Contingency plan

[BBG]

Have searched the forums and not found this

http://tinyurl.com/33ze3o7

so posted it -

Scroll down under Latest NBU News.

Contingency Plans

Some 60 pages long relating to proposed action in the event of an introduction into England or Wales of an exotic pest or disease of honey bees.

Looks pretty grim - Foot and Mouth status springs to mind after a cursory read.

 

[Brosville]

About as over the top and idiotic as the response to foot and mouth- you can hear the heavy breathing of "Big Pestco. Inc" in the wings, slathering at the prospect of blanket-bombing everything in sight compulsorily with even more toxins, aided and abetted by their buddies in Government, FERA, DEFRA and probably a certain "haven't changed their spots in the least" National Association........

I can hardly pick up the paper these days without more evidence of the onward march of unsustainable "farming" and horticulture, all to the benefit of the multinationals, and extreme detriment to the environment - GM frankencrap (any day now), cloned animals, refusal to label "contaminated" foods, the passing "on the"nod" of even more toxins (nobody else seemed to notice Spirotetramat hit the market in the UK, despite the US bans), most animal welfare legislation "out of the window", spraying safety rules ditched (etc, ad infinitum.....)

 

[Hombre]

Gosh,there you are Brosville, I was beginning to think that you were holidaying near the pyramids recently.

You have been very quiet, I trust that you have not been unwell.

 

[tonybloke]

it actually seems like the govt have at least made some sort of plans, what would you suggest they do, Bros?
bury their heads in the sand and hope it goes away?

please get real, I like your posts, but the occasional positive one wouldn't go amiss!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I just had a quick look (big document)
I didn't know SHB parasitises bumble bees. What sort of risk must we be taking importing so many for polytunnel pollination?

 

[roymichaeldean]

Brosville Rules

Hi

I agree with Brosville

roy

 

[picton farm]

Spirotetramat hit the market in the UK, despite the US bans

When did it start being used?

 

[Brosville]

It was cleared for use sometime last year - here's a list of what it can be used on - http://www.plantprotection.co.uk/HTML/Prod/Prod7193.htm

As for "positive posts" - when that wonderful day dawns that "Big Ag" is put firmly in it's place, and genuinely sustainable farming/horticulture is instead encouraged, then I shall be seen dancing a jig with the best of them - in the meantime I shall continue to do what little I can against the onward march of the forces of darkness.

Of course it is reasonable to have contingency plans, but when they have obviously been drawn up with the same attitudes as the lunacy of foot and mouth culls (which is in itself not a particularly serious disease - it is eminently survivable, curable and an outbreak could be stopped with vaccinations), and has obviously been written with the trigger-happy chemical brigade straining at the leash for another opportunity to poison the bejaysus out of something else, it is reasonable to have "misgivings" as the "powers that be" continue to get it so horribly wrong over F&M. I would contend that the best method of treatment of new bee problems is prevention, import bans being a reasonable place to start

As for being quiet of late - it is winter, as well as keeping bees, I also have other interests, and have been working on a pet project........

 

[victor meldrew]

Gosh,there you are Brosville, I was beginning to think that you were holidaying near the pyramids recently.

You have been very quiet, I trust that you have not been unwell.

He was merely waiting for the next consignment of AXEs

John W.

 

[Poly Hive]

And a fresh grind stone..........

PH

 

[blackbrood]

good post BBG, at least there is a contingency plan.

BB

 

[bee ginnner]

Glad to hear that the sprayer safety rules have been scrapped ,it will save me loads of time going to different talks/demo,s/tests. and money on sprayer testing,when are the new no rules not coming out.

 

[nonstandard]

....... at least there is a contingency plan.

BB

I agree, it seems that during the initial UK varroa outbreak, which started in Devon and was apparently discovered by an amateur beekeeper, the spread pattern across the UK followed the major routes used by migratory beekeepers.

According to my source even though they had been asked to cease movements it was obvious that this was not happening. I personally think that should we end up with SHB or similar exotic pest it is in everyone's interest to act responsibly, do as we are asked and hope that the commercial keepers do the same.

 

[mbc]

good post BBG, at least there is a contingency plan.

BB

Nice to know their ready to close the door once the horse has bolted but to my mind its a load of shite when the effort should be in place to stop the horse getting out in the first place.
I agree with Bros in that once its found, these plans are totally over the top and basically just for show.
If 'the powers that be' were seriously interested in bio security then a bit more investment in protecting our borders would be the way to go rather than hoping its someone else's problem by the time exotics arrive

 

[TBRNoTB]

He was merely waiting for the next consignment of AXEs


.....to cut down some trees, to put up a windmill.....