Adoption of meliponiculture in the domestic United States

Hello all,

With the threat of honeybee extinction looming on the horizon, I got to thinking that rearing stingless bees could eventually supplant apiculture for the production of high-value base materials used in the biomedical industry. Unfortunately, they don't produce much in the way of actual honey and the slow (re-)adoption of the practice has coincided with the loss of traditional knowledge and habitat destruction in Mesoamerica.

Despite many efforts to fund research programs around the world, interest in adopting meliponiculture here in North America seems next to nil. Perhaps there is a good reason behind it, but I suspect it's merely the product of ignorance and lack of funding sources.

With that said, has anyone heard or read anything that suggests the potential for (safely and lawfully) importing these little beauties into North America? Even if you don't know, I would love to hear everyone's thoughts and musings on meliponine bees anyways.