CATCH THE BUZZ - Hot Time, Summer In The City...

CATCH THE BUZZ

Extreme, Scorching Weather through August

By Carly Porter, AccuWeather.com Writer

State College, Pa. -- 23 June 2010 -- AccuWeather.com reports summer has officially begun and AccuWeather.com Chief Long-Range Meteorologist Joe Bastardi is calling for more scorching temperatures to occur over much of the nation through August.

Average summer temperatures will rival some of the hottest summers ever recorded across the eastern half of the nation.

"It's possible for record-breaking warmth in the first half of July for much of the nation," said Bastardi.

Between I-80 and I-20 from the Rockies eastward, temperatures will hold between the mid-80s and low 90s F through mid-July.

Humidity and uncomfortable heat will also cover the Great Lakes and much of the Northeast, and south from I-20 to the Gulf Coast through the same period. Temperatures will be slightly above normal, lingering around the low 80s in the Northeast and in the 90s across the south.

"The core of the strongest heat is centered in the Tennessee Valley through June," said Bastardi.

Temperatures in this region will be in the 90s F with ultra high humidity.

However, tropical systems brewing in the western Caribbean have the potential to cool most of the Southeastern states. Thunderstorms pushing through the Great Lakes and New England have the same cooling ability throughout the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states throughout the summer.

Despite the overall trend for warmth this summer, regions of the western portion of the United States will stay cool.

"Temperatures near or below normal will be confined to the West Coast, Pacific Northwest and perhaps as far east as the western Dakotas," said Bastardi.

August will feature similar temperatures as July, and September will begin the cooling into autumn.

"August will be similar to July, so much so, I have identical temperatures," said Bastardi.

With vacation season ramping up and heat in the forecast for much of the nation's summer, the demand on energy will also be in full force.

As the heat will be cranking over much of the nation, the 2010 hurricane season will also be more active.

Bastardi predicts 18-21 storms, with at least eight impacts and six hurricanes, and two or three of those hurricanes having major landfalls.


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Protein feeding pays off with better bee health, better survival, better production, and better wintering.  Learn More.

 

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 This message brought to you by Bee Culture, The Magazine Of American Beekeeping, published by the A.I. Root Company.

 

 

CATCH THE BUZZ - Dogs Find Invasive Plants...darn it.

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Weed-sniffing dogs help bust invasive plants. Dogs 1, Beekeepers 0

 

Invasive Plant Science and Management – A field test in Montana pitted dog against human in an effort to identify and eradicate spotted knapweed. This weed threatens the survival of native species and can bring about both economic and ecosystem damage. Finding plants in order to eradicate them before they can spread creates a challenge for human eyes, but not for dog noses.

 

An article in the June issue of the journal Invasive Plant Science and Management reports that trained detection dogs can locate spotted knapweed more accurately and at a greater distance than humans. While dogs and humans were comparable in finding large- and medium-sized plants, the dogs had an edge in locating small plants.

 

Domestic dogs have been successfully trained to search for specific odors. Their unique capabilities have been used in search-and-rescue efforts and to detect land mines and other buried items. They have the ability to thoroughly search over large areas and to accurately distinguish odors.

 

In this test, three dogs—one a mixed-breed Shepherd and two German Shepherds—and twelve humans surveyed a field for spotted knapweed during four sets of seasonal trials. The dogs, Nightmare, Tsavo, and Rio, had an overall success rate of 81% while the humans were successful 59% of the time. With small infestations, the dogs registered a 67% success rate versus 35% for the humans.

 

Humans did rate higher in precision than the dogs, with 100% for humans and 94% for the dogs. And Tsavo gave more false alerts than either of the other two dogs or the humans. A ground squirrel and Tsavo’s desire to give chase created an understandable distraction.

 

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Protein feeding pays off with better bee health, better survival, better production, and better wintering.  Learn More.

 Subscribe to Malcolm Sanford’s Apis Newsletter right here For a comprehensive listing of beekeeping events around the country and around the globe, check out Bee Culture’s Global Beekeeping Calendar

 This message brought to you by Bee Culture, The Magazine Of American Beekeeping, published by the A.I. Root Company.

 

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 13 July 2010

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Central Beekeepers Meet 13 July 2010 Posted: 09 Jun 2010 04:10 PM PDT The next regular monthly meeting of the Central Beekeepers Alliance will be held on July 13th at the Agricultural Research Centre on the Lincoln Road. Tuesday, 13 July 2010 Central Beekeepers Alliance Meeting Agricultural Research Centre, Fredericton, NB 7:30 p.m. New beekeepers and "interested others" are welcome to join us, to learn more about beekeeping, and maybe find out if keeping bees is right for you! Central Beekeepers Meet 13 July 2010 was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

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CATCH THE BUZZ - Schumer Blasts Chinese Honey Laundering

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 Sen. Schumer Slams China For ‘Honey Laundering’

By Paul Bedard, Editor, Washington Whispers, U.S. News and World Report

 

 Concerns that China is dumping contaminated honey into the U.S. market, often laundered through third countries to avoid stiff anti-dumping tariffs, was raised in Congress today before a commission tasked with reviewing the 10-year-old deal to give the communist nation permanent normal trade relations (PNTR).

 “Even our honey industry is under siege from imports of Chinese-origin honey,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York. “Ongoing schemes by Chinese exporters to circumvent U.S. anti-dumping, food labeling and food safety laws, threaten the continued health of the U.S. honey industry and by extension the health of agricultural industries.”

 Schumer said that China is guilty of violating anti-dumping laws, is running honey through several other countries then into the United States to avoid tariffs, and is even shipping honey contaminated with antibiotics.

 “It’s just an indication of what China is doing to flaunt our laws,” the Democrat told the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The commission is tasked with monitoring and reporting on the successes and failures of the 2000 preferred trade status former President Clinton and the Senate granted to China amid claims it would open China’s doors to American businesses.

 Schumer and three other senators -- Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown, Michigan Democrat Debbie Stabenow and South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham -- all blasted the 2000 deal as hollow and one that has instead robbed over 2 million jobs and led to the closure of firms that can’t compete with Chinese exports.

 While the senators mostly criticized Chinese tariffs on American products like cars and the alleged manipulation of their currency to keep product prices low, Schumer used the commission hearing to raise issues about the honey trade. He said that America imports just over half the honey it uses, with much of that coming from countries that either make no honey or that don’t make enough for domestic consumption and that are presumably selling Chinese honey.

 “Four of the top eight [supplying] countries, India, Malaysia, Taiwan and Indonesia, export far more honey than their domestic bees produce,” argued Schumer. “This trans-shipment, we call it ‘honey laundering,’ the intentional mislabeling of the country of origin, is costing the U.S. millions of dollars in unpaid duties and putting customers at risk for honey contaminated with antibiotics, a problem common with Chinese honey,” he added.

 He also said that some of the Chinese honey comes into the U.S. market intentionally mislabeled as “sweetener” to get around anti-dumping laws. He claimed that 160 million pounds of mislabeled honey was imported over the last two years, costing the government $200 million in unpaid anti-dumping duties.

 A Schumer aide said that he raised the honey dumping issue because New York is the nation’s 12 largest honey producer and Empire State beekeepers are under pressure to keep prices competitive with imported honey. The commission didn’t comment on his argument, though one member said that the plight of American jobs due to China’s bad trading practices will be addressed in the panel’s next report.

Find out What’s New At Mann Lake right Here

 

 Protein feeding pays off with better bee health, better survival, better production, and better wintering.  Learn More.

 Subscribe to Malcolm Sanford’s Apis Newsletter right here For a comprehensive listing of beekeeping events around the country and around the globe, check out Bee Culture’s Global Beekeeping Calendar

 This message brought to you by Bee Culture, The Magazine Of American Beekeeping, published by the A.I. Root Company.

 

 

 

 

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Bee Tour 2010 in New Brunswick

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Bee Tour 2010 in New Brunswick Posted: 08 Jun 2010 08:32 AM PDT The New Brunswick Beekeepers’ Association will host the 2010 Maritime Bee Tour on the weekend of 23-24 July at St. Thomas University Conference Centre in Fredericton. If you plan to attend, please note that the deadline for registration is 2 July 2010. NBBA SUMMER SEMINAR AND TOUR FRIDAY, JULY 23 AND SATURDAY, JULY 24TH REGISTRATION DEADLINE JULY 2, 2010 PLACE: ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONFERENCE CENTRE 368 FOREST HILL ROAD FREDERICTON, NEW BRUNSWICK Guest Speakers Jerry Hayes, Chief of the Apiary Section for the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Florida. He has compiled the "Classroom" in the American Bee Journal for the past 25 years. Dwayne Mitchell, Apiculture Specialist, Ministry of Agriculture, Canada, currently working in Fredericton, NB. Accomodations & Reservations St. Thomas University Conference Centre 368 Forest Hill Road Fredericton New Brunswick Free parking on site. View Larger Map Room rates: Single occupancy is $47.85 per night tax included.  Double occupancy is $62.86 tax included. Both include a continental breakfast. Room reservations must be made by 22 June 2010 and can be made by calling 506-460-0328 or by email reservations@stu.ca. Registration Registration fee is $65 per person. Please make cheques payable to the New Brunswick Beekeepers’ Association. Deadline for registration is 2 July 2010. Click here to download the registration form (Word doc). Contact For more information, contact Ann Vautourat 506-388-5127 or by email at evangelinemiel@hotmail.com. Onsite co-ordinators are Central Beekeepers Alliance members Dan and Mae Richards. They can be reached by email at d39m@nbnet.nb.ca or by phone at 506-455-4922. Bee Tour 2010 in New Brunswick was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

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CATCH THE BUZZ - Hearing On Trade Relations with China

CATCH THE BUZZ

Hearing On Trade Relations With China to be held Wednesday, June 9, 2010

From Ron Phipps: We understand a very thorough briefing has been provided for the senators who will speak.  We anticipate that a press release will be issued today and the story will be pitched to the media prior to tomorrow’s hearing.  Senator Charles Schumer will speak at 9:45 a.m. and is expected to raise the issue of honey laundering.  Senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan will also speak.

U.S.CHINA ECONOMIC AND SECURITY REVIEW COMMISSION

HEARING NOTICE

“Evaluating China’s Past and Future Role in the World Trade Organization”

 

Hearing CoChairs:

Chairman Daniel M. Slane and Commissioner Patrick A. Mulloy

WHAT: Public Hearing on “Evaluating China’s Past and Future Role in the World Trade Organization.” The hearing will examine the economic, political and security implications of China's entry into the WTO and China’s compliance with WTO rules.

 

WHEN: Wednesday, June 9, 2010, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Reservations are not required to attend – seating is available on a firstcome, firstserved basis.

 

WHERE: Room 562, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510.

 

PANEL INFO: Panelists’ bios and written statements will be available on the Commission’s Web Site at www.uscc.gov on Wednesday, June 9, 2010. A live audio feed of the hearing will be streamed on the home page of the Commission web site beginning at 9:00 am on the day of the hearing.

 

Panel I – Congressional Perspectives: Senator Lindsey Graham (RSC); SenatorDebbie Stabenow (DMI),Senator Sherrod Brown (DOH), Senator Chuck Schumer (DNY) Congressman Tim Murphy (RPA)

 

Panel II U.S. and Chinese Expectations for China’s Entry in the WTO: Mr. Alan Wm. Wolff, former Deputy U.S Trade Representative and Of Counsel at Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP; Ms. Thea Lee, Deputy Chief of Staff at the AFLCIO; Mr. RobertLighthizer, for mer Deputy U.S. Trade Representative and international trade attorney

Panel III CurrentU.S.China Relations in the WTO: The Reality a Decade Later: Mr. James Bacchus, former Chairman of the Appellate Body of the WTO and shareholder at Greenberg Traurig LLP;  Mr. Clyde V. Prestowitz, President of the Economic Strategy Institute;  Dr. Oded Shenkar, professor in the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University

Panel IV Recommendations for Future U.S.China Relations within theWTO:  Mr. Terence Stewart, Managing Partner at Stewart and Stewart;  Mr. Gilbert Kaplan, President of the Committee to Support U.S . Trade Laws and Partner at King & Spalding;  and Dr. Calman Cohen, President of the Emergency Committee for American Trade.

The Message Brought to you By Bee Culture, The Magazine of American Beekeeping www.BeeCulture.com

 

 

CATCH THE BUZZ - APHIS Looking For Trouble

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APHIS  Is Looking For Trouble. That's spelled   T r o p i l a e l a p s

Alan Harman

The U.S. Department of Agriculture launches a 13-state survey of honey bee pests and diseases to help USDA scientists determine the prevalence of parasites and disease-causing microorganisms that may be contributing to the decline of honey bee colonies nationwide.

 

   The survey will take place in Alabama, California, Georgia, Indiana, Florida, Hawaii, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.

   It is being conducted by USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Pennsylvania State University (PSU).

   Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says bee health is critical for the success of pollination-based agriculture, which produces about a third of the food in the U.S.

   “There has been a disturbing drop in the number of U.S. bee colonies over the last few years, while the demand for commercial bee pollination services continues to grow,” he says. “This survey will help us to better understand the factors threatening our honey bees so we can take effective action to protect them and the crops that they pollinate.”

   The voluntary survey includes 350 apiaries across 13 states and will last through the end of the year. APHIS developed the survey protocol jointly with ARS and PSU and allocated $550,000.

   Survey kits have been mailed to state apiary specialists, who will collect samples of bees and debris from the apiaries in their states. ARS and PSU scientists will test the samples for specific pests and pathogens. APHIS is particularly interested to know whether foreign mites of the genus Tropilaelaps have entered the U.S.

Find out What’s New At Mann Lake right Here

Protein feeding pays off with better bee health, better survival, better production, and better wintering.  Learn More.

 Subscribe to Malcolm Sanford’s Apis Newsletter right here For a comprehensive listing of beekeeping events around the country and around the globe, check out Bee Culture’s Global Beekeeping Calendar

 This message brought to you by Bee Culture, The Magazine Of American Beekeeping, published by the A.I. Root Company.