China Industries International
their new corporate logo...
Posted on 07/15/2007 5:58:43 AM PDT by don-o
WASHINGTON - Shoppers are in the dark about where much of their food comes from despite a five-year-old law requiring meat and other products to carry labels with their country of origin.
That soon may change. Reports of tainted seafood from China have raised consumer awareness about the safety of imported food and many of the law's most powerful opponents have left Congress.
"The political dynamic is such that there's just no getting around it," said Colin Woodall, director of legislative affairs for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. The livestock group has opposed a mandatory labeling program.
The Agriculture Department never put in place the labeling requirement because then-majority Republicans repeatedly delayed it, most recently to 2008.
The law's leading opponents are grocery stores and large meatpacking companies, many of whom mix U.S. and Mexican beef, along with other businesses involved in getting products to supermarket shelves. They say the tracking and the paperwork needed to comply with the law is too burdensome and would cause them to raise prices.
Those interests had influential allies on Capitol Hill — mostly Texas Republicans — before Democrats took over this year.
President Bush, a Texan who has strong ties to the cattle industry, never has liked the labeling law, either. He reluctantly embraced it as a part of the wide-ranging farm bill in 2002 that set agriculture policy.
The labeling requirement, popular with small, independent ranchers who sell their own products, applies to certain cuts of beef, lamb, pork, as well as to peanuts, fruits and vegetables. Processed foods are exempt. So are restaurants and other food service establishments.
The labeling program was not delayed for seafood. The former chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, wanted it to promote his state's lucrative fishing industry.
House supporters of the labeling law are working to make sure it goes into effect next year. Their job will be easier because several lawmakers — mostly Texas Republicans concerned about their state's livestock industry — will not be around to block it.
"We had to kick and scream and fight to get this in the farm bill," said Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont. He said supporters are concerned that the Bush administration keeps dragging its feet.
Congress plans hearings this week on whether the Food and Drug Administration can ensure the safety of the nation's food supply. In the wake of increased U.S. complaints about tainted Chinese products, the Chinese government late Friday said it has suspended imports of chicken feet, pig ears and other animal products from seven U.S. companies. Beijing claimed the American meat had contaminants.
The spotlight on federal oversight is adding momentum to a renewed push by consumer groups to put the labeling law in place.
"When consumers hear about all these things in China, their tendency is to avoid things from China," said Chris Waldrop of the Consumer Federation of America. "But they can't because we don't have country of origin labeling, so they are left in the supermarket to their own devices."
The same experts point to several instances of mad cow disease in Canada as evidence of the need for stricter labeling.
But Regina Hildwine, director of food labeling and standards for the Grocery Manufacturers Association, says the labels will be "additional noise" on crowded packaging.
"There's a lot more information on a label that's more important for a consumer to understand, like nutrition facts," she said.
Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Ill., said he will try to beat back language in a spending bill that would establish firm guidelines to begin the labeling in September 2008. LaHood is siding with the meatpacking companies and grocery chains.
"It's going to cause a lot of heartburn," he said.
The chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota, has said he would be open to writing a new law if all sides could agree. Without a compromise, though, he says he will leave it alone and let it begin in 2008.
Other lawmakers say that is not soon enough and are pushing for the requirement to become effective this year. Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said a must-pass spending bill could be an option to try that.
The law is a priority for lawmakers from the Midwest and northern Rockies, where smaller ranchers face heavy competition from Canada.
"Only by differentiating domestic beef from the rising tide of imported beef can our industry compete," said Bill Bullard, chief executive officer of R-CALF USA, a group that represents smaller independent producers.
China Industries InternationalI want to know exactly where all the products I buy are coming from, especially the food I feed my family. My german shepherd already seems to be a victim of poisoned dog food.
On top of that there are certain countries I don’t do business with. I don’t want my money being spent to cut my own throat with.
The company is using it as a selling point with some customers, to demonstrate a concern for the environment. I have no problem with this, In fact, it's a very good move because it cuts out China, which is undercutting American mills.
However, the protection of the food supply is a proper area for the feds to mandate.
I always check to see where the food I buy comes from. But I wonder, suppose the product is produced in the USA with some ingredients that come from elsewhere? [Isn’t that what happened with the dog food—made here but including ingredients from China?] Will the label tell me that info?
Judging by the reaction of American officials, China feels these measures are being well received.
If there was a demand for property with all the labels, the owners of the property would offer the labels for sale also.
I just do not see how the market place can be demanding to buy something and no one is providing it. If people want to buy labels, it will not take an act of the government to provide them.
A friend at work checked his apple juice box the other day. There were about 15 countries listed, including, yes, China.
If any company wants my business, they should put the nation of origin on the can/box/bag and take their chances it will pass muster.
Would you do away with USDA meat inspection?
I bought a can of Planter’s Nuts (Mr. Peanut) the other day, I remember when ALL of their peanuts came from Virginia and Georgia. I called their 800 number, and found the ones in my can were from China. Took them back to the store.
If I want to get sick, I’ll drink pond scum, at least I’ll know what I am consuming..
Yes. People can buy meat from sellers who have their products certified by private inspectors.
95+% of food sold in the average supermarket is not labeled with country of origin. If you let market forces work here the public would have to stop buying that food (starve) before anything's done.
If you buy an appliance, a piece of furniture or an article of clothing the country of origin is labeled -- why not food, the staff of life?
Do you mean private inspectors paid for by the meat producer or the meat consumer? Somehow I don’t see this working when the inspectors need a little extra cash.
As you think about that, recall that in ancient times, the Romans and others would catapult disease-riddled corpses over the walls of cities they besieged to sicken and kill the enemy. The Chinese know that history even if we obviously have forgotten it. Get my drift there?
On a recent visit to China, a friend spotted this ad in a Beijing newspaper. He sent me the photo with a translation of the ad copy.
Yes, you can now join the millions of happy and prosperous Chinese citizens taking advantage of the growing numbers of American and Western multinational corporations “outsourcing” their production to the hard-working and industrious people of China. This outsourcing has now spread to their food supplies and ingestible items. Since these firms pay us for gross weight – and this new weight will be pretty gross – and the stupid American government only spot-checks imported items in these categories (they just got lucky on the anti-freeze thing), it has opened an entirely new opportunity which our beloved Chairman is offering to any Chinese citizen willing to do a little of what the foolish Americans call “grunt work.”
Installing one of these state-of-the-art food additive production facilities behind YOUR hovel is as simple as clipping the coupon below and sending it to the address shown. Your production plant will be shipped to you in 4 to 6 weeks. Supplies are limited so don’t fart around. ACT NOW!! 
These silly Americans have an expression we have “borrowed” and modified to describe this new and exciting venture: “Don’t give me any s**t.”
Our motto will be “We won’t GIVE you any s**t. But we’ll SELL it to you fools at a really great price.”
AND LOOK FOR A NEW DROP-DEAD MONEY-MAKER COMING SOON. SOYLENT YELLOW PROMISES TO BE BIG!!
AND YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED TO KNOW THAT THE “CHERY” PERSONAL VEHICLE TO BE IMPORTED BY CHRYSLER IS SIMPLY A HORIZONTALLY MODIFIED VARIATION OF THE VERTICAL UNIT SHOWN ABOVE. WE SIMPLY SLAP AN ENGINE AND SOME WHEELS ON THAT PUPPY AND OFF SHE GOES! AMERICA’S VAST ILLEGAL POPULATION OUGHT TO SNAP THEM UP LIKE TACOS.
Are you saying government inspectors cant be bought off? An inspection service is something that the purchaser will pay for, it is part of the cost of the goods. If someone wants to purchase un-inspected products, one should have the right to do so.
If someone wants to purchase a box of cereal with nutritional info one is free to do so, if some one else wants to purchase a box of cereal with interesting stories printed on it they should be free to do so also. The government should not force everyone to purchase the boring nutritional label.
tooo funny...
If the origin of the food that I feed my Family is in question, it will sit on the shelf and rot. Simple enough. Blackbird.
If folks wanted to purchase a yellow balloon with every item, tomorrow your local Krogers would be a sea of yellow balloons. The market can respond to real demands quickly. I see Do-Gooders running to the government demanding that people be forced to purchase labels, because they think they are speaking for the people. I think the people speak for themselves when they trade their money for what property they purchase.
If people wanted labels, the government would not be forcing the people to buy labels. The market place would be selling labels for a profit. Forcing people to purchase labels is a hidden tax.
No, I didn’t say govt. inspectors can’t be bought off nor did I imply it. Consumers are already paying for inspections. Since no producers I can find are putting country of origin on their labels we have been assuming it was made and grown in the USA. I had no idea,for example, that China was now feeding the world. I have no intention of supporting my enemies and I would assume you feel the same.
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