonder how close hives actually get to the infested area.

[JPK]

This is the problem with having our hands tied to such a large degree as they are currently by organizations like the UN and WTO.

Common sense is not allowed to prevail.

[beemandan]

Common sense is not allowed to prevail.

The real problem with common sense is that it isn't the same from one person to the next. Have you ever heard anyone admit that they didn't have any common sense?
I bet that many Australian beeks would have a different view of what common sense should be applied to this situation.
Sad to say....there isn't any such thing as 'prevailing' common sense......now if everybody had my common sense the world would be a wonderful place.

[JPK]

The real problem with common sense is that it isn't the same from one person to the next. Have you ever heard anyone admit that they didn't have any common sense?
I bet that many Australian beeks would have a different view of what common sense should be applied to this situation.
Sad to say....there isn't any such thing as 'prevailing' common sense......now if everybody had my common sense the world would be a wonderful place.

lol

Parts of it ARE wonderful places.

I generally agree that there are DEGREES of common sense but there are things that are "Least Common Denominators" if you will.

You don't cross the street without looking both ways (at least not many times)

You don't shoot off fireworks near a fuel storage area

You can't expect a species known for their ability to migrate long distances to suddenly NOT do so.......