Honey is better than children's cough syrups for a silent night

Natural honey is a more effective remedy for children's coughs than over-the-counter medicines, researchers say. A dose of buckwheat honey before bedtime easily outperformed a cough suppressant in a US study.

Honey did a better job of reducing the severity and frequency of night-time coughs. It also improved sleep quality for children and their parents.

Dextromethorphan (DM), the active ingredient in many cough mixtures sold in chemists and supermarkets, had no significant impact on symptoms. Honey has been used in medicine for centuries, not only to treat coughs and bronchitis but also to assist the healing of wounds. For coughs it is often mixed with lemon, ginger or brandy.

Ian Paul, who led the researchers from Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania, said: "We hope that medical professionals will consider the positive potential of honey as a treatment, given the lack of proven efficacy, expense, and potential for adverse effects associated with the use of DM." DM can cause severe involuntary muscle contractions and spasms, the researchers said. Cases of teenagers using the drug to get "high" were also common, they said.

Dr Paul's team observed 105 children and teenagers with respiratory tract infections. The study ran over two nights. On the first, none of the participants was given any treatment. On the second, they were divided into groups who received either honey, an artificial honey-flavoured DM medicine or no treatment, about half an hour before bedtime.

Parents answered questions about their child's symptoms and sleep quality, as well as their own ability to sleep. They rated honey as significantly better for the relief of symptoms. The findings are reported today in the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

— The Food Standards Agency says that honey should not be fed to children under the age of 1 due to the risk of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum.

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Apitherapy News

West Virginia Takes Care Of Its Beekeepers

From Associated Press
CHARLESTON — West Virginia bee keepers are stocking up in preparation for this year’s honey season.

The state Department of Agriculture reports that additional funding is helping bee keepers purchase new bees to make up for last year’s losses.

Last winter’s cold weather and the summer drought killed thousands of bees across the state.

Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass says the stocking program should increase West Virginia’s bee population by 20 percent.

As an extra incentive, the state is distributing 120,000 pounds of corn syrup for bee keepers to use as a supplemental feed source this winter.

West Virginia has about 1,000 beekeepers.

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Will the Weslaco lab close in 2009?

Word has it that USDA-ARS will close the entire Weslaco Agricultural Research facility as of September 2009. This is one of several money-saving efforts USDA is considering to make up a $86 million shortfall in their budget. Closing the Weslaco facility would save about $10 - 13 million. Apparently the powers that be are not displeased with the Honey Bee Research program at the lab, but other research areas located there have been noted as not performing as expected. The decision is expected to be made by the end of September, 2008.

What this will do to USDA efforts to implement, finally, a long range 5 year plan focusing on honey bee health has not been addressed, nor has there been any mention of short term efforts addressing the current crisis on Colony Collapse Disorder.

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Latest News from Project Apis m.

Visit us on the Web at www.projectapism.org

Welcome to the first edition of the Project Apis m. Newsletter.

What is Project Apis m? A non-profit organization founded in December 2006, Project Apis m is focused on finding practical solutions to beekeepers' challenges by supporting practical, results-oriented in-field research. PAm brings together representatives of the American Honey Producers Association (APHA), the American Beekeeping Federation (ABF), the National Honey Board (NHB), California State Beekeepers Association (CSBA), and California almond farmers. PAm includes representatives from both the pollination and crop production enterprises.

Feb. 6, 2008

• Project Apis m. (PAm) helps beekeepers with virus screening - -   Project Apis m (PAm) has pledged $30,000 to support the purchase of IVDS (Integrated Virus Detection System) equipment.  In addition to support from PAm, the Almond Board of California, California State Beekeepers Association, California Bee Breeders and the Idaho Honey Producers have contributed toward this project.  The IVDS equipment involves an expensive detection device engineered by the Army that can detect virus particles and particle sizes.  It represents a creative cross-over technology, originally built for virus screening of humans, but now with tremendous value in assisting with furthering our knowledge of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).  In addition, it can be used for breeding purposes to screen out bees with viruses in a breeding program.  This equipment should be in place and available for sample screening by early March, 2008, under the direction of Dave Wick, Biological Virus Screening, Inc. (BVS, Inc.) and Dr. Jerry Bromenshenk (Bee Alert,  Inc. and U of Montana).  A donation to PAm of $40 per sample to be screened is being requested.  This money will be re-directed to the IVDS working group to assist in covering the significant operating expenses necessary to provide this service to beekeepers.  Please contact Dave Wick (mrwick@bvs-inc.us)  or Jerry Bromenshenk (beeresearch@aol.com)  for the protocol for sending in samples. 
   

•  PAm approves third-party testing of SuperBoost brood pheromone - - At its January 29, 2008 Board meeting, PAm's Board of Directors approved a proposal by Dr. Frank Eischen, USDA-ARS, Weslaco, TX, to test SuperBoost, Pherotech's brood pheromone in honey bee colonies in almond orchards this pollination season.  PAm was pleased Dr. Eischen could prepare the proposal and plan to implement this study within days of the request by PAm's board, thus underscoring PAm's commitment to  efficiency and proactive efforts to find solutions and answers to beekeepers concerns in a timely manner.  This objective, third-party test of SuperBoost will answer for beekeepers just how well the use of a brood pheromone serves to increase pollen foraging.  Treatments include both large- and small-sized colonies as well as packaged bees.  Results will be posted to PAm's website.
   

• Project Apis m. (PAm) rolls out its first color brochure at the National Beekeeping Conference held in Sacramento - - After being in existence almost exactly one year, PAm rolled out its first color brochure at the National Beekeeping Conference held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Sacramento, CA, January 8-12, 2008. This meeting consisted of a joint meeting of the American Honey Producers Association and the American Beekeeping Federation.  In addition to this joint convention, the annual meetings of the American Bee Research Conference, the American Association of Professional Apiculturists, the Apiary Inspectors of America and the National Honey Packers and Dealers Association were also held.  Project Apis m.'s Board Chairman, Dan Cummings, discussed PAm's research focus and current projects on Friday, January 11, and then participated in the "Pollination 2008" Panel, moderated by PAm Board member Joe Traynor. The conference was a suc cess, with over 1,600 in attendance.  Research from the top scientists in the country was presented.  Colony Collapse Disorder, varroa control, and bee nutrition were just a few of the numerous topics presented and discussed.  PAm is in front of the curve in accessing Specialty Crop funding for beekeeping research.  On the first day of the conference, Richard Adee of the American Honey Producers Association discussed the potential availability of federal Specialty Crop funding for bee research.  PAm, in its first few months as an organization, applied for and received California Department of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop funds to develop quick in-field tests to assess honey bee health. 
   

• PAm undertakes test of Australian packages -- At its October 3, 2007 Board meeting, PAm's Board of Directors were given the top-line results of research by Dr. Frank Eischen, USDA-ARS, Weslaco, TX, on pollen collection by Australian package bees (AUS).   The list of treatments in ascending order of pollen collected were : US 4-frame; US 6-frame; AUS colony established Dec06 from 4-lb pkg; US 4-frame + 4lb AUS pkg; US 8-frame; US 4-frame + US 4-frame (2 united 4-frames); US 10-frame; and US 14-frame.  AUS colonies were small in strength and only grew slightly during bloom.  They may handle pollen traps differently than US colonies.  Complete results along with the materials and methods of the test should be published in the coming weeks. 
   

• A Sample Pollination Contract is available Click here to download (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) "The sample form is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as providing you with legal advice.  Any use of the form should be made only after considering whether modification is required in light of your circumstances.  Any questions regarding its use, completion or modification should be addressed to your legal adviser. "
   
• Project Apis m awarded CDFA grant for research - - The California Department of Food and Agriculture has awarded a two-year, $100,000 grant to Project Apis m to develop field level testing on the health of honeybee hives. Click here to read the entire press release.
   
• Colony collapse creates buzz at bee conference. Beekeepers and researchers discuss threat facing nation's 2.5 million colonies - - More than a year after it was first discovered, colony collapse disorder remains a mystery to bee researchers and a source of high anxiety for the nation's beekeepers. At a national bee conference here Thursday, a standing room only audience listened as beekeepers and researchers discussed the challenges of the disease, which threatens the nation's 2.5 million bee colonies and the billions of agricultural crops that they pollinate. Colony collapse disorder, known as CCD, causes a rapid loss of the adult bee population. Dr. Jeff Pettis, who heads up the research team at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service Bee Research Lab in Beltsville, Md., said the key for researchers is to look at the interactions of the various stressors to get to the bottom of colony collapse disorder. He said CCD is likely an interaction .<more> Jan. 11, 2008 Capital Press
   
• Honey bee research is long-term solution to almond industry's growing pollination needs    - - California's almond bearing acreage is expected to mushroom about 22 percent in the next five years, from 615,000 bearing acres in the 2006-2007 crop year to 750,000 bearing acres in 2011. Yet what's a stinging concern in the side of almond growers is whether adequate and healthy honey bee numbers will be available for crucial pollination every spring. Research is a fundamental answer to honey bee issues, including the so-called colony collapse (CCD) disorder that killed millions of bees over the last few years. There is no single answer to the massive bee die-off that helped push colony rental prices up to the $135 per hive range during the 2006-2007 almond season. "For almond growers, the price of colonies of bees has tripled in the last five years. It has become quite a significant cost of our operations," said Dan Cummings, owner and general manager of Cummings-Violich, Inc., Chico, Calif., which manages 7,000 acres of almonds and walnuts. Cummings is also co-owner of Olivarez Honey Bees, an apiary business. <more> Jan. 16, 2008 Western Farm Press

Chinese Honey Exported From Australia to US with OZ Label.

Bee Culture Magazine First With The Story. Next...What Importer Bought The Honey? What Did They Know, And When Did They Know It? Stay Tuned!

From Alan Harman

   Two companies and three people are convicted in Australia of customs fraud and fined A$580,200 over an elaborate international import/export scam involving 1.7 million litres of honey that was shipped to the United States.

   The fraud was part of a worldwide scam to circumvent anti-dumping duties imposed on Chinese honey by the U.S.

   The honey was exported from Australia to the U.S. as an Australian-made product, but was actually from China.

   Australian Customs Service investigations national manager Richard Janeczko says the investigation was lengthy and complex.

   "This degree of complex fraud can be challenging to detect, investigate and prosecute,” he says. “Commercial fraud of this type also has potential to damage Australia's relationship with our major trading partners."

   Between July 2001 and June 2002, some 28 consignments of Chinese honey were imported into Australia by CHS Enterprises Pty. Ltd. and JHM Trading Co. in 125 shipping containers.

   The two companies claimed the honey was from Singapore – which does not have honeybees.

   Australian Customs said the honey, packed in 200-litre drums, was relabeled as Australian product by the importer and repacked for export. It was not blended with Australian honey and it did not undergo any other form of processing.

   The honey was then exported in 39 shipments to the U.S. described as Australian product.

   An investigation by Customs officers found JHM Trading Co. was bogus.

   CHS Enterprises Pty. Ltd. and its freight forwarder AK Unicargo International Pty. Ltd. were charged with 38 offences under the Customs Act 1901 and 58 offences under the Commerce (Trade Descriptions) Act 1905.

   Also charged were Robin Hu, his then wife, Hui Min Jing, and Gordon (Pui) Lam.

   Jing pleaded guilty to all charges in the New South Wales Supreme Court and agreed to assist Customs with its inquiries. She was fined A$129,200.

   At a subsequent Supreme Court trial, Lam and AK Unicargo were found guilty of all charges. Hu and CHS Enterprises were found guilty of charges relating to the original importation of the honey.

   The court imposed fines and costs against the two men and companies totalling $451,200.

 Diabetic Market Opens Up Worldwide for FDA-Approved All-Natural Sweetener Marketed by SuperVision

 

Major Deal to Be Announced Soon; Stunning Supermodel to Host New International Diabetic & Diet Cooking Show

 

Supervision entertainment Inc. is pleased to announce that the FDA recently approved an artificial sweetener mande from all-natural crops such as wheat, rice, corn, potatoes, barley etc. It is a radical departure from such artifical sweeteners such as Aspartame, Splenda and others that are basically chemical cosktails of one form or another.

 

This amazing new product is produced by creating an enzymatic degradation of all the natural crops which is then processed and purified. The end result is an all-natural sweetener that looks exactly like honey, tastes exactly like honey, and has the same consistency as honey. In fact, it's putting bees out of business.

 

The product is FDA approved for inclusion in literally thousands of products from cereals, chocolate bars, colas, nutrition bars, baking goods and hundreds of other classifications of foods. In short, anywhere sugar is used, this product can be used to replace sugar.

This is the perfect product for the Diabetic market, which is reaching a chronic epidemic stage. It is estimated that every 21 seconds a new diabetic is diagnosed and for every one diagnosed there are two others who become diabetics but do not yet know it as they are not diagnosed.

Diabetes affects an estimated one billion people around the world, almost one sixth of the world's population! Diabetes is also closely associated with obesity, and again this is the perfect product for that market.

 

While providing the sweet taste experience that most people crave in their diet, this product contains no calories, no carbohydrates, and passes through the body undigested.

The company is now working on several marketing approaches and expects to announce a major marketing contract shortly.

 

To support the marketing, Supervision has created a new television series of 135 half-hour shows for national and international broadcast. The content deals with healthy diet and specific diabetic recipes using this amazing new product. These television shows, in addition to them being available in DVD form for the approximate billion diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetics around the world, are currently in pre-production and feature a beautiful supermodel host.

The Dailey Green

Honey Crop May be Worst Ever

Bees Make Bees, Instead of Honey, This Winter, but What About the Bottom Line?

The honey crop was terrible this year. Maybe the worst ever. We're predicting a 130 - 150 million pound crop in the U.S. due to drought mostly, but lost hives last winter and the fact that many beekeepers spent this past summer recovering from the severe losses last year by growing bees instead of honey. (as a comparison, a 250 million pound crop was common 10 years ago).

Eastern beekeepers moved their bees from northern summer sites to southeastern over-wintering areas looking for honey and pollen. Midwest bees, those from MN, WI, IL, IN and some from the Dakotas moved south to the delta regions, Texas and areas of the south central U.S. Western hives moved, mostly, to California. Still, many beekeepers simply leave their bees right where they are and let them relax a bit when the snow starts to fall.

The hives that move will use this extended summer time to make honey and gather pollen to build their up their populations. Once they have gained some weight and produced more bees, beekeepers will make splits (dividing large colonies into 2 or 3 or even 4 smaller colonies) which in turn will build up so they are large enough to pollinate crops. This is exactly the point last year that CCD reared its ugly head. The colonies, once moved south not only didn't build up but began declining – dramatically. And I'm told this is what some are seeing again this year, but it's a bit early to tell how many.

The flowers the bees are visiting now are primarily wild flowers and the honey is a pretty good grade, but it's a lot smarter to use it to make bees than to harvest and sell at a loss. Bees in those boxes in a couple of months are worth much, much more than the honey they'll make now. Even so, those in Florida and southern California may soon begin making orange blossom honey and beekeepers will extract some of this premium crop. But a disease in the Florida citrus groves could be trouble later this spring as growers spray their trees for a pest that spreads a very, very lethal disease. It's a hard time for beekeepers.

And like I said, honey isn't the cash crop it used to be. Beekeepers have had to look hard at business plans to figure out how to make ends meet. Once, honey bought in this country was mostly made in this country and was mostly grocery shelf quality. Imports, mostly from Mexico and Canada went into bakery grade honey ... not an inferior grade, but usually darker and stronger and great for breads and meats and Honey Nut Cheerios. Now honey is a world commodity. Honey sellers can buy nearly any type of honey at nearly any time of the year on the world market and have it delivered to their door for the same price, and usually a lower price, than they can get U.S.-produced honey. And imported honey is no longer primarily bakery grade. It's consumer-friendly gold.

So U.S. beekeepers, to make ends meet, have to look at cash flow, income potential, timing and labor costs. It's become obvious that honey production alone, even two or three crops a year isn't enough to pay the bills. Pollination, somewhere, sometime is also needed. And to get bees ready for this they need to manage them carefully and they need to have enough bees. More than enough bees because for lots of reasons it's getting harder to get last year's bees in shape to do this year's business. This is what has made importing bees from Australia so important. Beekeepers here can't produce enough bees fast enough so additional bees - imports - are needed. And there's a story for another time.

But right now they are watching all these bees - U.S. bees and Aussie bees - and holding their collective breath. Healthy colonies in six weeks mean an income. But if CCD shows up again ... for many, it will be the auction block.

Find this article at: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/blogs/bees/honey-crop-47111906

1-30-2008

Getting to the Root of Why Bees are Dying 

Off Becomes Even More Convoluted

GreenDailey

Declining honeybees a ‘threat’ to food supply

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NASA

PBS

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Genetic Survey Finds Association
Between CCD and Virus

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Hebrew University excavations reveal first Biblical
 period beehives in ‘Land of Milk and Honey’

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A tree full of honey

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