Post Office Quits Bees?
 

Here's another blow to agriculture.
As of August 27, 2001, the Post Office
is going to use FedEX to be the
carrier  of  all air mail.  This means no
live insects, birds, or reptiles
can be shipped with the post office.  It
affects First class, Priority, and
Express mail.
The Post Office does not have an alternate
carrier lined up.  After a hundred
years of the bee industry depending on the
post office, it seems unfair to
drop us like this without warning.

If we make a big enough protest we may be
able to make a change in this
policy.  We should at least let our concerns
be known.

It's time to write those letters to our
representatives and contact everyone
you know who will be affected to do the
same.

You can make a direct complaint to the Post
Office at www.usps.com and send
an email through "contact us" on their website.

One answer from the Post office

Thank you for visiting our web site.  We
appreciate your concerns.  However, the shipment of live animals and honeybees will be processed in the same manner in which we have always offered.  The Postal Service has four major commercial airlines it may use
for the shipment of live animals.

With regards to honeybees, as stated in our Domestic Mail Manual, Section C022.3.7, Bees are acceptable in the continental surface mail when shipped under federal and state regulations to ensure that they are free of disease.  Packages of honeybees must bear special handling postage, except those sent at a First-Class Mail rate.

Only queen honeybees may be shipped via air transportation.  Each queen
honeybee shipped via air transportation may be accompanied by up to 8
attendant honeybees.

Personal Note from Beemaster

I received original notice from a fellow beekeeper and many similar notes from many other beekeepers around the country.

I can not image that the Postal Service will just let this matter fall between the cracks and I assume that they will address it in a fashion where such shipping services are minimally effected during their transition.

I do agree that our input is needed to show that this matter is of great importance to many of us, so please email your concerns to the postal services.

Mind you, no carrier wants you to find their email addresses to easily - so much for communication, but we need represention and that's where your governmental officials are for. If this matter isn't quickly addressed, I suggest you contact them and place this matter in their hands.

John the Beemaster