Do you like this story?
Monday morning open thread: Mmmm! Tastes like melamine! edition
By Gina Spadafori
May 7, 2007
- If you have a sick pet or a question on your pet’s health, call your veterinarian.
- If you’re new to the site, please check out our general information page (includes information on recalled foods).
- If you want to report a sick or deceased pet, click here.
Nothing to see here, folks, move along:
There is very low risk to human health from consuming meat from hogs and chickens known to have been fed animal feed supplemented with pet food scraps that contained melamine and melamine-related compounds, according to an assessment conducted by scientists from five federal agencies.
In the most extreme risk assessment scenario, when scientists assumed that all the solid food a person consumes in an entire day was contaminated with melamine at the levels observed in animals fed contaminated feed, the potential exposure was about 2,500 times lower than the dose considered safe. In other words, it was well below any level of public health concern.
The risk assessment is an important new science-based component of the continuing federal joint investigation into imported wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate from China that contained melamine and melamine-related compounds.
The risk assessment was conducted by scientists from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This team is now compiling a scientific assessment of the risk to animal health associated with ingestion of animal feed containing melamine and its compounds.
FDA and USDA are in the process of identifying a group of experts to convene a scientific advisory board that would be charged with reviewing the risk assessment. This group would also be asked to contribute to future scientific analysis related to the risk of melamine and its compounds to humans and animals.
The rest. I do believe the USDA set a record in the use of the words “science,” “scientist”and “scientific” in just a few short paragraphs.
In any case, time for a barbecue!
If you’re still going to be all henny-penny about this stuff, you might try cooking up some rattlesnake instead. I know one who might be available.
You know, this pet-food scandal has been going on almost as long as my little kitten has been alive. Maybe instead of Clara, I should have named her Mel(amine). That’s her, reminding everyone to hang in there.
She’s a great little kitten, very brave and adventurous. Good thing, since before Saturday she had never seen a dog (I have four), a rabbit (one) or a parrot (one). We’re all working out the issues slowly and carefully.
Kittens are sure fun, aren’t they? Her little purr-engine never quits.
***
Reminding everyone:
Every since the recalls began, there has been a group of bloggers who knew the story was bigger than most people thought at first. We began compiling data, comparing information, collecting personal stories, and digging for facts. Since then, there have been dozens of additional recalls, threats to the human health supply, a re-evaluation of international food safety standards, and a rising wave of frightened and angry pet owners.
This coming Tuesday evening, May 8, at 10 PM Eastern Time, PetHobbyist.com invites you to join us for a panel discussion on the recall with:
To receive a free email reminder of the special chat, sign up here. For complete instructions on how to attend the chat, go here. It’s free, you don’t need to register or download anything, but you do need to make sure your browser is Java-enabled. And yes, please cross post and help spread the word.
Updates on the announcement the USDA was releasing some of the previously-held chickens and hogs to the human food market:
From Dave Schuler at the Glittering Eye:
I’m eager to see how the USDA reconciles the facts in this case with their finding. As best as I can tell these facts are
* Some number of pets, probably between 2,000 and 7,000, have died as a result of eating contaminated food since roughly December 2006.
* Some additional number of pets, probably around 40,000, have been injured by the same cause over the same period.
* The suspected foods have been found to have been adulterated with melamine.
* And, as the USDA tells us, melamine isn’t toxic enough to cause the deaths and injuries.Possible explanations include
* Cats and dogs are at higher risk from melamine than people.
* The USDA is wrong or
* Some contaminant other than melamine is responsible for the deaths and injuries.That, basically, is what I’ve been saying all along.
So, rather than proclaiming “Case closed” we need an explanation that fits the observed facts.
Also, let’s not lose track of the fact that no one disagrees that melamine shouldn’t be present in human or animal food in any quantity whatever and that its presence is, at this point, highly suggestive of active fraud on the part of Chinese farmers, manufacturers, or exporters (or all three).
From Christie on her personal blog, Dogged, cross-posted to DailyKos:
South Africa banned all grain imports from China after the deaths of pets there from contaminated pet food containing corn gluten adulterated with melamine. Pet food companies in this country have recalled hundreds of brands of dog and cat food because of this contamination. Some of those companies may never recover from the financial blow.
So when you read the USDA/FDA press today that says “Scientists Conclude Very Low Risk to Humans from Food Containing Melamine: USDA Releases Some Swine and Poultry for Processing,” at least be comforted to know that pet food companies care about your pets more than human food processors – and the government – care about you and your children.
Update 2: The New York Times editorializes that the FDA is in over its head, needs help and funding, and that the real message of the pet-food scandal is being missed:
The purchase of toxic pet food ingredients from China is a chilling warning about the weakness of the nation’s defenses against tainted imported foods. Reports from pet owners indicate that the contaminated protein concentrate may have killed thousands of dogs and cats; it has also been found in farm animals.
Yup. As I told our editor, oh, two days after this all started, this isn’t “just” a pet-food story, it’s a food story. As reader Mike so famously puts it, “We all gotta eat.” (Thanks, Itchmo!)
Stuff we missed? E-mail us or post here!
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Whats changed since March 16, 2007? Would the Pet Food Industry like to tell America?
Ekedahl, Henderson, and Miller want to step up to the plate first?
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 8:08 am
The FDA/USDA has just announced that “in their opionion”, food tainted with melamine is not likely to harm humans. Even if this is true (and they do not know conclusively if it is), what about the chicken, beef, pork that we feed to our pets?! And what about those same products that are used in the pet foods that are supposedly safe?! Thanks FDA and USDA for giving a SH-T!
Comment by John — May 7, 2007 @ 8:09 am
Feb 20th - Menu Foods receives first reports of problems with pet food.
Feb 26th - Menu foods commence tests on 50 animals.
Feb 26th & 27th - Menus CFO sells half his shares for $102,900.
March 16th - Recall announced. Share price plunges
April 10th - CFO calls this a “horrible coincidence”
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 8:14 am
What is the melamine risk to an unborn fetus? I don’t see where they are doing any studies on that.
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 8:18 am
Good point, Deanna!
Comment by John — May 7, 2007 @ 8:28 am
Where did the established safe levels of melamine come from? I thought there weren’t any?
P.S. Clara says: Let me out of this cage.
Comment by slt — May 7, 2007 @ 8:32 am
Let the pump begin
http://finance.google.com/fina.....lient=news
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 8:33 am
In the noted article all parties involved are federal agencies. They all get their paychecks from the same place - the gov’t. Do you think they are going to criticize their own for this problem?
And by the way WHO provides the money for the salaries? Pet Owners do.
We should demand that an independent, non-gov’t affiliated consortium of scientists be appointed to determine the relative risk.
Comment by John T — May 7, 2007 @ 8:36 am
Need explanation - there is no/little risk, but the US government does not approve use of the substance - melamine.
Comment by Donna — May 7, 2007 @ 8:42 am
Steve says: What’s changed?
This is what I want to know, too.
How can we know if anything has changed?
We need independent testing!
Don’t forget the mis-labeled crap that the FDA, themselves, have said they cannot catch and therefore cannot test. AND will not be caught or tested in the future.
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 8:43 am
Deanna, That was my thought as well. Haven’t seen any information to that point anywhere.
Comment by aym — May 7, 2007 @ 8:46 am
We need to find the countries that will be importing our tainted chicken and pork. Maybe their governments care about their people. If we could get them to block our exports then the almighty dollar will weigh in.
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 8:46 am
I think possibly that if consumers demanded it in a way that spoke to the pet food companies, they might be persuaded to have their own foods independently tested. They could get a ‘seal of approval’ from UC Davis or other established labs having no ties to the industry. I would be willing to pay extra for a food that was certified 3rd party tested in that way.
Comment by slt — May 7, 2007 @ 8:47 am
Sorry about all those references to scientists. That’s my fault. I was constantly ask about where the scientific evidence was that proves that this is safe. What kind of testing did they do? The FDA and the USDA have been reading my blog and figured out if they threw the word scientist and science in a bunch they would be able to impress the public that this was safe.
Did it work? Are you all convinced?
I will note that the issue was not simply Melamine. I better not talk about it, it will give the FDA a good idea what questions to prep for on Tuesday’s press conference. Good thing there aren’t any reporters reading this blog.
Because if there were I’d be sure to ask about melamine and the other three chemicals (cyanuric acid, ammelide and ammeline) that when added to urine develop crystals. What studies have they done on the safety of those?
Oh and what animals were the melamine studies done on? Rats, cats or humans.
I’m off to read the press release and the FAQ I’m sure that they will make me feel safer.
For dinner last night I had organic free range chicken that ate only grains produced in the US.
Comment by spocko — May 7, 2007 @ 8:49 am
If we are blocked from exporting out mela-meat, I can guess it will ALL be routed to pet and animal feed domestically. Probably at a discount. : (
Comment by slt — May 7, 2007 @ 8:49 am
No tolerance for tainted food! No melamine! No Cyanuric Acid! No, No, No, a Thousand times, NO!
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 8:49 am
TYPO: If we are blocked from exporting out mela-meat
should be: exporting *our* mela-meat
Comment by slt — May 7, 2007 @ 8:50 am
No tolerance for tainted food!
Precedence is very important for the legal types; we can not allow the release of adulterated food!
No adulterated foods! It is illegal! It doesn’t matter if they ‘think’ it is safe. It is adulterated.
We have laws, don’t they matter anymore?
I am furious. This is illegal!
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 8:55 am
Government is a failure. Can’t trust them. We shouldn’t have to be afraid to eat!
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 8:58 am
We need an independent body to test all pet foods on the market. We need independent random inspections of the processing plants and the ingredients. We need to be sure of all points along the chain.
We need a non-profit group dedicated to insuring that pet food is safe to eat.
Because globalism isn’t going to go away and our pets are just not that important to our government.
The pet food companies have shown very well that they are not concerned nor is this PFI very worried about ensuring safe pet food.
The companies involved don’t think it’s very important for us to know where they get their ingredients and basically refuse to tell us.
Our government doesn’t even care about insuring safe food for us, we cannot trust them with either our food or our pet’s food!!!
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 9:00 am
Comment by spocko — May 7, 2007 @ 8:49 am
”..if they threw the word scientist and science in a bunch they would be able to impress the public that this was safe.
Did it work? Are you all convinced?”
I am more leary than ever of what the government is covering-up after reading the post. The ‘scientists’ are government employed and answer to the government.
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 9:02 am
^ furious outrage ^
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 9:02 am
I just read the whole press release and it really depressed me. Why? Because I recognize the verbal two stepping going on.
Read the FAQ.
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal.....5/0129.xml
They are making a TON of assumptions about this. Why? Because they know thatthey have already let people eat the chickens that have eaten tainted food.
Do they have the feed that they ate? They might not even have the processed chickens. No testing could be done.
And calling something scientific doesn’t make it scientific.
So lets ASSUME that they had NO data on the feed that the chickens that were fed, killed and eaten in Feb. what assumptions DID they use to characterize those birds? What assumptions did they use to characterize the food they ate?
You know what they say when you assume something. You make an ….
Comment by spocko — May 7, 2007 @ 9:21 am
Question - are product labeling requirements and regulations the same for pet food as for human grade food?
Comment by Donna — May 7, 2007 @ 9:29 am
Clara is a cutie pie….love those blue eyes.
Pet rattlesnake? Give me a break.
As for the “dilution factor”…..hog wash!
Comment by JanC — May 7, 2007 @ 9:34 am
In answer to Peggy, we already have an international system that does this for most manufacturing. In manufacturing, if you hope to have any customers you have to be at least ISO 9000 cerified by an indepedent audit company. you have to spell out exactly how you verify incoming material and how you assure internal process quality. You also have to keep detailed records on all of this. Periodically independent auditors show up, inspect the racords and interview plant workers to verify everything is above board. It costs the customer nothing because the manufacturer not only has to comply in order to actually have customers but the effectiveness of the controls in place save the cost many times over. Stupid people think quality control costs. The food companies have yet to learn it saves. Imagine how much their negligence through lack of effective quality systems has cost them so far and how it will continue to hurt down the road.
ISO is international and since all the parts on your car had to be subject to it then the least we can exoect is that the same should apply to the food we and our pets eat. All the Government has to do is set the base level standrds and say thou shalt comply. The independent auditors are already in place just as they are for financial systems and audits. I guess thats too easy.
Comment by Dave — May 7, 2007 @ 9:35 am
John sez: what about the chicken, beef, pork that we feed to our pets?!
Yeah, that’s my question too, especially when some of those compounds they found are still unknown.
And I have to say I’ve never seen such a conglomerate of alphabets working on one problem! What happens when there’s too many chefs? Dinner is ruined. Surely someone can come up with a good acronym for: FDACDCHHSEPADHSFSISUSDA? Not enough vowels though…..may need to buy one.
And yes, there are studies on melamine, but not on humans. In 1999 they decided they weren’t interested in TRACKING it any longer, mostly to allow cryomazine on the market I think. Basically they changed their minds about the relevance of the rat studies. That’s here: http://tinyurl.com/33x8mo And I think they changed their mind because of the international studies done in 1998 and 1999 on melamine. That’s what the INCHEM doc for melamine is - a study looking at it toxicologically, environmentally, etc.
Cryomazine is an IGR (insect growth regulator) which inhibits chitin synthesis (the stuff crunchy bug shells are made of). In vivo 10% of it breaks down into melamine. On the whole, it’s probably a better option than the stuff they used to use on veg crops. IGRs also are used for fleas - that’s Precor and on the whole they’re safer than many alternatives because we don’t have chitin! It’s also used as a feed through insecticide in poultry and withdrawal time is 3 days before slaughter. Europe and Australia have residue levels for melamine listed in their meats. Here’s a page of references from the National Toxicology Program which references melamine and cryomazine from the old days: http://tinyurl.com/2dcvyy
No, I don’t think it’s cryomazine in the food, but I think this explains why the FDA is mumbling, because there probably have been residues of melamine in meat for years. The admitted as much in their April 26 press conference.
Comment by CathyA — May 7, 2007 @ 9:37 am
Spocko - A safety/risk assessment IS science, but normally they call it statistics! You can make statistics say anything you want! How handy!
Comment by CathyA — May 7, 2007 @ 9:40 am
I’m sending this to as many as I can including letters to editors, the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline. If you want it, use it.
Subject: Melamine Contaminated Chicken & Pork - Another Pet Food Tragedy in the Making?
We must acknowledge that allowing minimal toxicity into our foods carries the weight of responsibility for causing such ingredients to collide with other toxins. To not be aware of the implications of those toxins we have allowed already into our system is criminal negligence. Common sense can not belong to a political party, but Common Sense must be a character trait of those who are put into the positions of responsibility to protect our food and drugs.
To release the melamine contaminated swine & poultry back into the recycle process to pet foods would be negligent, foolish and criminal cruelty to animals.
Melamine was found by scientists at the University of Guelpf to form crystals when cyanuric acid and melamine were combined in feline urine and formed the crystals implicated in the illness and deaths of companion animals.
The fact is that cyanuric acid, triuret, mineral oil, urea, biuret are allowable in animal water & feed supplies.
(see TITLE 21—FOOD AND DRUGS, CHAPTER I—FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES , SUBCHAPTER E—ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS PART 573 — FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS ,Subpart B—Food Additive Listing Sec. 573.220 Feed-grade biuret allowing those toxins.)
It is not beyond reason to be more concerned than our newly dubbed Food Czar, aka Brownie Jr, David Acherson. To not comprehend more than dilution theories truly insults the American people.
Stop the cycle NOW.
The Pet Food Industry did not exercise common sense nor show concern for the livestock & poultry destined for human consumption. Now, do you trust them to not take the byproducts, offal, and muscle meat from those melamine contaminated animals back into the pet foods?
Will we go through this scandal once again when the salvage pet food is sold once again from contaminated pet foods?
Unless our “risk assessment” is inclusive of the entire cycle of those swine & poultry - YES.
Please do not let those 20 million melamine contaminated chickens return to the pet food recycle circle.
Comment by Ann H — May 7, 2007 @ 9:43 am
“There is very low risk to human health from consuming… hogs and chickens known to have been fed…feed supplemented with pet food scraps that contained melamine and melamine-related compounds…”
AAARRRGGH.
By who’s measuring stick? Certainly not mine or anyone else’s with even half a brain.
Last night, Carole asked:
“How much is one life worth?”
My answer:
How can you put a price on that which is priceless?
I know most of the time you see me being a bit silly or whacked. I think that’s my way of dealing with the nightmare of this recall. If I didn’t utilize that release, I know I’d utterly lose it. But here I’ll be straight and say to Cathy, E., and everyone here who’s lost a pet to this tragedy, I truly wish I had a magic wand to wipe away the pain of your loss. Often while reading your posts, I feel guilty I haven’t lost a pet. So far I’ve been lucky; my dogs are healthy and napping beside me.
I can only imagine your heartache & pain. I hope know you are not alone. People here do share your grief while offering a place to vent and a shoulder to lean on. Always keep your memories of your fur kids close within your heart. Those memories are proof themselves of the very special bond you shared and no one, no matter how much they may try, can ever take those from you.
Above all, do NOT let these yahoos get away with this debacle by sneaking out the back door into oblivion. Even as heinous as the events of 9/11 were, time allowed the magnitude to fade for some. I won’t compare this recall to 9/11 but for the sake of our pets who cannot speak or choose their food for themselves, we cannot allow ourselves to forget. Ever.
Comment by Ally — May 7, 2007 @ 9:45 am
Dave Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co.Ltd claims to have been certified:
http://www.21food.com/showroom.....,Ltd..html
“We have also held the certificates of ISO9001: 2000 international quality management system and HACCP-EC-01 international system.”
‘Nuf said.
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 9:45 am
I called in to a morning talk show today(mon.)
sen boniac (rep.ny) was interveiwed.
i asked the “dj” who seemed interested in
the chinese import scam , if he’d refer my question to the senator? seems the dj has a dog
and it troubled him to? the sen got on and took
NO questions, simply talked ‘bout his pet projects , reinstating the death penalty for
terrorists, and people who shoot cops? there
was a bill he’d sponsored to dredge stream beds
so the flooding we get each spring doesn’t damage property owners homes? (us fishermen hate
messin with the streams!) anyway i doubt he’l activly support the ban of chinese imports, but i don’t think he’l vote against it either , if a bill get that far. (republicans are not my favortie sponsers for enviormental bills?)
i have called my U.S.Senator M.Hinchey and he’l push for a bill to restore america’s farms.
sigh.. gotta keep lightin the fire under my gov. (keeps going out?).
Comment by johnypaycut — May 7, 2007 @ 9:46 am
maybe I’m just paranoid and jaded at this point, but i find it disturbing that they talk about Melamine and Melamine Compounds in the first part of the risk assessment and at the end it’s just Melamine.
“Scientists also calculated the risk if melamine were present in all the solid food consumed by an individual every day. The amount consumed is still approximately 2,500 times lower than the level considered safe. These individuals are still extremely unlikely to exhibit any adverse health effects.
The assessment notes that melamine is not metabolized, and is rapidly excreted in the urine. Thus, it is not believed to accumulate in the body of animals.”
so if Melamine AND C- Acid (and whatever other toxins they discover!) are present, do these statements still stand as is? Does Melamine still leave the body as quickly while it’s busy forming crystals on the spot?
Comment by straybaby — May 7, 2007 @ 9:50 am
Ann H - you’re absolutely right. For years we’ve been conducting a giant experiment with low dose levels of many different kinds of chemicals. In reality, we have no idea what the sum total of interactions are between them.
Comment by CathyA — May 7, 2007 @ 9:53 am
Heck, let’s just put Lead in the Drinking Water and call it done!
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 9:56 am
Re ANN H’s comment “Please do not let those 20 million melamine contaminated chickens to return to the pet food recycle circle.”
Amen! The news release says nothing about our pets. They have said (previously) that the reason our pets got sick was that this was all that they ate. So shouldn’t they at the very least restrict these chickens from sale to anyone that might resell them to the pet food industry??? This is so patently obvious and I can only imagine that the reason that they have not said something like “…in any event no chickens fed the poisoned pet food will be allowed to be re-cycled back into new pet food” is that either they are 1) science stupid or 2) they have already decided to release the chickens without restriction. Time to send emails to our representatives etc. and the news media.
Comment by Shawn — May 7, 2007 @ 9:56 am
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 9:45 am
our Sally Qing Miller of ChemNutra fame is certified in China as an ISO 9000 Chief Auditor.
Comment by straybaby — May 7, 2007 @ 9:59 am
Go to the Meat & poultry Hot line on-line and call, write, use the icon in the lower right corner.
Protest the recycling back to pet foods of the contaminated swine & poultry which is being ignored in the “risk assessment”
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_...../index.asp
Comment by Ann H — May 7, 2007 @ 10:00 am
Gina, Clara is so cute. My kitty is 2 yrs. old. When she was about 6 months old I received a large flower arrangement with a beanie baby rabbit in it . She pulled the rabbit out of it. The rabbit was about as big as she was. She carried it around the house. It was alternatively her baby and her prey. It still is her favorite toy. Two days ago a grey baby rabbit appeared in our back yard. She is an indoor kitty. You could just see her little brain working, it was saying “I knew it! I knew it! They are real!” Be carefull with your rabbit.
Comment by Shawn — May 7, 2007 @ 10:02 am
Comment by Shawn — May 7, 2007 @ 9:56 am
Talk about cross contamination!!! Mela-chicken in the pet food!
And it been ‘Declared Safe’ so if our Pets Die NoBody Is Liable!
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 10:03 am
Actually thats congresmen Hinchey..
i can’t get ahold of senator clinton yet, but i will try … and i will get thru.
i am pushing for an end to imports from a communist country that doesn’t give a rats ass
about who gets killed by the crap they make.
any politicans who read this? think?? if they
don’t care about what they feed their own people
and they sell poisons to other countrys, how long do ya think they’l be satisfied being a member of trading nations , obeserve internatioanl treaties? or refrain from using
military force to accomplish there agenda?
(we got some idiots in washington, you have to lay this stuff out for ‘em).
i can tell you? ask any Marine or Salior who
fought in korea or vietnam (i did), they’l tell you about “trust” with communism !
Comment by johnypaycut — May 7, 2007 @ 10:04 am
Does anyone have any idea how long it will take for the melachicken [20 million?], melapork [6000?] to clear the stores if the FDA goes ahead and releases them?
Where in the US will these likely show up when they are released?
Comment by Bob — May 7, 2007 @ 10:05 am
Thanks Ann H. I just filed my online complaint!
Everybody do this:Protest the recycling back to pet foods of the contaminated swine & poultry which is being ignored in the “risk assessment”
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_…../index.asp
Comment by Shawn — May 7, 2007 @ 10:15 am
Peggy aka Big Fat Momma Cat said: We need to find the countries that will be importing our tainted chicken and pork. Maybe their governments care about their people. If we could get them to block our exports then the almighty dollar will weigh in.
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 8:46
*******************************************
Watch for countries banning U.S. chicken and pork, if they haven’t done so already. IF the government were to issue a recall of the meats, this act would ripple through our trading partners, and we’d take a large financial hit. Shhhhhh! Keep things low key.
The tainted poultry and hogs shouldn’t go any where but up in flames (after euthanasia, of course). But, we’ll be stuck with it.
Didn’t China just lift its ban on our beef? I know that Japan recently lifted the ban.
Didn’t Australia just open trade with China in the last few weeks and stress the importance of safe food?
We have to open our mouths to China and form the words very clearly: WE WANT SAFE FOOD OR NO FOOD FROM YOU.
What is wrong with the U.S.? Protect the citizens, not big business!
I’m not buying any food or food ingredients from China. I struck up conversations with 3 customers at the store today about the food safety issue: clueless about the tainted chicken & pork entering the food supply. The deli person was more aware and said another person called in this morning asking where the chicken and pork came from. I hadn’t planned on buying any, but just thought I’d take a few extra minutes to make my voice heard.
As a result of my conversations, I learned of an organic farm near me that raises animals (pigs and poultry) and produce. The farm IS organic, but does not pay the extra money for the certification.
Comment by petlover — May 7, 2007 @ 10:29 am
State Agriculture Departments!!
I had written mine about the “risk Assessment”
and they are “keeping a critical eye on it”
This is part of what they said:
“These type of assessments are complicated by the presence of minute background levels of melamine in our other foods, (just as there are small quantities of a multitude of other toxins both natural and man-made) and the needed assessment of toxic levels.
EPA set maximum levels of melamine exposure back in the 1990’s, but the risk assessment will need to determine how close to those
consumption of an animal who consumed melamine would bring a person.
Risk assessments for animals are being concurrently performed.
Obviously, no one wants to make a rash decision. It is not clear at this time what will be done. I agree that the decision making process needs to be scientifically based, transparent and protect the human (and pet) health.”
Yes, they’re concerned. But make sure they feel the nudge from pet owners LOUDLY!! Please!!
Comment by Ann H — May 7, 2007 @ 10:34 am
I’ve just gotten off the phone ,after talking
with my congressmans office and have heard the
food legislation bill is in progress?
now is the time to call your congress, and represenitives to let ‘em know your behind them?
let your people know what you’d like to see in laws that determeine what is allowed in america!
and support legislation to ban chinese imports
support legislation to support american farmers
and us made products!
lets end china’s free hand in criminal emterprise!
Comment by johnypaycut — May 7, 2007 @ 10:42 am
SOS = Save Our Stock
http://finance.google.com/fina.....lient=news
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 10:43 am
“There is very low risk to human health from consuming… hogs and chickens known to have been fed…feed supplemented with pet food scraps that contained melamine and melamine-related compounds…”
Oh my, I have learned what many pet foods are made from, the 4 D’s, Dead, Dying, Deceased and Decayed animals.
Is this the kind of pet food scraps laced with Melamine etc. that goes to hogs and chickens etc?
Is that really the reason the animals have to be pumped full of antibiotics?
Where do those animals wind up? Human or pet food, or both?
Comment by DeeAnn — May 7, 2007 @ 10:49 am
Clara is sooooo cute! I miss little kitties. Mine are all refusing to eat the Felidae, obnoxious things. Think they’re going to starve to death before they eat it.
Comment by Joyce — May 7, 2007 @ 10:53 am
This is interesting.
http://www.house.gov/delauro/p.....02_07.html
Comment by Princess Haiku — May 7, 2007 @ 10:54 am
Wow! I feel a lot better now knowing that there are “safe” levels of melamine, “safe” levels of arsenic, “safe” levels of irradiation, “safe” levels of genetically altered foods, “safe” levels of antibiotics, “safe” levels of pesticides — and all of them together is “safe” — and safe levels of “hormones.” And I am so glad that the FDA regular does random testing to make sure that only a certain percentage of our foods, domestic and imported, exceed these limits. And I am so glad that the FDA/USDA has never done a study to determine the “safe” combination of any/all of these things in my food, otherwise I wouldn’t have anything to eat. It’s time to go fix lunch!
Comment by Cheryl Hansen — May 7, 2007 @ 10:55 am
I wonder if China will ban US Chicken and Pork?
Comment by Maureen (Lilly and Lucy's mom) — May 7, 2007 @ 10:56 am
I sent this letter into the USDA. I’ll send the same to my congress people.
Please ban the melamine-adulterated chickens from entering the human food supply. This cannot be allowed.
The chickens are known to be adulterated by contaminated feed. To allow these chickens into the marketplace is illegal and will set an illegal precedence for allowing unknown substances into the food supply.
It is especially important is that these chickens not be allowed to be used in the future production of pet food, which may in turn be used feed to other livestock. We must prohibit any further cycling of melamine and it’s metabolic products throughout the food system.
I have not seen where these adulterated meats have been checked for Cyanuric acid, ammelide, and ammeline. I can find no studies of the combined chemicals’ effect on humans, pets or livestock. It is wrong to make these assumptions when it is positively known that some combination of chemicals is killing cats and dogs, who are mammals and not that different from us.
It is wrong to use the public as test subjects; the effects of the combination of these chemicals is unknown, the effects of the combination of these chemicals with the other chemicals in our daily environment and medicines is also unknown.
We can have no tolerance for these adulterated foods entering our food system.
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 11:01 am
My theory is the ONLY way to get the FDA & USDA’s attention to the people food contamination -and ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT- will be when OTHER COUNTRIES start boycotting/banning our food.
If other countries determine that they don’t want our melamine/cyanuric acid/who-knows-whatelse — chicken or pork in THEIR country, that will create a FINANCIAL REPROCUSSION on our global standing.
Comment by Kat — May 7, 2007 @ 11:06 am
I just got an e-mail from HSUS asking me to contact my US representative and ask him to support the DeLauro/Durbin Pet and Human Food Safety Act. Maybe with the HSUS asking it will get more people to act.
Comment by Brandi — May 7, 2007 @ 11:14 am
Peggy, that is really good.
You’re right, they are adulterated products and they’re weaseling around that with their new Czar’s “risk assessment” games.
I also complained to the US Attorney General’s office about the disregard exhibited by FSIS, FDA, etc. for our laws.
Comment by Ann H — May 7, 2007 @ 11:15 am
Sent email to:
Senator Sherrod C. Brown - U.S. Senate
Junior Seat (Democrat)
Senator George V. Voinovich - U.S. Senate
Senior Seat (Republican)
Representative Patrick J. ‘Pat’ Tiberi - U.S. House
District 12 (Republican)
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 11:15 am
Predictions for the Chinese Food Poisoning Epidemic of 2007:
1. The FDA determines “safe” levels of melamine and melamine-related compounds for human consumption, using little or no scientific data.
2. The epidemic is successfully swept under the rug.
3. The Shanghai Stock Market crashes, leaving hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens and farmers destitute. The market does not rebound.
4. Wall Street suffers also, but rebounds because of the strength and fortitude of the US economy.
5. Chinese products become so incredibly cheap that irresistably cheap Chinese food imports flood the market. US government agencies cannot keep up with demands for food safety testing.
6. The FDA desperately scrambles to “pass the buck” of food testing to the USDA. This never happens, because of gridlock on a dysfunctional capitol hill.
7. Mass food poisoning strikes again, killing millions of American citizens exposed to contaminated Chinese and Indian food.
8. David Acheson’s head explodes!
Comment by Palomino82 — May 7, 2007 @ 11:24 am
Peggy - I love your letter, can I copy it and send it along myself?
Comment by Palomino82 — May 7, 2007 @ 11:25 am
Anyone may use any part or all of it…(I doubt they will check more than 1% for duplicates)
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 11:31 am
PS: you’ll wanna fix the typos, though.
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 11:35 am
I just went to buy a coffee and package of “fig bars” across the street, but I checked the ingredients first. One of the ingredients of the fig filling is listed as “glycerin”. I bought other cookies instead.
Comment by Palomino82 — May 7, 2007 @ 11:46 am
Has anyone heard anything at all on the vets that were testing those non-recalled dry foods? On another post, some of us are wondering why that story died.
Perhaps because the foods tested positive & the huge PF companies squashed the results from going public. I would think if the results had been negative, they would be splashing it all over the news, websites, etc. Sort of makes one wonder, doesn’t it?
Don’t know about you but I’m sick of being kept in the dark & fed…..well, you know.
Comment by JanC — May 7, 2007 @ 11:47 am
I agree - great letter Peggy. Like Spocko, I’m depressed about this, I just can’t believe how stupid they are.
I’m beginning to feel like we’re going to have to be in this for the long haul, and it may be a somewhat lonely road.
Like Ally said: Above all, do NOT let these yahoos get away with this debacle by sneaking out the back door into oblivion. Even as heinous as the events of 9/11 were, time allowed the magnitude to fade for some. I won’t compare this recall to 9/11 but for the sake of our pets who cannot speak or choose their food for themselves, we cannot allow ourselves to forget. Ever.
I lost a friend on 9/11, so that memory has not faded a bit for me. But it gets old (and tiring) when so many other people forget and need reminding.
Most of us here are ALREADY in the minority among our friends and family - we’ve been screaming ‘the sky is falling’ for weeks now, but so many people have just ignored it. I guess now we can start screaming “the chickens are falling dead from the sky”.
Maybe when children start dying people, companies and these useless government agencies will pay attention. God I hope so.
Comment by Kim — May 7, 2007 @ 11:50 am
Peggy?
I wish you could see me wildy applauding you for your most excellent letter! Bravo & you go girl!!!
Comment by Ally — May 7, 2007 @ 11:50 am
I am going to write to Sen Durbin again today and Anderson Cooper and ASPCA and maybe CDC. I will find some others too but I think its a waste of time writing to FDA at this point. They arent hearing anything and are going to do what they are going to do, minds are already made up.
Comment by Sandi K — May 7, 2007 @ 11:51 am
I’m educating myself on Food & Ag Import Regulations prior to completing my letter writing.
If FSIS is responsible “for ensuring that meat (derived from cattle, sheep, swine, goats, and horses) and poultry products moving in interstate and foreign commerce are safe, wholesome for consumption, and accurately labeled” —
Does that mean “accurately labeled” will include “ingested recalled pet food contaminated with melamine and other unauthorized substances”?
Somehow I don’t think they can insure safe, wholesome or accurate labeling.
Comment by Donna — May 7, 2007 @ 11:55 am
So now if I understand correctly about some chickens being released in Feb, my poor dead kitty, not only got melamine from the wheat gluten and chicken in her food. She got it from the I fed her to coax her to eat after she quit eating from being sick from the poison cat food? So she received a triple whammy! Its just makes me sick what they allowed me to do to my pet and then they dont have any apologies, no explanations, no nothing except ‘dont worry your little head” and “you hysterical petparent statements! You know FDA? You are darn right Im hysterical! I am so mad I cant see straight right now. Where is the accountability for FDA and the pet food companies? This is a disgrace and I DO NOT plan to go away.
Comment by Sandi K — May 7, 2007 @ 11:59 am
Kim at 11:50am:
“Maybe when children start dying people, companies and these useless government agencies will pay attention.”
Kim, you spoke from the heart & echo many of my thoughts.
But I hope with everything in me, that what I quoted above, never comes to pass. If we keep our voices strong and annoy the heck out of everyone we can get to, hopefully can avoid seeing this come to the point where it takes the death of a child to grab these imbecile’s attention. Color me an optimist in a time when I’m evolving into a cynic - but I’m not yet ready to give up hope.
If I give up hope, I’m positive I’ll begin screaming and never stop.
Comment by Ally — May 7, 2007 @ 12:01 pm
Yikes,
The Chinese are simply using us to rid their country of toxic substances of all sorts. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize that they have no regulations and we owe them a great deal of money. A recipe for disaster has been exposed by total accident. Have they already poisoned us with part A of their concoction, melamine, only waiting for part B, ??????, which when combined can kill. Yikes!!! I think there is something to this mystery that is going to catch many more people off guard and we have been warned! I think there is some research in Canada that is shedding some light on this subject and we better be listening.
The Chinese have been caught red handed doing things such as putting LEAD into baby bibs sold here in the US. Lead can cause all sorts of problems in children and if I recall properly it was 16 times greater than the allowed level in paints. This type of controlled poisoning has been taking place for the last 10 years at the least and now we have only scraped the surface of the problem with our pets. I hate to be cynical, but this is as real as a heart attack and we are right in the middle of a major conflagration.
keen missing Abby Gayle
Comment by keen — May 7, 2007 @ 12:12 pm
Oh - let Clara out - she looks like she is climbing the cage. What a cutie!!
So, what about the human food supply that is then used in our pet food. So, there is no end to poisoning our pets? And, when they release this stuff - I think I have the right to make that decision for myself. I absolutely do not want to buy contaminated meat, grains, etc or anything that is made with these.
It seems our govenment has run amuck. Releasing something as ‘safe’ that is illegal to be there in the first place. How dare they!
Ally - you expressed my words as well. I also have not lost a pet. I watch my three cats, though, with a worried eye. Hopefully I will never unknowingly poison them. My heart goes out to all those that have lost a dear friend.
Peggy - I’m going to borrow your letter too! Thanks!
Comment by Jenny — May 7, 2007 @ 12:14 pm
WE **ARE* M-A-K-I-N-G A D-I-F-F-E-R-E-N-C-E !
It looks as if we’re making some headway with our voices being heard! I just spoke with a person in Production/QC at a pet food manufacturing plant. The FDA is there today testing and was also there last Friday testing foods and looking at records at what foods were run and when.
He said there is so much political pressure going on that it looks as though we will be moving toward U.S. suppliers being accountable for testing all (each one) ingredients they source for melamine, cyanuric acid, ammelorine (sp), and ammeloride (sp - You know which four contaminants I’m talking about. I’m too excited to look up the spelling.) and having to pass on a CERTIFICATE with LAB RESULTS that the testing was done for these chemicals before the products are sold to pet food makers.
I asked about the recalled pet food and how it was going to be disposed of. As far as the “tainted” recalled pet food, it is now being quarantined and decisions have to be made on what to do with it. There might be a third party involved in ***destroying*** it. They’re not sure the landfill idea is the best route, and it doesn’t look as if they’re leaning that way.
This person I spoke with was also the person to tell the FDA, at least the FDA people at the pet food plant, about the speedy testing machine the professor and grad student designed. These particular FDA people hadn’t heard of it yet. (And we all knew it on petconnection!!!) The testing machine costs about $200,000, and this person said it should be in every port accepting food items. I agree, although I’m not buying food from China.
This person did not yet know about a portion of the 20,000,000 chickens being released for consumption, and he had a lot to say about it. We talked going organic and local!!
I told him I was on various blogs, and he said the only way to be heard is to KEEP PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE OFFICIALS!!!
People here on PC, itchmo, and other boards & blogs:
WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
DON’T GET DISCOURAGED THINKING WE ARE VOICELESS AGAINST BIG BUSINESS AND THE GOVERNMENT!
KEEP WRITING!!
CALLING!!
WHATEVER YOU CAN DO WILL HELP.
SPEND 50% OF YOUR TIME ON THE BLOGS AND THE OTHER 50% PUSHING FOR REFORM!
We are being heard! Isn’t that great???
Comment by petlover — May 7, 2007 @ 12:21 pm
I think we should just export all the melachicken back to china. We would just be returning the favor, afterall.
Comment by Joyce — May 7, 2007 @ 12:24 pm
Re: ANI’s capped reimbursement of $500…..
You know, if you take $500 and divide it by 12, that works out to $41.66. So if I understand this correctly, basically they’re offering a 30+ pound bag of dog food per month, for one year only, in exchange for your pet’s life?
Comment by Ally — May 7, 2007 @ 12:37 pm
I have been away writing my letters also, and so glad to see so many others doing the same!
As with the other letters above, feel free to use mine or excerpts of mine. If you copy and paste it into your fax or email, you can change the wording a bit here and there and make it yours.
Chairman Collin Peterson
Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte
House Committee on Agriculture
1301 Longworth House Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Sir:
Last week President Bush appointed Dr. David Acheson Assistant Commissioner for Food Protection of the FDA to oversee the Pet Food Recall crisis. It has become very obvious to those of us following this issue that Dr. Acheson’s main duty is to spin and obfuscate the facts to quiet down the increasing alarm of the U.S. public that our food supply is not safe.
The fact is that the pet food tainted with melamine killed an unknown number of pets in this country. In one press conference FDA admitted they had at least 17,000 calls and approximately half of them were reporting deaths of the pets. The vet bills are staggering for those whose pets have been treated, and many pets are still being treated and may not recover. Yet FDA continues to say 16 dogs and cats died!
FDA has stated that 6,000 hogs have been fed tainted feed and will be depopulated, and that 20,000,000 chickens were held from slaughter until they are tested and pronounced safe, but they admit that up to 3,000,000 chickens that ate the tainted food have already been consumed.
Until Dr Acheson’s appointment as the spin doctor, the FDA’s position was that it was unknown if melamine in food was harmful to humans, there had been no scientific tests and yet fed to rats it caused bladder tumors and cancer. Dr. Acheson stated at a press conference on May 1st “ I want to emphasize that we still have no evidence of harm to humans” and “we believe ( my emphasis) the likelihood of illness from such exposure is extremely low.”
If we stick to facts and scientific evidence, we must conclude that it is unknown whether chickens and pigs fed contaminated feed are a risk to humans that have consumed these chickens and pork. “believe” does not cut it when we are talking about the safety of the food we consume. We need concrete numbers and answers so we know which food items to avoid.
Mandatory Country of Origin labeling would be a good place to begin. Consumers have a right to this information so that we can choose if we want to expose our families to the risk of food imported from countries such as China and India.
In case you haven’t heard, the main ingredient in antifreeze has been put in medicines that have sickened and killed thousands of children worldwide, the latest tragedy was in Panama last year. This was traced to China, and again the excuse was that the ingredient was a cheap alternative to other sweetening ingredients.
Because of the wheat gluten, rice protein, and now the warning from FDA that diethylene glycol should be suspect in medicines and pet food, we should immediately stop importing anything from countries that have been exposed as a danger to our food and drug supply.
Sincerely,
Comment by Elaine — May 7, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
So very cute - looks like our Mischief, years ago, Mischief is a Maine Coon mix, still fuzzy and adorable, and still about 40% under weight, dehydrated, and recovering…
Now WHAT I BELIEVE as an engineer (electronics) with the chemistry education that required, and the medical and other general knowledge I have acquired over time is that we have the best government money can buy - not saying whose money it is, other than it ain’t mine…
I believe that the poisen combination is Melamine Plus Cyanuric Acid (MP), and that either one alone is particularly toxic, but nontheless that neither one has any business in any food… Whatsoever, period, no discussion…
I believe Mischief is poisened with toxic pet food related to this case. No history of kidney problems, but her sister on the same diet is not affected. Food tainted with MP is not the main food, it is a treat… Mischief slurps up the gravy and keeps the sister away until she is done. The difference in dose of MP which was in the wheat gluten used to thicken the gravy versus what managed to permeate the chunks of ‘meat product’.
I believe that if I ate chicken or port that was fed a diet of the tainted pet food then the pig or chicken may have had kidney problems to worry about, past being slaughtered for food, of course, but that I really do not, the dose is really getting small, and the farm animal filtered out most of the MP in organs I don’t eat.
I believe that even if I ate Kidney from the chicken or pig that the crystals I failed to see would not get past my digestive tract in any amount great enough to threaten my kidneys.
Nontheless I believe that MP has no business whatsoever in my food, my food’s food, or my pet’f food.
So, I’ll buy the FDA line that people are not particularly threatened from THIS SET OF EVENTS, provided that NO MP GOT INTO THE HUMAN FOOD SUPPLY DIRECTLY…
Now here is where my faith really gets tested, and here is where I am really not satisfied with the ‘We are pretty sure’ press releases.
On the other hand, ‘We are pretty sure’ our kitty kidney problems are MP related. Could be not, hard to say, no empties to check and when we got to the vet there was a little blood in the uring, no crystals, no other signs of any infection, no other explanation at this time, but ‘We are pretty sure’ about it…
Whether related or not, ‘We are pretty sure’ we cannot trust most pet food suppliers and have completely changed our supply chain based on the best we can do without making it ourselves. I also believe that, over time, I probably won’t do as well at balancing their diets myself as I would do right now if I started today. I am still ‘hiring experts’ to do that, in the form of small manufacturers who don’t even have to think about whether their supply chain includes imports, they know and they say so.
‘We are pretty sure’ we trust them, too…
Problem is the number of people I trust is getting very small very quickly. Color me paranoid, but a really sick pet, lovingly fed poisen because ‘We were pretty sure’ their food was safe enough…
We are pretty sure, I believe, that things will be rocky for some time to come on this front, but at least a few people are beginning to grasp the real magnitude of the situation.
Thank you all, this is no time to stop sending letters, emails, postcards, and phone calls. The great machine is trying to steer back towards normal, as it always does, and it needs to change direction this time…
Comment by steve a — May 7, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
I just received an email from Wysong in response to my sarcastic email about their original horrible Q&A on their website. Their Menu Foods page was like nothing I had ever seen before - I don’t use Wysong and never will.
Point is, their email contained 8 bullets (total of 50 lines) about the recall, followed by 18 paragraphs (127 lines) explaining their position on everything related to the recall.
Not a chance I’m going to read this entire thing because just by perusing it I can tell it’s not worth reading. Just like their website, they overcompensate greatly.
Comment by Carole — May 7, 2007 @ 1:00 pm
GOOD GOIN’, ELAINE!
Comment by Kat — May 7, 2007 @ 1:06 pm
Carole
I have to at least give Wysong credit for answering my rather unhappy emails regarding their 18 point tirade against us “hysterical” pet owners. I actually received an email reply to every single email I sent them, including the link I sent them to Channel 4’s expose of Menu Foods. They may not have completely changed their tune, but they seem to be seeing a new chorus. I wouldn’t ever use their food either though, especially since they seem to be determined to go down with the Menu Foods ship.
Comment by Joyce — May 7, 2007 @ 1:13 pm
Granted, they answerer my email but actually never personally addressed anything I mentioned in my email - so it was totally not worth anything to me. And given its lenght, it lost any impact it was trying to make.
I was just on Blue’s website and noticed that if you try to email them, they ask that you call them instead to talk directly with someone. They don’t feel they email responses are effective for making sure all questions are answered.
Interesting how they all have their ways…
Comment by Carole — May 7, 2007 @ 1:20 pm
From AnimalBlawg, 5/7/07:
“However, the FDA decided today that, although significant levels of the poison were detected in the urine and blood of the chickens, the levels were low enough to justify lifting the quarantine. Now those chickens are in the US food supply. Prior to this situation, the FDA has never conducted tests to determine the acceptable level of melanine and cyanuric acid that can be safely consumed by humans, so this isn’t anything more than educated guesswork at this point (particularly for long term effects). One more reason not to eat the poor things.”
From an FDA press conference call on the topic on 4/26/07:
DR. MCCHESNEY: What’s the problem effect for human? I think maybe I might ask Dr. Acheson to comment on that one.
DR. ACHESON: Sure. Clearly there are no melamine-toxicity studies that have been undertaken in humans that we are aware of. The studies that we are working from are studies that have been done in rats…
…………………………..
Did I read that right? Toxicity of melamine in humans are being decided from reference studies with rats?! I get that rats have been used for experiments for years but how can the FDA know for certain how the tests compare in a human? Not to mention how the melamine might affect children, frail elderly or people of an auto immune compromised disease (like me)?
You can read the rest at AnimalBlawg here:
http://www.animalblawg.com/wordpress/?p=51
Comment by Ally — May 7, 2007 @ 1:31 pm
Comment by Carole — May 7, 2007 @ 1:20 pm
“Interesting how they all have their ways…”
Even more interesting is that they don’t want to address your questions in writing…..
Comment by Ally — May 7, 2007 @ 1:34 pm
I’m not so sure that 20 million chickens have been released. There are NO numbers in that FDA/USDA release this am.
I just wrote one reporter asking where she read that in the release and if she needed to publish an errata.
Comment by Ann H — May 7, 2007 @ 1:45 pm
Somebody needs to ask who gave the government the authority to use Americans and their pets as guinea pigs.
Cruel & inhuman treatment.
Comment by Ann H — May 7, 2007 @ 1:47 pm
Too peruse means to read completely thoroughly and in great detail.
Comment by Linda — May 7, 2007 @ 1:47 pm
Business as unusual
http://finance.google.com/fina.....lient=news
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 1:50 pm
I have a friend whose cats were eating Good Life, dry. It’s made by Mars. Is that any good? They did throw up at first. thanks, Trudy
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 7, 2007 @ 1:53 pm
10 Investigates: What’s Really In Pet Food
May 03 2007 6:55PM
10 Investigates found out quickly that the government — and the industry — did not even want to discuss the subject. The FDA refused to give 10 Investigates a one-on-one interview, claiming their people were too busy.
Also, 10 Investigates contacted seven pet food manufacturers in Ohio and Pennsylvania, asking to tour their facilities and tell us what they put in their pet food. Some did not get back to us. Others, like the Masterfoods plant in west Columbus, declined our request and refused to answer specific questions. Others referred 10 Investigates to the Pet Food Institute.
The lobbying group did not answer our questions either, but only said in a blanket statement that it vows “to work tirelessly to continue our efforts to keep your pets safe and healthy.”
http://tinyurl.com/2697me
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 1:54 pm
I think the press release said that some of the chickens had been released but the rest they are holding and will know the results in a week.
Comment by Elaine — May 7, 2007 @ 1:57 pm
Comment by Elaine — May 7, 2007 @ 1:57 pm
Right. Sure.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:00 pm
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 7, 2007 @ 1:53 pm
I don’t know about that food but wanted to ask…..weren’t you here the other night asking for help for a friend who’s pet was very sick and eating a food called “Highland Pride”? Many of us searched but couldn’t find anything on that food (including Kim from petfood tracker). If that was you, I hope your friend’s pet ok?
Comment by Ally — May 7, 2007 @ 2:00 pm
I contacted Sanderson Farms, who supplies chicken in the southern states, since I have some of their chicken in my freezer (and scard to eat it). I think its important the consumer let their chicken supplier know their concern about the chicken on the market today.
I received an answer quickly about the Chicken feed, but the rendering question had to be referred to someone else and took a little longer. But, I must say, overall, the response was very quick, all today!
I have yet to hear from Pedigree, to whom I posed similar question to on April 27th.
I wish we knew what rendering plants caused the cross contamination. Jeez…I wish we knew a lot of things! “Our supplier” - why won’t these companies name names?
——-Original Message——-
From:Deanna
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2007 7:41 AM
To: sfi.gw@sandersonfarms.com
Subject: Contract Grower Information Requested by Deanna Huff
I would like to know your chicken feed source. I want to find out if that source purchased any elements of the feed from China. I will not buy chicken from HEB ( Texas ) until I find out. I want to make sure I do not buy any Melachicken.
I have been following petconnection.com and it is alarming what has transpired from our pet tragedy, which is not the 16 animals that died in labs, but literally thousands. The site has been posting continuos FDA reports and other pertinent info. The true facts. Bloggers post all sorts of sites of actual laws and info about what has been transpiring the last 2 months. First pets, then hogs, then chickens, and humans ate some of the pork in CA. The web site and its following, is calling for COOL (Country of Origin Labeling) among other changes.
Thank you,
Deanna Huff
——————————————
Marty Diane Flynt
Secretary to the Director of Production
SANDERSON FARMS, INC.
Phone: 601-426-1306
Fax: 601-425-0701
Marty Flynt wrote:
Thank you for contacting us directly. We understand your concern about the safety of the foods you buy.
All our feeds are manufactured by our feed mills using products grown in the U.S. We DO NOT import any raw products from China or purchase ingredients, such as vitamins, from any company that does.
The recent and on-going news about a tainted food ingredient is tragic and cause for concern. Please be assured that our product in your local HEB and elsewhere on the market is a safe, wholesome, healthy food source.
Marty Diane Flynt
Secretary to the Director of Production
SANDERSON FARMS, INC.
Phone: 601-426-1306
Fax: 601-425-0701
———————-
From: Deanna Huff [mailto:
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2007 10:05 AM
To: Marty Flynt
Subject: RE: Contract Grower Information Requested by Deanna Huff
Thank you very much for your prompt reply.
One more question, please. Are there any rendered products used in the feed? This has been a source of contamination in the US.
Thank you,
Deanna Huff
———————————
Carla Price” Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
To:
Subject: RE: Contract Grower Information Requested by Deanna Huff
Date: Mon, 7 May 2007 14:03:14 -0500
Deanna,
Marty Flynt referred your questions to me.
We are feeding rendered products. Our supplier has guaranteed there are no pet food byproducts in our rendered products. Pet food byproducts were the source of the contamination in the rendered products contaminated with melamine.
As Marty stated, our ingredients are all from domestic sources. We have backtracked every ingredient and have not found any possibility of contamination.
Please feel free to contact me directly with any more questions you may have.
I have watched all of this very carefully. I have many pets and have always been very picky about what type and brand of food I feed. My heart goes out to everyone who lost a loved one – two or four footed.
Thank you for your interest.
Carla J. Price, PhD
Corporate Nutritionist
Sanderson Farms
601/426/1476
800/844/4030 ext 1476
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 2:03 pm
May. 7, 2007 07:59 AM
WASHINGTON - Consumers face little risk from eating pork, chicken and eggs from farm animals that ate feed mixed with pet food scraps contaminated by an industrial chemical, government scientists said Monday.
Oh, and what about our pets? Want to help us on that? Or should we just sit on another ticking time bomb?
The Pet Food Guys want to step up to the plate?
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:05 pm
Hi, Glad you remembered Me. 2 dogs are dead and the 2 others are on their way. I couldn’t find it on the web either. He did buy Alpo [recalled] from a store in Va. I think that what did it. But the other food He calls Highlands pride He bought off somebody that sells in bulk and is some kind of feed place. do you think I should call someone about this place? Trudy
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 7, 2007 @ 2:05 pm
So, why are the Pet Food Industry guys refusing to answer questions?
Want to enlighten us on that?
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:07 pm
http://www.city-journal.org/html/17_2_china.html The original article is long. I’ve heard many bad things about China over the years, but this article packs a punch. I have NO TRUST in China to do the right things, period!
The Empire of Lies
Guy Sorman
The twenty-first century will not belong to China.
The Western press is full of stories these days on China’s arrival as a superpower, some even heralding, or warning, that the future may belong to her. Western political and business delegations stream into Beijing, confident of China’s economy, which continues to grow rapidly. Investment pours in. Crowning China’s new status, Beijing will host the 2008 Summer Olympics.
But China’s success is, at least in part, a mirage. True, 200 million of her subjects, fortunate to be working for an expanding global market, increasingly enjoy a middle-class standard of living. The remaining 1 billion, however, remain among the poorest and most exploited people in the world, lacking even minimal rights and public services. Popular discontent simmers, especially in the countryside, where it often flares into violent confrontation with Communist Party authorities. China’s economic “miracle” is rotting from within.
[…]
The Communist Party is no less mendacious when it comes to China’s AIDS epidemic. The problem is gravest in the province of Henan, where vast numbers of poor peasants contracted AIDS during the nineties from selling their blood plasma (a trade generally controlled by Party members) and then having the blood, sans plasma but pooled with that of other donors, reinfused, absent HIV tests—a recipe for massive contamination. The AIDS sufferers of Henan are now dying in the hundreds of thousands, trapped in their impoverished villages with no one to care for them.
The government’s initial reaction was to deny any problem, isolate AIDS-affected areas, and let the sick die (a pattern that initially repeated itself when SARS broke out in the country).
…Hong Kong’s government, too, is capable and uncorrupt. Despite great damage to its economy, it warned the world in 2003 about the outbreak of the deadly new respiratory illness SARS. China, where the disease originated, did the world no such favor.
[…]
I’ve been to many Chinese villages, and everywhere I have encountered the peasantry’s feelings of helplessness and anger when dealing with the Communist authorities. When in late 2006, I reached one village in the heart of the Shaanxi Province, after a 40-hour journey from Beijing by train, car, and tractor, I saw no trace of the uprising that had taken place a month earlier. Alerted by a text message sent from the village, the Hong Kong press had reported a violent clash between the peasants and the police, leaving people injured and missing—or even dead, with the authorities spiriting away the bodies.
…I pieced together the very ordinary reasons that had provoked the uprising from bits of information divulged by the children rather than the adults. The village had a dilapidated school, without heating, chalk, or teacher. In principle, schooling is compulsory and free, but the Party secretary, the village kingpin, made parents pay for the heating and chalk. Then a teacher came from the city. He held that his government wages weren’t commensurate with his status and demanded extra money from the parents. Half of the parents, members of the most prosperous clan, agreed to pay; the other half, belonging to the poorer clan, refused. A skirmish erupted between the two clans, and the teacher fled.
The government puts the number of what it calls these “illegal” or “mass” incidents—and they’re occurring in the industrial suburbs, too—at 60,000 a year, doubtless underreporting them. Some experts think that the true figure is upward of 150,000 a year, and increasing.
The uprisings are really mutinies, sporadic and unpremeditated. They express peasant families’ despair over the bleak future that awaits them and their children. Emigration from the countryside might be a way out, but it’s not easy to find a permanent job in the city. All kinds of permits are necessary, and the only way to get them is to bribe bureaucrats. The lot of the peasant migrant—and China now has 200 million of them—is to move from work site to work site, earning a pittance when payment is forthcoming at all. The migrants usually don’t receive permission to bring their families with them, and even if they could, obtaining accommodation and schooling for their children would be virtually impossible. The fate of Chinese citizens often depends on where they come from
[…]
Villagers often told me that it wasn’t the local Party secretary whom they most hated but rather the family-planning agents. To ensure the proper implementation of China’s single-child policy (in some provinces, the limit is two children, if the first is a girl), the agents keep close watch on childbearing women, often subjecting them to horrific violence. In 2005, a family-planning squad targeted the city of Linyi and its surrounding rural area, in the Shandong Province, because the population had far exceeded the Party’s child quota. The agents kidnapped 17,000 women, forcing abortions on those who were pregnant—in some cases, immersing seven- to eight-month-old fetuses in boiling water—and sterilizing those who weren’t. The agents tortured the Linyi men until they revealed the hiding places of their daughters and wives.
Will China’s surging economic growth, described by some in the West as a “miracle,” put an end to the discontent rumbling throughout the country? “Economic development in China is not a miracle but an unmitigated disaster,” says the house-confined economist Mao Yushi, a supporter of free markets.
…China can import energy and raw materials, true, but water, which isn’t readily importable, could soon become a massive problem. The Chinese government doesn’t view purification plants as useful investments; already, hundreds of millions of Chinese lack access to drinking water, with many dying as a result.
…Many goods that China produces are worthless, Mao Yushi reminds me—especially those made by public companies. About 100,000 such Chinese enterprises continue to run in the old Maoist style, churning out substandard products because they’ve got to hit the targets that the Party sets and provide employment to those the Party cannot dismiss, not because they’re responding to any market demand. Most public-sector firms don’t even have real accounting procedures, so there’s no way of ascertaining profitability. “China is not a market economy,” Mao says bluntly.
…China desperately needs international legitimacy. Were Western consumers and investors to turn away, the Chinese economy would collapse, leading in all probability to the fall of the Party. Thus, the Propaganda Department, helped by a plethora of public-relations consultants and politically articulate emissaries, does all it can to woo foreign critics.
Comment by DeeAnn — May 7, 2007 @ 2:08 pm
I’m no Republicrat, but as a life-long Independent, it’s starting to look like it’s time for the Democratically-controlled congress to rip Acheson a new one, live on C-SPAN hopefully.
Comment by Palomino82 — May 7, 2007 @ 2:08 pm
The more the merrier as the saying goes.
Attorney files class-action suit against Menu Foods
05/02/2007
Fayette woman files lawsuit against pet food producer
Connellsville Daily Courier, PA - May 4, 2007
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:09 pm
http://news.justia.com/cases/menu-foods/
Why not join the club?
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:11 pm
Menu Foods Expands Recall Again
Monday, May 07, 2007 - 04:38 PM
http://tinyurl.com/2l7nx7
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:12 pm
Not sure if that is correct or if that station is a little late in the game.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:13 pm
Sorry, I think the station is asleep at the wheel.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:14 pm
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:07 pm
“So, why are the Pet Food Industry guys refusing to answer questions?
Want to enlighten us on that?”
Yes, Steve, Pedigree is really T-ing me off, especially since I have supported them and have been feeding their product. Time to email again - ‘head in sand’, maybe hoping I’ll go away, is not acceptable.
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 2:15 pm
Gina,
Clara is so cute!
As for the bunny, I don’t know how bold yours is, but mine used to charge the cats like a rhino! Cats just aren’t that aggressive with each other, socially. So if your bunny is assertive, you might be treated to chase games with the rabbit chasing the cat, like I used to have.
Good luck!
Comment by Katherine — May 7, 2007 @ 2:16 pm
When you find out about Pedigree please let us know. Thanks, trudy
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 7, 2007 @ 2:19 pm
Don’t go adrift or space out people. You give these guys an inch and they’ll take a mile.
What does it tell you when the PFI refuses to answer questions?
Simple. We haven’t done ANYTHING DIFFERENT.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:22 pm
Face the facts. If they have made changes the evangelists would be all over the place preaching to us about all the great things they have done and are now doing to insure our pets food is safe.
Not refuse to answer or respond to questions and the media.
What are the hiding?
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:25 pm
http://tinyurl.com/2fxwqh
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:27 pm
I just double-checked my sent mail. I originally emailed Pedigree on April 27. On May 3, last Thursday, I emailed a follow-up stating that I was still waiting…
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 2:28 pm
lets see the FDA released the 20 million chickens for human consumption because they feel that there is very little risk to humans..ok..on the same day they stated they won’t know really anything for another week. ahhh??errr?? rut Roh. Ya know this is not rocket science. Bottom line is its Melamine it is not a food it should not be in food period.
Only food should be in food.
Comment by Jan — May 7, 2007 @ 2:31 pm
Menu Foods ever reply to Kucinich?
http://tinyurl.com/2e6l3e
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:33 pm
Is it just me, or do some of the struggles of the Chinese peasants living in the outlying areas remind you of the struggles of the immigrants who came to the US and worked and lived in substandard conditions? Maybe it’s almost a stage that a growing industrialized nation has to go through. As appalling as it all is, the plight of the poor Chinese citizens doesn’t surprise me at all. Communist governments have always shown a blatant disregard for human rights. As for the forced 3rd trimester abortions, it has been going on for a long time. Interestingly, the ratio of men to women in China is now about 2 to 1, due to the use of ultrasounds, and abortions of female fetuses. I am and always will be pro choice, but gender-cide makes me really angry. It should be obvious even to the most poorly educated peasant that without women, there will be no men. I just don’t get it.
Comment by Joyce — May 7, 2007 @ 2:35 pm
From FDA’s info brochure re: their organization:
“Assuring a Safe Food Supply: FDA is responsible for assuring the safety of 80 percent of the U.S. food supply and annually monitors 4 million food import entries into the United States. That includes half of all seafood and more than 20 percent of the fresh fruits and vegetables consumed by Americans.”
So how do I know from which percentage I’m consuming? Yummy.
Comment by Donna — May 7, 2007 @ 2:35 pm
Hello. FDA??
Little is known with respect to Melamine toxicity in human subjects. Animal studies have shown that melamine is not metabolized in rats, and is excreted unchanged.[13] Ingestion of melamine may lead to reproductive damage, or bladder or kidney stones, which can lead to bladder cancer.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:36 pm
I started a new thread over at the Itchmo Forums for keeping track of replies we receive from poultry/meat/etc companies, seeing as the government doesn’t feel we need this info . . .
http://itchmoforums.com/index.php?topic=385.0
If anyone has checked with other products that use glutens or the other vegetable proteins that are being tested by the FDA, please post that info also. And we must not forget dairy and eggs . . . .
Can I interest anyone in some Florida oranges or Idaho potatoes? lol!~
Comment by straybaby — May 7, 2007 @ 2:36 pm
Comment by Joyce — May 7, 2007 @ 2:35 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jungle
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:37 pm
I’d like to see a big weeklong chicken and pork barbecue festival where the FDA and USDA political appointees gorge themselves on melachicken and melapork. Let them put the melamine where there assurances are.
Comment by MFEMFEM — May 7, 2007 @ 2:44 pm
@ 2:36 pm
The Health Insurance guys want to make an adjustment for that? Instead of jacking up our rates charging us more?
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:45 pm
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:37 pm
Thanks Steve, for the life of me I couldn’t remember the book or the author. My brain is absolute mush, haven’t read anything worthwhile (except blogs) for some time. Maybe all the melamine is building up and preventing me from thinking clearly.
Comment by Joyce — May 7, 2007 @ 2:45 pm
It now seems that its permissible to sell adulterated food when scientific hunches are it might not harm you. This is a great precedent the FDA made here today. From now on, only toxins proven to cause prompt injury or death need to be excluded from the marketplace. There’s no need to evaluate food or drug additives for mutagenic properties, because the consequences are not immediate. If no one keels over dead within a day or two of eating Melachicken, it must be safe.
Consider the article titled:
Neoplastic and preneoplastic lesions induced by melamine in rat urothelium are modulated by dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids.
available here: http://tinyurl.com/2d28dm
So lets see…. Melamine is used in a medical experiments evaluating EFA effects on neoplasms, because Melamine is tumorigenic in Wistar rats.
We need to just close the FDA and let corporations sell food and drugs the way they see fit. It seems they’ve been doing so for a while anyway.
Comment by Larry — May 7, 2007 @ 2:49 pm
Comment by Joyce — May 7, 2007 @ 2:45 pm
Lets rewrite that.
In order to calm public outrage and demonstrate the cleanliness of their foods, maybe the PFI can lobby the Federal government to pass legislation paying for additional inspection and certification of ingredients?
I bet they’d love that. Not having to dig into their own wallets.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:52 pm
20 Million Chickens Free To Go
The USDA has lifted the quarantine on the 20 million chickens they detained on Friday that may have eaten tainted pet food in their feed. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said that “testing found that the contaminant, the industrial chemical melamine, was so diluted that any human exposure from the meat or eggs of the animals would be thousands of times lower than the level considered safe.” So, now these chickens will be released into our food supply.
This is in stark contrast to the announcement by the FDA and USDA earlier today about the need to still investigate the chickens for a week.
http://www.itchmo.com
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:55 pm
Would Mike Johanns like to have a family meal tonight with his wife and kids of those chickens for America to see on TV?
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:57 pm
On December 2, 2004, Johanns was nominated by President George W. Bush to replace outgoing Secretary of Agriculture Ann Venema.
No! You don’t say!!!!
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:58 pm
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:58 pm
shocking, eh?!
it would be funny if it’s wasn’t so tragic . . .
Comment by straybaby — May 7, 2007 @ 3:04 pm
Evidently they’re trying to kill us off. Us and our pets. That must be their new slogan: Death to America - One Pet Parent and One Labrador Retriever at a Time. (Don’t know how they’re going to single out libs, but no doubt they’re working on it)
Oooops sorry. Just joking. “Entertainment”. Free speech and all.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 3:04 pm
Isn’t eating a joy these days?
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 3:12 pm
Let’s not forget that the CFO of Menu Foods, Mark Wiens, sold HALF HIS SHARES of the company three weeks before the recall began. Hmmm… this would have been right around the time they realized they were selling poison food! Coincidence? NOT!
The SEC needs to IMMEDIATELY launch a full-scale invesigation into the ethics of this sale, INCLUDING detention of the CFO and seizure of his assets. If they run into extradition problems with the Canadian government, Canada owes it to its own citizens to do the same.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com.....all21.html
Comment by Palomino82 — May 7, 2007 @ 3:12 pm
The USDA Melamine and Analogues Safetey/Risk Assessment says:
“low risk to humans…..I would counter that we all deserve NO-risk food, dont we? When did low-risk become acceptable?
The USDS says the assessment notes that melamine is not metabolized and is rapidly excreted in the urine….I thought this had already been proven wrong, that if its mixed with cyanuric acid that it causes the crystals which get stuck and are not excreted?
And what if these animals are put into the pet food supply, do our poor pets get poisoned yet again?
I dont even want to know what my blood pressure reading is right now.
Comment by Sandi K — May 7, 2007 @ 3:14 pm
Comment by Palomino82 — May 7, 2007 @ 3:12 pm
Feb 20th - Menu Foods receives first reports of problems with pet food.
Feb 26th - Menu foods commence tests on 50 animals.
Feb 26th & 27th - Menus CFO sells half his shares for $102,900.
March 16th - Recall announced. Share price plunges
April 10th - CFO calls this a “horrible coincidence”
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 3:19 pm
“The USDA says the assessment notes that melamine is not metabolized and is rapidly excreted in the urine….I thought this had already been proven wrong, that if its mixed with cyanuric acid that it causes the crystals which get stuck and are not excreted?”
I noticed this also. Who do we want to believe, the Canadian lab or our government? I’ll take Canadian Lab for 100 please Alex. . . .
Comment by straybaby — May 7, 2007 @ 3:21 pm
Second hand melamine… sort of like second hand smoke.
Comment by Larry — May 7, 2007 @ 3:21 pm
Comment by straybaby — May 7, 2007 @ 3:21 pm
“I’ll take Canadian Lab for 100 please Alex. . . . “
Best snark I’ve read all day, straybaby. Priceless.
(I needed that laugh - thanks muchly!)
Comment by Ally — May 7, 2007 @ 3:23 pm
And the PF Industry and the Government acts like they are doing us a favor and are inconvenienced?
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 3:27 pm
scientific assumptions…hmmm…what was that ol’ saying about “never assume… it make’s an A** out of U and ME?
Comment by Rhon, Winston's Mom — May 7, 2007 @ 3:33 pm
I wouldn’t be shocked at this point if the PFI is squawking about “digging in” and winning against Americas Angry Pet Parents. Who no doubt are at the boiling point over all this.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 3:39 pm
Comment by Sandi K — May 7, 2007 @ 3:14 pm
“And what if these animals are put into the pet food supply, do our poor pets get poisoned yet again?
I dont even want to know what my blood pressure reading is right now.”
Low risk to humans, note humans. If these chickens are released, carcasses rendered, then we are right back to square one.
This just makes me want to explode! I don’t want ANY melamine in my food.
If they are released, no more chicken for me. Just like I don’t buy the pre-washed packaged produce any longer.
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 3:41 pm
From Comment by Deanna :
Sanderson Farms said,”We are feeding rendered products.”
To CHICKENS??!!
Does that mean chickens are fed rendered dogs,cats,cattle,hogs,chickens etc.??
Please someone tell me I’ve got that all wrong!!!
Sanderson went on to say,”Our supplier has guaranteed there are no pet food byproducts in our rendered products.”
Translation please?
Lorna
Comment by Lorna — May 7, 2007 @ 3:46 pm
Comment by Lorna — May 7, 2007 @ 3:46 pm
War is peace
Ignorance is strength
Toxic is health
Fear is serenity
Anything I missed?
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 3:48 pm
Beam me up Scotty!!!!!
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 3:50 pm
sigh…I’m so tired. I wish the melamine in my tissues and kidneys had more of a amphetamine like affect. Seriously, is it just me, or are all of you just exhausted from beating your collective heads against the wall? Besides the headache, I feel like we are back at square one. No ,it won’t hurt you, except it can kill your pets. What the hell does that mean?
Comment by Joyce — May 7, 2007 @ 3:50 pm
Comment by Lorna — May 7, 2007 @ 3:46 pm
Lorna - do a google search on rendering. You will get the whole horrible picture of it. Euthanised animals, included…in your pet food. Glad mine are in backyard graves and not in someones pet and animal feed getting eaten.
I would assume Sanderson is saying that no contaminated pet food was rendered by the renderer that made their chicken feed.
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 3:52 pm
Somewhere—-I—have—a—-LIFE!! Where has it disappeared to?
Yes, Joyce, this is exhausting and one of these days I need to do things like pay bills and sweep floors, but I can’t drag myself away from this frustrating mess!
I sincerely hope we will begin to see that our efforts have been worth it.
Comment by Elaine — May 7, 2007 @ 3:55 pm
For those of you with horses there’s been a recall unrelated to the melamine issue:
http://tinyurl.com/2yy8wg
“Manna Pro: Milk Replacer Recall Not Linked to Melamine Contamination”
“A batch of Unimilk milk replacer was withdrawn after customers reported that the formula turned light gray, rather than white, when mixed with water. Manufacturer Manna Pro worked with retailers to withdraw the affected lots.”
“Lot codes for the affected batch are…” Article continues and lists batch codes.
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 7, 2007 @ 3:59 pm
Must have been some hefty incentives and “bonuses” changing hands since this morning to “perform” as expected.
“Loyalty is everything” in our new American Oligarchy apparently.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 4:01 pm
From the link Steve posted above about more recalls today it says:
Now … Menu Foods has expanded the recall to include any product that wasn’t made with the ChemNutra wheat gluten, but was made at plants the used the wheat gluten in other foods.
Can anyone decipher what this means for me? Im either so fog-brained at this point from reading too much or this is as clear as mud?!
Comment by Sandi K — May 7, 2007 @ 4:10 pm
Invoice Links Two Chinese Firms
To Bad Pet Food
http://tinyurl.com/2ld9a5
To bad ChemNutra didn’t bother to double check and inspect it when they received it eh?
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 4:10 pm
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 2:55 pm
Well which is it - they are waiting a week to determine the “risk” or they are releasing the chickens today? It’s quite confusing trying to figure out if we’re going to live or not.
Comment by slt — May 7, 2007 @ 4:11 pm
Comment by slt — May 7, 2007 @ 4:11 pm
They’ve okayed it. Let us eat “cake and chicken”.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 4:15 pm
Comment by Deanna
I know about rendering…way more than I want to.That’s why I feed my dogs and cats raw.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that chickens are fed rendered crap;after all it happens to cattle ,too.
Another reason that my hores don’t get commercial feed.
It never ends.
Comment by Lorna — May 7, 2007 @ 4:17 pm
Well that’s it for me. I’ve had it. I remember thinking that maybe if this reached the human food supply then would act with some alacrity. I was wrong.
Okay, so now I know what to file a FOIA request about.
(And I would like to remind the FDA and the USDA that it is a federal crime to destroy evidence. That includes emails. I would also like to point out that this SHOULD NOT be classified as a “national security” issue (which I’m sure that people at DHS would want to do to cover up any conversations that reveal back room deals)
Please provide me with the emails relating to your conversations with the farmers and processors of the 3.5 million chicken and the 20 million chickens.
Please provide the field notes regarding the 38 farms in Indiana and the farms in Utah.
Of special interest: Names of feed suppliers and third parties that provided the feed
(This is the USDOJ question. Who sold tainted pet food to the pig and chicken farmers?)
Please send us emails detailing your conversations with the suppliers of the Wheat Glutan and Rice protein concentrate. (ChemNutra Willbur Ellis) Especially the names of the people who purchased the gluten.
Please provide emails where you named all the names of the manufacturers that have purchased the wheat gluten and RPC.
Anybody else want to chime in and help out the people with what info you want to have that you haven’t seen?
Comment by spocko — May 7, 2007 @ 4:17 pm
Freedom of Information Act:
Many more countries are working towards introducing such laws, and many regions of countries with national legislation have local laws. For example, all states of the US have laws governing access to public documents of state and local taxing entities, in addition to that country’s Freedom of Information Act which governs documents in the possession of the federal government….
So, why is the government, PFI, et al, all treating us like MUSHROOMS??!!
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 4:18 pm
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 3:48 pm
LOL …with disgust.
That’s what I thought.
Comment by Lorna — May 7, 2007 @ 4:19 pm
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 4:18 pm
Their afraid of us.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 4:20 pm
I will ask a question. What happened to the lady that ate her dogs food to get her dog to eat.Didn’t she get sick on the melamine or was it just the dog food? They are saying that people won’t get sick on human food with melamine in it. What about the lady that got sick from the dog food with melamine in it,what about that?
Comment by Jill — May 7, 2007 @ 4:25 pm
Comment by Lorna — May 7, 2007 @ 4:17 pm
Sorry, Lorna, I assumed maybe you did not know about rendering. I myself only learned about it 2 months ago when all this started and I’m 48 and have had pets all my life. I blindly trusted the good ‘ol US of A to keep me and my own, including my pets, safe. I am horrified at the crap that is called pet food….and everything that is unfolding.
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 4:29 pm
Question for those of you who’ve been here since the beginning:
Did any of you, in your wildest imaginations, think this recall would get to this scope and point? I’d really like to know.
Comment by Ally — May 7, 2007 @ 4:30 pm
As things started unfolding over time, I thought to myself, well this has to get to humans and then something will be done about this whole fiasco. Now, I can’t believe they are putting human lifes in jepardy. I actually thought the government would clean things up. LOL - I’m stil so nieve. When a human dies of melamine poisening, and all the other ingredients in question….what will be their price per head?
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 4:43 pm
Comment by Ally — May 7, 2007 @ 4:30 pm
Never dreamed it would turn into a major cover up job. Wonder how long the statute of limitations is for these types of corporate crimes.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 4:46 pm
I never ever thought it would get this bad. I am so upset. I can’t seem to do anything but read everything on the computer. everyone thinks i’m crazy now. I have lost 3 cats. I can’t believe that it’s in the food suply. why hasn’t something been done? My poor grandkids eat this crap at ashool, as do most school children. And Bush is having dinner with the Queen. Doesn’t care about our sucurity in the least. Help us someone. Trudy
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 7, 2007 @ 4:49 pm
I am amazed that only 1% of US pet foods (isn’t that what PFI says?) sickened & killed thousands of pets and there was still enough “cast-offs” from this 1% to feed over 20 million chickens and hogs. I guess there must be *a lot* of pet food in this country. I can only imagine if we were all to stop buying it…
Comment by slt — May 7, 2007 @ 4:50 pm
Deanna & Steve (& anyone else who wants to reply to my question),
Thank you. I really am curious. I’ve been around I think for about 3 weeks. During my time, things have escalated much farther off the map then I ever thought conceivably possible. So I can’t even imagine what it’s been like for those of you who have been following this unfold for 7 (!!!) weeks. I’m bleary eyed and brain overloaded beyond what’s sane. Whatever has kept the rest of you intact, truly amazes me.
Comment by Ally — May 7, 2007 @ 4:51 pm
Also, don’t forget- We are having the summer olympics in China this year!!! For shame!!!Trudy
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 7, 2007 @ 4:52 pm
Comment by Ally — May 7, 2007 @ 4:30 pm
I really didn’t Ally. Like others, I kept thinking the collective THEY would get their act together. Still waiting on that.
Comment by slt — May 7, 2007 @ 4:53 pm
It’s comments like this one that really get me:
“For people who ate large amounts of contaminated pork, chicken and eggs, they likely would be exposed to contamination at levels 18,000 to 30,000 times lower than that considered safe.”
The “considered safe” part makes no sense. If you take X ppm of melamine and combine it in someone’s kidney with Y ppm of cyanuric acid, won’t it produce an XY-sized kidney crystal? The adjective “safe” here is applied to the verb “considered” without attribution. CONSIDERED BY WHOM? Has this person who did the “considering” considered that people with dead pets once considered their PETS to be “safe”?
Now, the AP is complicit in all future animal AND human deaths from melamine poisoning. The list of the hell-bound grows by the minute! Hey, AP, consider THIS (one finger salute)!
Comment by Palomino82 — May 7, 2007 @ 4:54 pm
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 7, 2007 @ 4:49 pm
Well how ya like that. Dinner with the Queen.
As long as you adhere to the idea that the monarchy is a necessity and everything is going to spring from some sort of regal perspective, you get to be subjects instead of citizens. Until you change yourself from subjects to citizens you are going to be eating sh*t. Or in our case Melamine.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 4:56 pm
“Did any of you, in your wildest imaginations, think this recall would get to this scope and point? I’d really like to know.”
Ally, I did. Started emailing all my friends and family on the updated info. I just ?, had a feeling this was bad and even wrote that in several emails, and that end was nowhere in sight.
I will question again, HOW COULD THE CONTAMINATED FOOD BEEN GIVEN TO CHICKEN AND HOGS? Why is this not a criminal action? And nope, I don’t believe they can tell us it won’t hurt us, then again, I don’t think I am sure it is melamine or aka rat poisoning combined that triggered. Basically, I will never believe any but myself and my own investigation and thoughts.
And again, why is no one held accountable for this, why are we allowing this? Now, what is the action.
Mary
Comment by mary — May 7, 2007 @ 4:57 pm
And I just found out today [I live in N.C. ,My Dad lives in Maine] that He has kidney cancer. It sure makes Me wonder? Trudy
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 7, 2007 @ 4:57 pm
Anyone have any ideas how long before the mela-chickens hit the supermarkets? I’m wondering if I should maybe go out and get some chicken now to freeze. And the next question: how long before 20 million chickens are off the shelves (bought by consumers)? IOW what would be a reasonable period of time to avoid buying chicken if one specifically wanted to avoid buying these 20 million mela-chickens? And all this is assuming these are the only mela-chickens out there…
Comment by slt — May 7, 2007 @ 4:58 pm
Did any of you, in your wildest imaginations, think this recall would get to this scope and point? I’d really like to know.
Comment by Ally - May 7, 2007 @ 4:30 pm
***********************************
I said early on that the pet food recalls were just trickling out after the initial recall because behind the scenes the FDA was scrambling all their efforts toward testing human food that was already tainted. I did not think of the animal feed for animals for consumption. I still don’t believe that non of the wheat gluten or rice protein concentrate was not used in human food.
Call me paranoid, but I’m not going to be a government test subject to see what toxic levels of chemicals I can withstand. I’ve done it for enough years already, and I’m buying no more packaged foods or drinks!
No one gave me an “informed consent” form to sign up for this experiment that started many years ago, so I quit the study!
Comment by petlover — May 7, 2007 @ 4:58 pm
Ally -
I’ve been glued to this site..kudos to PetConnection and bloggers for keeping us so well informed.
Its been very stressful. What keeps me going? When I’m on the computer, I look at my sweet cat and dog laying at my feet, trusting me to take the best of care of them. Things like Clara’s picture at the top of the page, keep me going, because our pets have no voice, we have to stand up for them.
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 4:59 pm
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 4:56 pm
Well said, Steve!
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 5:02 pm
Wonder what Bush is serving the queen for dinner? I’ll bet it’s not chicken or pork. O think the British would have a fit over this if it was in their country, which it probably will be soon.
Comment by Joyce — May 7, 2007 @ 5:03 pm
What keeps me going is realizing I’ll probably die from toxic foods other then natural causes. One less thing to have to worry about. It puts a whole new twist on “let them eat cake”. Or when the bartender asks what you want to drink says, “whats your poison?”
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 5:04 pm
Ally: Yes. I knew this would get huge.
Unlike many of the the bloggers who have been following this, my interest is not primarily pets, but how corporations do or don’t follow their own ethical guidelines and how the government uses authoritarian methods to control information to the media.
I also note how people communicate with their various audiences. How do they establish trust or piss it away because of bad advice or bad internal attitudes toward their supposed customers?
I’ve been interested in the issue of food contamination and the role of agribusiness in “self regulation” since I first read the book “Toxic Sludge is Good for You.”
(The authors also wrote “MadCowUSA and “Trust Us, we’re Experts!”)
In fact, this still isn’t as big as I expect. But give it time.
For the last 10 days I’ve been expecting to hear about a snack food that actually got directly into the human food supply. We know that something was created for humans but blocked. I have a hunch that such a product exists out there, and slipped through.(btw, I know it’s a hunch and not-a scientific fact or something that I can verify with evidence. I know the difference between them!) Maybe we will all live because the mythic dilution effect works. Yeah!
But if it does end with human deaths, I want people to remember how the USDA and the FDA reacted to this other crisis. Keep that performance in mind. And then ask if the people who botched this deserve more authority.
If you look at what they are doing with these announcements they are working very hard to make sure that there won’t be a panic if that announcement happens.
Note how they are making a big deal of “The Dilution Effect”.
Note how they have not named names.
Why?
If you read that the product was sent to a company that made HUMAN food you would want to check that company out, right? Well of course you would. And even if that company said, “We didn’t use any!” the concern would be that people would stop buying food from that company.
So there first concern is to make sure that they control the information. In the book “MadCow USA” Stauber talks about how the USDA cut a deal with ConAgra to not provide information to the media about who got meat that was tainted with e.coli. That was very important because when the BSE outbreak the county health departments could NOT get the information “Who bought the MadCow steaks” That information was considered Proprietary.
“Proprietary.” Sound familiar?
Also, note the heavy use of science and “scientific” in this current press release. That is important because they KNOW that they aren’t REALLY basing this on sound science. Read the FAQ from the press release and you will see how much information is based on NO DATA. And of course no hard scientific information based on testing in labs.
I remember telling people that the FDA lost their top official in October 2005 because she was pressured to put politics FIRST instead of science.
Is it a political consideration that lead the USDA and the FDA to release the 20 million chickens? Monetary consideration?
I expect to see a lot of justification for what they did and why they did it in the days and weeks to come.
Comment by spocko — May 7, 2007 @ 5:05 pm
slt - I would probably recommend staying away from chicken COMPLETELY from here on out (and pork). I know someone (NOT an internet friend) whose cat almost died last November, and an internet blogger referred to 3 of his/her cats dying over a 6 month period LAST YEAR (2006). This puts the start date of contamination in June, 2006, at the LATEST. We’re ALL already probably a little bit sick. God, it makes my kidneys hurt when I say that!
Comment by Palomino82 — May 7, 2007 @ 5:05 pm
spocko - Some of the prime culprits would be pasta, crackers, and some types of cheap soy sauce, all of which contain gluten, from what I’ve read. This would make deep-fried potato chips healthier than wheat thins or saltines, which seems ironic.
Comment by Palomino82 — May 7, 2007 @ 5:08 pm
“Maybe we will all live because the mythic dilution effect works. Yeah! “
Comment by Palomino82 — May 7, 2007 @ 5:05 pm
Not according to homopathy, just thinking here.
Mary
Comment by mary — May 7, 2007 @ 5:11 pm
For those of us plagued with Fire Ants, maybe some good news:
“Yay! Virus Found to Kill Fire Ants”
http://tinyurl.com/23ec9k
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 7, 2007 @ 5:16 pm
I knew they would release the chickens because of the economic implications. I’ll bet they just shut their eyes now and stop looking so that they don’t have to know. Hear no evil, see no evil. And I think there are strings being pulled from much higher up.
Did anyone else see the Bush’s approval rating is at about 28%? Regardless of your political persuation, this presidential “regime” (and yes, I mean regime) has ruined our country. I can’t help but feel that it is all once big package deal. Politicizing the FDA, the Surgeon General post, stacking the Supreme COurt. What a legacy George is going to leave behind. Honestly, Jesus Christ himself could run, and if he was on the Republican ticket, I couldn’t bring myself to vote for him. Sorry I will now step off my soapbox.
Comment by Joyce — May 7, 2007 @ 5:17 pm
USDA clears 20 mln chickens that ate pet food
Mon May 7, 2007 5:22PM BST
So let me guess next Johanns will get the medal of freedom in a few weeks for freeing the chickens.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 5:18 pm
Melamine and et al ingredients = We The People vs Corporations and Government.
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 5:19 pm
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 5:18 pm
So who’s going to free us, the american people?
Comment by Joyce — May 7, 2007 @ 5:20 pm
Ally,
I too, never thought I’d still be hearing about cont. food. I really did believe if it ever got into human food - problem would be solved immeadiately.
I’ve learned alot from all of you. Feel horrible to know what all my dogs have eaten in the past. The ugliness of the system. The greed, the liars and unfortunately: we are governed by big business who only care about profit margin.
So far I have had no word from Senator McCain’s office or Mr Kyle. Our Congresswoman is pushing a bill to make May: Safe Motorcycling month.
Thank goodness for Senator Durbin and Rep. DeLauro (originally I was from CT and she kicked b***). So I’m hoping they can change things.
There are store managers who hide when they see me coming…. they don’t like hearing where does the food come from??
I did have a nice conversation today with the owner of Wet-Noses in Monroe,Wa their products are made here of US food. And, Pet Edge Healthy Baker biscuits are made by a small bakery in the US with US ingredients now checked for melamine.
One of the big PFI players was at lunch.. and yet to hear back from them. I too, have noticed their emails are worthless. But, than again I’m sure they have all been well rehearsed.
Tonight we are having grass fed beef, and Calif. fresh veg. Have you all noticed how more energetic you feel when you don’t eat the processed s***!
I just finished an email to our local organic grocer to verify he isn’t going to sell melachicken..
Isn’t the FDA newsbriefing tomorrow??
Katie
PS Gina, Clara is a sweetie! My neighbor has three kitties, one retrieves a yarn ball as well as my golden!
Comment by Katie — May 7, 2007 @ 5:21 pm
Bill Clinton warns of looming disasters
By JESSE HARLAN ALDERMAN, Associated Press Writer Fri May 4, 6:27 PM ET
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Former President
Bill Clinton said Friday that disasters such as worldwide famine and an obesity epidemic could destroy the U.S. health care system unless politicians begin to look ahead and cooperate.
Clinton, speaking at a forum sponsored by Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, said governments fail to act even when disasters are anticipated because leaders are distracted by fulfilling campaign promises and scrambling to respond to immediate emergencies. Big-picture planning gets “crowded out,” he said.
“This is coming,” Clinton said. “And I know there is no great political constituency for it, but we can avert these disasters for not very much money if they can be put into the public debate and people understand clearly what’s going to happen.”
The Kennedy School is spending $1.5 million over two years to study why governments across the world have failed to act on threats such as heat waves and hurricanes, even when they know they are coming.
From looking back at Hurricane Katrina and forward to the absence of firm plans to cool the planet or stem malaria, some of the school’s top researchers will study the roots of government inaction.
The studies will help Congress, presidential candidates and world leaders learn from past mistakes and prepare for future action, said Christopher Stone, a Kennedy School professor and head of the initiative.
The program was born in the botched response to Katrina — the hurricane that experts had warned for years would ravage New Orleans’ inadequate levies and poorly sheltered coast.
From looking at the failures, the world can better prepare for future disasters, just as the architects of World War II righted the woeful preparation for World War I, Stone said.
“Each of these are threats that we know are going to happen. This is not like saying, ‘What do we do if the president of China is kidnapped tomorrow,’” Stone said. “It’s not even that there is really technical disagreement about these things. It’s just a matter of figuring how we can get governments to act.”
Clinton warned presidential candidates of both parties — a group that includes his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, and likely unpopular, to prepare for foreseeable disasters.
He said the next president should solve the “biggest, baddest problems”; take small action when the whole problem cannot be addressed; never appoint incompetent political allies to positions of disaster response; never let political ideology blur scientific evidence; and cooperate nationally and internationally.
————————————————————————————————————————
How about making the tough decisions starting with the pet and people food, right now?
Comment by DeeAnn — May 7, 2007 @ 5:25 pm
Act (EPIA) (21 U.S.C. 1031, et seq.). These statutes provide that FSIS is to protect the public by verifying that meat, poultry, and egg
products are safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged.
I guess that’s where I’ll start to demand that whatever is released be labeled properly as minimally adulterated with melamine & potentially its other components (cyanuric acid,…)
Comment by Ann H. — May 7, 2007 @ 5:33 pm
So to believe the FDA, melamine enters through your mouth as mela-chicken and secretes as urine without ever entering the blood stream. Amazing stuff this melamine.
If this melamine were a new food additive, it would require statistical evaluation and testing for safety, not hunches and wishful thinking.
These FDA dilution theories are just that, notions based on hopeful optimism. There’s not adequate safety evidence to justify selling these mela-chickens. This is just plain wreckless.
Comment by Larry — May 7, 2007 @ 5:33 pm
Comment by DeeAnn — May 7, 2007 @ 5:25 pm
Big multi national business rules the roost right now telling people that buying unnecessary crap will make them happy and it is better being in debt than not acquiring the latest status-symbol car, cell phone, ipod or sneaker.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 5:35 pm
OMG!! Joyce!! Do we STILL have a Surgeon General???
Comment by Ann H. — May 7, 2007 @ 5:35 pm
Ann, thank you for that link. I just posted my protest and a demand that they reverse their decision immediately. (I’m sure that’ll make ‘em take notice, right?) :)
Comment by Marilyn — May 7, 2007 @ 5:35 pm
Comment by DeeAnn — May 7, 2007 @ 5:25 pm
Actually, I think if the current administration would listen to some wise advise such as this, problems such as people food and pet food would get resolved. Look at that last paragraph. I think that sums up George Bush’s entire presidency.
Comment by Joyce — May 7, 2007 @ 5:37 pm
Who knows what melamine will do in our digestive systems, which are full of natural acids or how it will interact with other foods we eat, especially ones that may have been contaminted with other substances.
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 5:38 pm
I just stumbled on an interesting article in New York Times. Sorry if it’s already been posted and I missed it…
Epidemic Is Killing Pigs in Southeastern China
http://tinyurl.com/2a8jh4
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 7, 2007 @ 5:43 pm
Comment by Joyce — May 7, 2007 @ 5:37 pm
Dynasty. (How come we aren’t invited. When we are paying for this shebang?)
http://tinyurl.com/2ke4kw
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 5:46 pm
Comment by Marilyn — May 7, 2007 @ 5:35 pm
‘Ann, thank you for that link.’
I must be blind, not surprised, my head is realing. What time was the link posted you mentioned, I am missing it totally…
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 5:47 pm
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 4:29 pm
Nothing to be sorry for,Deanna.I didn’t take offence.Was trying to get that across in my post but sometimes words on paper are blunter than they are meant.
I was the same as you years ago;thought the food/feed companies had the best interests of our pets/stock in mind when producing their products.
But I couldn’t understand why almost every dog lost died because of some kind of cancer,albeit usually at least over 10 years of age(which I don’t consider that old really).They were fed expensive kibble(I thought that meant premium…hahahaa).That’s when I began to ask better questions/do more reading/learned words like ethoxyquin,BHA,BHT,rendering plants and you know the rest.
It’s criminal.
Lorna
Comment by Lorna — May 7, 2007 @ 5:47 pm
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 7, 2007 @ 5:16 pm
“Virus Found to Kill Fire Ants”
Great, dead fire ants will be the next rendered commodity.
Comment by MFEMFEM — May 7, 2007 @ 5:49 pm
The recall has exposed the fact that, although sold under many different brand names, most pet foods are created only a few manufacturers, such as Menu Foods.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 5:49 pm
From what I’ve seen, the only “human” studies that have been done concerning melamine were on people who worked with it: Melamine is listed as causing skin, lung and eye irritation.
That not the same as eating it!
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 7, 2007 @ 5:50 pm
chicken and hamburger are the only meats my DH eats. He doesn’t really eat vegies either.
Comment by Jenny — May 7, 2007 @ 5:54 pm
There is not enough data on the toxicity of melamine or of melamine’s reactions with other substances to decalare it safe for consumption in even small amounts. Statements to the contrary are fanatasy, not science. We are being fed policy pronouncements, not scientific facts.
Comment by MFEMFEM — May 7, 2007 @ 6:01 pm
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 5:46 pm
we were invited to the *other* party, which we are also paying for in more ways than we can imagine . . . .
Comment by straybaby — May 7, 2007 @ 6:10 pm
Aunt Granny, thanks for link. I didn’t know the pigs were dying. Trudy
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 7, 2007 @ 6:12 pm
Cyanuric Acid anyone?
Comment by keen — May 7, 2007 @ 6:13 pm
Thanks everyone who replied to my question above. It’s very interesting (even enlightening) reading your responses.
Spocko - very informative reading your background and take on this recall. I agree with your assessment - I don’t believe we have yet seen just how big this scenario will get. That’s what keeps me glued more hours than I should to the computer. If I step away on a certain date & time, will I miss when my pet’s current food is recalled? That’s a risk that’s too scary to contemplate. Soon though, for emotional sanity & other necessary day-to-day things, I’m going to need to spend less time online. I’ll still check in & keep an eye on the latest, but how many times out of the blue, like Friday’s late 20,000,000 chicken quarantine, does some freakazoid new recall related news crop up you might need to save a life? Be it human, canine, feline or all three at the same time?
Just when I think my mind’s boggled for the final time, something comes up to remind me that no, the end has yet to come. Seven weeks strong and growing…..
Comment by Ally — May 7, 2007 @ 6:17 pm
The pig die off was news to me too. China trys real hard to keep a tight lid on anything negative.
I guess they’ll be sending us their dead pigs to eat, or at least trying to!
” The lack of even basic details is reviving longstanding questions about whether China is willing to share information about health and food safety issues with potential global implications.
The Chinese government — and particularly the government of Guangdong Province, which is adjacent to Hong Kong — was criticized in 2003 for concealing information about the SARS virus for the first four months after it emerged in Foshan, 95 miles northwest of Hong Kong. After SARS spread to Hong Kong and around the world, top Chinese officials promised to improve disclosure.
But officials in Hong Kong as well as at the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization, both agencies of the United Nations, said today that they been told almost nothing about the latest pig deaths, and been given limited details about wheat gluten contamination.
Because pigs can catch many of the same diseases as people, including bird flu, the two U.N. agencies maintain global networks to track and investigate unexplained patterns of pig deaths.
Hong Kong television broadcasts and newspapers were full of lurid accounts today of pigs staggering around with blood pouring from their bodies in Gaoyao and neighboring Yunfu, both in Guangdong Province. The Apple Daily newspaper said that as many as 80 percent of the pigs in the area had died, that panicky farmers were selling ailing animals at deep discounts and that pig carcasses were floating in a river.
The reports in Hong Kong said the disease began killing pigs after the Chinese New Year celebrations in February, and is now spreading. But state-controlled news outlets in China have reported almost nothing about the pig deaths, and very little about the wheat gluten problem.”
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 7, 2007 @ 6:21 pm
And in all this time none of us has gotten anything done, we’re all going blind and crazy. But I sure do thank PetConnection. without them, I couldn’t keep my pets safe and I wouldn’t have any idea of the extent of all this,trudy
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 7, 2007 @ 6:23 pm
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 7, 2007 @ 5:43 pm
Thanks, Aunt Granny, for the article about the hogs dying in China. Very scary stuff indeed.
Wonder how much China adulterated their feed to boost the protien content.
Better hold on to those chickens a bit longer….
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 6:25 pm
I know we’ve had some setbacks, but I encourage everyone to stay focused on what needs to be done for our pets and for our families.
As a reminder of what the general public can accomplish —
I worked for a company that did extensive market research in regard to changing their premier brand which was recognized around the world. All data favored the change. The announcement was made public in April, 1985. Within 24 hours we were receiving thousands of calls a day. The disaster lasted 87 days and then management declared the return of the old favorite — Coca-Cola.
It was the average consumer who made the difference and dictated the change. Like I said, let’s keep our focus and continue to push for needed changes.
Comment by Donna — May 7, 2007 @ 6:27 pm
They’ll probably mix the dead hogs in with the animal food. Trudy
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 7, 2007 @ 6:28 pm
Thanks Ally: I’ve learned a lot from people on this board. One thing that just always hits me in the gut is just how much pain people feel over this. They aren’t kidding when they say fur kids.
I’m all about trying to effective communications, getting to the right people with the right message so that something happens.
I told the super sharp legislative aide in Sen. Durbin’s office that all they need to do is ask and they will have an army of dedicated pet parents focused like a laser beams on an action that they think is necessary to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
My next fear? Big money from special interests groups pushing back on any kind of real change.
It will be done in the dark in the back rooms and on the qt. I haven’t figured out how to combat that action yet, but I’ll bet that if the people here heard about a few lobbying firms talking trash about a food safety bill they would hear from us.
Comment by spocko — May 7, 2007 @ 6:31 pm
Remember-Knowledge is Power!! Trudy
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 7, 2007 @ 6:33 pm
So, we started all this with the FDA saying that no amount of melamine was acceptable in food. And the Chinese saying that melamine in food is no big deal, they even put it in cake. And now the FDA is saying it’s safe???? Did the Chinese convince them of that? I’m being facetious here, but this is a huge turnabout. What comes next? So is the FDA now going to stop blocking shipments of protein products? Is there going to be a collective “shrug of the shoulders” and the whole issue just die because now the FDA says it’s safe? This is scary beyond words.
Comment by Marilyn — May 7, 2007 @ 6:35 pm
OK, I had a Washington Politician call tonight. I picked up too late and got his recording. I missed his name, but was able to *69 and leave a message that I was very interested in talking to him. He was looking for input as to what issues should be taken to Washington like the war or immigration.
As these politicians call, especially in the coming election year, how or what should I voice in summeration of 2 months of info?
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 6:39 pm
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 6:39 pm
Deanna, you can get all the specific details from some of the regular bloggers, I can’t keep up with all the news and try my best to get through everything but having a case of mindfog right now over it. The only thing I’d like to pass on to you is that I’M FRIGHTENED. I think a lot of people are right now. The last and only time I felt something similar to this was 9/11.
Comment by Nabiya — May 7, 2007 @ 6:43 pm
MARILYN: Here’s the post:
Go to the Meat & poultry Hot line on-line and call, write, use the icon in the lower right corner.
Protest the recycling back to pet foods of the contaminated swine & poultry which is being ignored in the “risk assessment”
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_...../index.asp
Of course, a little objection to being guinea pigs for their little mildly toxic melamine experiment wouldn’t hurt :)
Comment by Ann H. — May 7, 2007 @ 6:45 pm
My head has TMI syndrome, I have read so much! I have been on here since the beginning, reading everything, but only recently became a blogger.
I could keep that politician on the phone for hours…maybe I should!
I guess I just need to go back through the blogs and compile some points…..
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 6:47 pm
Ferals will never be accounted for as to how many died from the recalls. A friend told me today that the ferals she feeds at a train station has dwindled down to half and she’s sure it’s because of the recalls. A lot of people riding the train brought cat food every day for them. I’m sure this has happened everywhere. So whatever the official number is of dead/sick cats/dogs from whatever official source, double it.
Comment by Nabiya — May 7, 2007 @ 6:54 pm
I just sent a letter to Sen Durbin asking for his help again. I also asked if he could have another hearing and among the panel members, request that Ekedal and Echeson appear. I asked him if there was any possible way to have a citizen panel that are allowed to ask questions of these folks. Can anyone suggest who else I can send a letter too?
Comment by Sandi K — May 7, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
Comment by Ann H. — May 7, 2007 @ 6:45 pm
I accessed the website and saw the USDA Food Safety Education, Ask Virtual Karen.
I asked: What are the effects of human consumption of melamine?
answer:
Chemical contamination is the inclusion (either intentionally or accidentally) of unwanted chemical agents in meat, poultry, or egg products.
I then clicked on this link that came with the answer:
Are meat and poultry products derived from animals fed contaminated feed, considered adulterated products?
answer:
Yes, products derived from animals fed contaminated feed are considered adulterated. Therefore, USDA cannot place the mark of inspection on them.
WHAT??!!
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 7:06 pm
Deanna,
Earlier today there were a few letters posted on the blog, one from Peggy, i think, and I posted one I had sent to the House Ag committee. This had the fax number for the house Ag Committee, and they are holding a hearing on Wednesday.
They would be a good place to start looking for info to compose letters. Both Peggy and I said we wouldn’t mind if others used our letters. If you copy and past it then you can rework it to put it in your own works.
Comment by Elaine — May 7, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
Peggy’s letter was posted at 11:01 and there may have been others before it. Mine was posted at 12:53
Comment by Elaine — May 7, 2007 @ 7:19 pm
spocko and others who are very well versed in this nightmare,
would you consider putting together a list of talking points for everyone under a new thread on itchmo’s forum?
My head’s spinning with all this and composing letters, collecting my thoughts for phone calls is difficult. I know I’m forgetting something everytime I do something.
Of course, this forgetfulness could be the melachicken…
Comment by Sharon — May 7, 2007 @ 7:33 pm
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 5:38 pm
The human digestive tract differs greatly from dogs and cats - much longer, food is digested differently. Who knows if that could be a good or bad thing as regards humans eating mela-chicken. O wait, the FDA does - everything’s A-OK…
Comment by slt — May 7, 2007 @ 7:43 pm
Washington always was better at playing the shell game than Vegas anyway.
Looks like Miller, Henderson, Wiens, and the rest of the Cabal including China got a free pass on this one.
Nothing’s changed.
It was just a bad dream.
Go back to bed now.
Comment by Kathi — May 7, 2007 @ 7:43 pm
Comment by Deanna — May 7, 2007 @ 7:06 pm
Maybe send the link for “Virtual Karen” to someone at the USDA… : (
Comment by slt — May 7, 2007 @ 7:46 pm
Big multi national business rules the roost right now telling people that buying unnecessary crap will make them happy and it is better being in debt than not acquiring the latest status-symbol car, cell phone, ipod or sneaker.
Comment by Steve — May 7, 2007 @ 5:35 pm
In 2005 I got rid of all debt. I am beholden to no one. I simplified my life based on research over the last three years. I can see where things are heading. I buy food from week to week and only when I need something do I venture to a dept store, in then out with nothing extra. I record tv and skip the commercials. I no longer buy into a lifestyle for debt or impressions. I actually have money now that has allowed me to help some people.
One by one people are wising up. Most will not, but those that do will be more prepared for numerous problems coming down the pike with things like, peak oil=expensive gasoline, water wars, devalued dollars, inflation/deflation=stagflation, lower standards of living unless preparing for many what if that are so close to happening.
I have made many pleasant changes in my life. More whole foods, interest in gardening, no sodas, not interested in name brands, our vehicles are paid for, my tv and furniture is not new but great. I don’t have all the lastest greatest whatever—I just don’t care. My kitchen, my office, my life is just so much better without clutter. Cleaning is a breeze and without an array of chemicals too. I need just half the home I did before and it it is so much better. I have not been to a fast food joint in years (would rather go hungry and in fact have). We (two of us) eat out once a month with a new rule of $20 max with tip. I don’t eat much bread, junk food, meat or dinners from a box. I am not perfect—but in looking back three years ago I would not believe I would have made so many changes. One change at a time made it fairly easy.
I am keeping more money in my pocket and enjoying what really matters, people not things. I have some time to keep up with this blog, write letters, make phone calls and talk to people about what is going on with people/pet food.
Comment by DeeAnn — May 7, 2007 @ 8:20 pm
RE: Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 7, 2007 @ 9:45 am
and Comment by straybaby — May 7, 2007 @ 9:59 am
“our Sally Qing Miller of ChemNutra fame is certified in China as an ISO 9000 Chief Auditor”
Except that we are currently on ISO 9001.
Comment by Lynn — May 7, 2007 @ 10:51 pm
Ann H, Kim, Ally, & Jenny,
I just wanted to say thanks! :)
I hope it will help.
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 8, 2007 @ 5:57 am
The USDA has issued a fact sheet on the safety of the “chicken” for humans. There is not one word about whether the chicken will be safe for our pets a well. http://www.thepigsite.com/swin.....fact-sheet
Comment by Shawn — May 8, 2007 @ 6:36 am
The real irony in the whole chicken thing is I’ve taken to picking up frozen chicken breast when
it’s on sale for my cats. What the heck, if a 5 oz tin of cat food costs .55, and I can get real
meat fot $1.99 a pound, I’m only paying an extra .30 per pound. Buying cat food has been like playing
Russian roulette, so I figured if I can reduce their cat food by 20% using real meat, it’d be more
like playing the game with 8 cylinders in the revolver instead of 6.
Ain’t it grand? After spending 2 months sorting through lists trying to find something safe, buying
people food for my guys isn’t even safe!!!
Comment by Don — May 8, 2007 @ 8:29 am