SENATE TRADE LEADERS PROPOSE LEGISLATION TO COMBAT EVASION OF U. S. TRADE LAWS GIVES THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NEW TOOLS TO ENFORCE TRADE REMEDY LAWS; PROVIDES MORE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR U.S. PRODUCERS Washington, D.C. – In an effort to make it more difficult for foreign exporters to circumvent U. S. trade laws, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) And Olympia J. Snowe (RMaine) introduced a major legislative initiative Aug. 5, 2010 that will give the U.S. Department of Commerce (DoC) both a mandate and additional tools to enforce U.S. trade remedy laws, specifically those related to anti-dumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD). Exporters from developing countries like China have been known to mislabel shipments and reroute goods through third-party countries in an effort to fool customs officials and circumvent U.S. laws designed to promote free and fair trade. The surging number of imports from these countries is making it harder and harder for customs officials to identify cheaters and enforce laws.The Enforcing Orders and Reducing Circumvention and Evasion (ENFORCE) Act will expand DoC’s powers, and require a uniform, rapid-response to allegations of evasion of U.S. trade laws by the DoC and U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). “The ENFORCE Act would dramatically improve the enforcement of U.S. trade laws designed to create a level playing field for U.S. producers,” said Wyden, who chairs the International Trade Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Finance.He added, “If the government is serious about helping American businesses grow and create jobs, it must ensure that U.S. trade laws are enforced and duties are paid. The ENFORCE Act is going to unleash the resources of the U.S. Department of Commerce to investigate evasion of U.S. trade laws and ensure that the correct trade remedy duties are applied at the border.” “Most companies play by the rules, but when certain unscrupulous foreign exporters invent schemes to avoid paying duties it puts American workers at a disadvantage and bilks our government out of millions of dollars in uncollected fees,” said Snowe, a senior Member of the Senate Committee on Finance. “Our bill seeks to strengthen the process of investigation between Commerce and Customs to combat evasion and ensure we are enforcing the trade remedy statutes that are currently on the books.” Currently, domestic producers may petition the U.S. Department of Commerce (DoC) to investigate imports that are believed to be sold at less than normal value (dumped) or unfairly benefit from government subsidies. If the U.S. government finds that these imports are dumped or subsidized to a degree that causes harm to U.S. producers, the DoC applies antidumping (AD) duties in the case of dumped imports, and countervailing duties (CVD) in the case of subsidized imports. AD/CVD “orders” are the primary means by which the U.S. combats unfair trade in merchandise. These trade “remedy” laws are only effective to the extent they are enforced, and importers are increasingly devising schemes to avoid paying AD/CV duties. Although the DoC initially imposes the AD/CV duties, it is currently unable to investigate whether importers are circumventing them. The Enforcing Orders and Reducing Circumvention and Evasion (ENFORCE) Act of 2010 is designed to combat the evasion of AD/CVD orders and enforce the trade remedy statutes that are currently on the books. The ENFORCE Act would do the following: • Empower the DoC to investigate evasion of trade remedy laws. Currently,U. S. Customs and Border Protection (Customs) is empowered to investigate allegations of evasion and enforce AD/CVD orders. The broad scope of Customs’ mission leads many to believe that is too slow in identifying and responding to AD/CVD evasion in a way that is helpful to domestic producers. Empowering the DoC to investigate the evasion of an AD/CVD order, which the DoC imposed in the first place, is a common-sense strategy to combat unfair trade practices. The ENFORCE Act would not diminish Customs’ role; rather, it would bolster greater cooperation and information sharing between the two agencies to combat unfair trade practices that hurt U.S. manufacturing and employment. • Establish a rapid-response timeline by which the DoC and Customs would respond to allegations of evasion.The ENFORCE Act would give the U.S. government 60 days, after an allegation of evasion is put forward, to determine whether there is a reasonable basis to believe an importer is evading an AD/CVD order. If an affirmative preliminary determination is made, the ENFORCE Act would require that AD/CV duties be collected In cash until the investigation is concluded. • Improve the safety of imports.Many of the same schemes that importers employ to evade an AD/CVD order, like mislabeling, often shirk regimes the U.S. has in place to ensure that products are safe for consumption.The ENFORCE Act would authorize information sharing among the appropriate agencies when the government determines that an importer may be attempting to evade an AD/CVD order. The ENFORCE Act enjoys the support of various trade and industry groups including the American Honey Producers Association, the Coalition for Enforcement of Anti-dumping and Countervailing Duty Orders, and the Committee to Support U.S. Trade Law. ACCUSED ILLEGAL HONEY LAUNDERER PLEADS GUILTY IN LIEU OF PLEA AGREEMENT The United States District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald announced Aug. 4, 2010 a plea agreement with defendant Huang Ta Fan and his attorney, James I. Marcus. “The information in this case charges defendant with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to commit offenses against the United States, to wit: Entry of Goods into the United States by Means of False Statements, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 545, all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 2.” CHARGE TO WHICH DEFENDANT IS PLEADING GUILTY “By the Plea Agreement, defendant agrees to enter a voluntary plea of guilty to the information, which charges defendant with conspiring to enter and cause to be entered by means of false and fraudulent statements and documents, goods into the United States, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 542 and 545, that is, 48 entries compromised of Chinese-origin honey falsely declared as Korean, Taiwanese, and Thai-origin honey having a total declared value upon entry into the United States of at least $1,681,163, thereby avoiding anti-dumping duties otherwise applicable to Chinese-origin honey of approximately $3,089,977; and 50 containers of Chinese-origin honey falsely declared as Indian-origin honey having a total declared value upon entry into the United States of at least $1,155,200, thereby avoiding anti-dumping duties otherwise applicable to Chinese-origin honey of approximately $2,288,393; together resulting in a total loss to the United States of approximately $5,378,370, all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 2.” As this was written, the court had not set a sentencing date for the defendant, Huang Ta Fan ARTIFICIAL BEE EYE GIVES INSIGHT INTO INSECTS’ VISUAL WORLD Despite their tiny brains, bees have remarkable navigation capabilities based on their vision. Now scientists have recreated a light-weight imaging system mimicking a honey bee’s field of view, which could change the way we build mobile robots and small flying vehicles. New research published in August, in IOP Publishing’s Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, describes how the researchers from the Center of Excellence ‘Cognitive Interaction Technology’ at Bielefeld University, Germany, have built an artificial bee eye, complete with fully functional camera, to shed light on the insects’ complex sensing, processing and navigational skills. Consisting of a light-weight mirror-lens combination attached to a USB video camera, the artificial eye manages to achieve a field of vision comparable to that of a bee.In combining a curved reflective surface that is built into acrylic glass with lenses covering the frontal field, the bee eye camera has allowed the researchers to take unique images showing the world from an insect’s viewpoint. In the future, the researchers hope to include UV to fully reflect a bee’s color vision, which is important to honey bees for flower recognition and discrimination and also polarization vision, which bees use for orientation. They also hope to incorporate models of the subsequent neural processing stages. As the researchers write, “Despite the discussed limitations of our model of the spatial resolution of the honey bees compound eyes, we are confident that it is useful for many purposes, e.g. for the simulation of bee-like agents in virtual environments and, in combination with presented imaging system, for testing bee-inspired visual navigation strategies on mobile robots.” (Courtesy Bioinspiration & Biomimetrics) BELTSVILLE BEE LAB BUILDING TO BE RENOVATED A construction contract for $12.4 million, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, has been signed to provide critical deferred maintenance to equip an historic laboratory building to do cutting edge research at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) in Beltsville, Md. BARC is operated by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), which is USDA’s chief intramural scientific research agency, and is one of the largest agricultural science centers in the world. The repairs will be done at BARC’s Building 306, which was built in the 1930s to house research projects formerly conducted at USDA’s Arlington Farm and subsequently moved to Beltsville to make way for the Pentagon. The building is a historic example of Georgian Revival architecture.About 55 people, including 12 scientists, will move into Building 306 when the repairs are compete. This will include most of ARS’ Environmental Management and Byproducts Utilization Laboratory as well as the Bee Research Laboratory, which is leading USDA’s efforts to find the cause of Colony Collapse Disorder, the condition causing the mysterious disappearance of honey bees. “With these repairs, Building 306 will be more environmentally efficient, and our research programs will be more effective in their renewed facilities,” said BARC Director Joseph Spence. COMMERCIAL TRAP FOR WASPS, HORNETS AND YELLOWJACKETS “BAITED” WITH USDA TECHNOLOGY Safe for Use Around Honey Bees Forget the ants marching one by one--yellow jackets are the real party-crashers when it comes to spoiling picnics, outdoor barbeques and other summer fun where cold beverages and meat are present. Fortunately, a new trap is available that lures these stinging, sugar-sipping pests to their doom, thanks to attractants developed by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists and commercialized by Sterling International, Inc., of Spokane, Wash. The scientists work for USDA's chief intramural scientific research agency, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Sold commercially as the RESCUE! WH- Y Trap (Wasps, Hornets and Yellow jackets), the technology is the successful outcome of a cooperative research and development agreement involving Sterling and the ARS Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory in Wapato, Wash. In studies there, research leader Peter Landolt isolated two key compounds from fermented molasses to produce an attractant blend that lures not only yellow jackets, but also paper wasps and hornets. ARS holds patents on the attractant and has licensed it to Sterling. Yellowjackets and paper wasps become especially irksome during the spring and summer, when their foraging intersects with the outdoor activities of winter-weary humans.However, the insects are also considered agricultural pests. In orchards and vineyards, for example, their feeding damages cherries and grapes. They're also a danger to field workers, especially around harvest time. The blend Landolt developed and tested in collaboration with Sterling President Rod Schneidmiller and R&D Director Qing-He Zhang attracts 12 yellowjacket species, multiple paper wasp species (including Polistes Dominulus from Europe) and two kinds of hornets, making it the most comprehensive lure yet. Sterling's W-H-Y trap is unique in its design, with two compartments. The bottom is baited with an attractant that primarily lures western and southern yellow jackets. The top uses a different attractant blend to lure other yellow jacket species, bald-faced hornets, European hornets and paper wasps. Once inside, the pests die by drowning or dehydration, depending on the compartment.Beneficial insects including honey bees are not attracted to the traps. W-H-Y traps are available to consumers at retail chains nationwide. (Courtesy ARS News Service) OBITUARY FRANK A. ROBINSON Frank Albert Robinson, 89, died Aug. 18, 2010 at his home in Tallahassee, FL. A memorial service was held Aug 28th at Grace Presbyterian Church in Gainesville. Frank was born in Columbus, Ohio the middle son of Kate G and Edgar W Robinson.The family moved to Mountain Brook, Alabama in 1923 where his father worked as an engineer for Alabama Power Company, retiring as Vice President of Operations. Frank served in the U.S. Army Air Corp from 1942 till 1945 and was awarded the Presidential Commendation Medal.Prior to moving to Tallahassee 2 years ago, Mr. Robinson lived in Baton Rouge, La., and since 1950, in Gainesville. A graduate of Auburn University, Frank was retired from the University of Florida after 35 years of service as a Research Professor in IFAS specializing in Apiculture. Frank was a member of Grace Presbyterian Church in Gainesville, where he served as Deacon, Elder and Treasurer. Since moving to Tallahassee he had been a member of Faith Presbyterian Church.He was a member of the International Bee Research Association, Executive Secretary of The American Beekeeping Federation, Florida Entomological Society, Entomological Society of America, Southern Association of the Food and Drug Administration, and the Florida Beekeeping Association. Frank also served as a Volunteer with Hospice of North Central Florida and the North Central Florida Long Term Care Ombudsman Council where he was honored as RSVP Volunteer of the Year for 2007. He is survived by his wife of 68 years Sarah S. Robinson of Tallahassee, daughter Sarah Katherine Sparkman of Tallahassee, son Richard E. Robinson (Janet) of Birmingham, Alabama, grandson Brent D. Sparkman (Danielle), granddaughter Melissa K. Bakas (Ben), great grandchildren Blake and Logan Sparkman, Bryson and Sarah Katherine Bakas all of Tallahassee, sister-in-law Carolyn C. Robinson of Ashland, Virginia and many wonderful and loving nieces and nephews. (Courtesy The Gainesville Sun) NORTH AMERICAN BEEKEEPING CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW SCHEDULED TOGETHER FOR A SWEET FUTURE Beekeeping Industry to Gather in Galveston in January Plans are well underway for the “Together for a Sweet Future” 2011 North American Beekeeping Conference & Tradeshow, Jan. 4-8, in Galveston, Texas.This joint conference of the American Beekeeping Federation (ABF), the American Honey Producers Association (AHPA) and the Canadian Honey Council (CHC) promises to be the largest beekeeping event in the United States. And with anticipated attendance of more than 1,200, this is sure to be the conference you won’t want to miss – beekeepers at all levels and from all over North America and beyond will gather to share ideas and develop new contacts. The joint conference promises to offer something for everyone. From the new hobbyist to the seasoned professional, conference organizers have planned a schedule to incorporate educational sessions at all levels.The tradeshow has also been expanded to offer even more great deals and new product ideas. And, other industry-related organizations have been invited to participate in this groundbreaking event, including the American Association of Professional Apiculturists (AAPA), the American Bee Research Conference (ABRC), the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) and the National Honey Packers and Dealers Association (NHPDA). The conference will be held at the San Luis Resort, which consists of four properties: The Galveston Convention Center (where all meetings will be held); The Hilton; The San Luis Resort; and The Holiday Inn. We have secured rooms at all three hotels with rates ranging from $89.00 to $99.00 per night (plus tax). The conference will begin on Tuesday evening with a complimentary welcome reception for all registered attendees. Wednesday morning will kick-off with the Opening General Session followed by Shared Interest Group meetings, and then finish in the evening with the traditional Honey Queen Reception. The 2011 American Honey Show will also take place on Wednesday. The expanded tradeshow will open on Wednesday afternoon and remain open during conference hours until noon on Saturday.Thursday and Friday will be dedicated to general sessions, as well as the always popular and well-attended Serious Sideliner Symposium facilitated by Dr. Larry Connor of Wicwas Press and the ABRC conference.Interactive workshops will take place on Saturday morning. In addition, both the ABF and AHPA will host their annual banquets during the conference. The conference will include many great opportunities for networking and socializing, including two optional activities. “Murder by Honey” will take place on Thursday evening and includes dinner and entertainment, provided by YOU. That’s right, join us for a murder mystery dinner, where you and your fellow beekeepers will put on your acting caps and show just how talented you truly are. This is sure to be a great time for all who participate. The second optional activity will follow the conference on Sunday and is just the place to unwind and socialize with your new friends. We’ve reserved the conference lounge at the San Luis Resort for lunch, networking and fun. So before you go home, stop by for a little last-minute mingling. Registration rates, online registration and hotel reservation information are now available on the conference Web site at www.nabeekeepingconference.com. Be sure to check the Web site often as additional conference details will be posted as soon as they are made available.