Would you believe there is a possibility that the ban on Chinese poultry imports could be lifted? This, as we hear about the more than 50,000 sick Chinese infants from contaminated baby formula. It's time start seriously re-considering how much of our food is processed overseas, in plants that are turning up with gross violations of safety standards.
I was at the grocery store the other day and picked up a bag of frozen, wild-caught Alaskan salmon. I turned it over and it said "Product of China". How (and why) is Alaskan salmon a product of China??? I am starting to feel very uncomfortable with Chinese food imports. And besides, we are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of building local food systems for the health of our communities, our planet, and our bodies. And China is definitely not local....
The past year or two has shown us that Chinese safety standards are NOT up to par with our own. Additionally, we are seeing way too many jobs being lost to overseas factories because of cheaper labor. If we are going to protect our economy and ensure jobs for our workers, we do not need to be increasing the list of food imports coming in from China. Food is something that we definitely can, and should be, growing and processing locally.
U.S. inspectors have previously discovered filthy and unsanitary conditions at Chinese poultry processing plants (among other facilities there, apparently), and there have been ongoing problems with Chinese food safety standards and the entire inspection system. With the dangers of chicken and salmonella, not to mention chicken and avian flu, we do not need to be considering importing chicken from China.
Of course this has become an issue thanks to large corporations, like Tyson and Cargill, that are currently pressuring Congress to lift the ban, because they are building poultry factories in China and want to be able to sell that chicken to US consumers. But enough is enough....
Please visit the Food & Water Watch's petition page to sign this very important petition, urging Congress NOT to lift the ban on poultry imports!
Click HERE to learn even more about this issue from the Food & Water Watch Blog.
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