Pet-food recall: What was known before
By Gina Spadafori
May 9, 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.
Ichmo has come up with a couple of remarkable items today.
The first is a FDA document revealing that pregnant FDA staff were not to be involved with the melamine investigation.
The second links to an AVMA journal abstract — from 1966 — on how toxic melamine is in sheep. The answer? Very. Kudos to the AVMA for reporting on this.
Incredible stuff, no?
Sen. Durbin’s office checks in to let us know the FDA Reauthorization bill — including Senator Durbin’s amendment that was approved last week — passed in the Senate.
Sen. Durbin and Rep. DeLauro met with the FDA Commissioner and the Chinese Ambassador today:
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) today met with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, Andrew von Eschenbach and Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong of the People’s Republic of China to discuss the recent food safety problems including several contaminated shipments of food products imported from China.
During the meeting, Durbin and DeLauro secured a commitment from the Chinese government and the FDA that they would work towards a mutual agreement to improve inspections and overall safety of food products and drugs traded between the U.S. and China. That agreement would likely take the form of a memorandum of understanding between the two governments (see letter below).
[...]
During the meeting, Durbin and DeLauro also learned new information regarding a second importer of rice protein concentrate had received shipments of contaminated product from China. According to Commissioner von Eschenbach, Cereal Byproducts located in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, had imported contaminated rice protein concentrate from Binzhou Futian in China, and issed a recall on May 4, 2007 of all products it distributed. The Food and Drug Administration is currently working with the company to track down all shipments of the product.
More details on Sen. Durbin’s Web site.
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Remember that the FDA, like most federal agencies, is run by political appointees appointed by the administration in power. Career employees risk losing their jobs if they don’t do exactly what their political masters tell them to do. The career people at federal agencies are not free to speak their minds.
The political appointees’ main goal, all too often, is to feather their nests with private industry and hope that they will be rewarded in turn with high six figure private sector jobs when administrations change and they must tender their resignation. They don’t have any incentive to do the will of the ordinary citizen.
It’s the administration in power that chooses whether or not to enforce laws. Laws may be on the books but the agencies do nothing if non-enforcement is the policy of the political masters. It can take court action or congressional threats of cutting off agency funding all together to get action – this takes time and by then it is often too late. Look at all the environmental laws on the books that are not enforced or only loosely enforced.
Don’t get your hopes up even if Congress passes tough new laws. Congress does not enforce laws, the federal agencies do. Laws without enforcement aren’t worth much.
Comment by MFEMFEM — May 9, 2007 @ 5:34 pm
How long have Americans been eating this stuff?
Some one in the Global Corporatist State want to step up to the plate?
Comment by Steve — May 9, 2007 @ 5:42 pm
We still don’t know the third manufacturer which received contaminated RPC (rice protein concentrate) from Cereal Byproducts. Why is the FDA protecting this company? What is the status of Durbin’s request to release the names of ALL the companies involved?
Looks like someone got Durbin to jump into their pocket, after all the stink he raised. Have you ever seen someone take so much credit for doing so little?
Comment by Palomino — May 9, 2007 @ 5:46 pm
I am not as pessimistic as you, MFEMFEM. This FDA legislation that passed today does not contain as strong a language with respect to mandatory recall authority as I wanted and wished, but there are other very important new items that we have been blogging about and have had on our wish lists for weeks. I have been around politics a long time. Something that passes 99-1 in the Senate has people’s attention and these lawmakers HAVE heard from their constituents and have listened. 99 lawmakers will be watching the FDA implement its new powers. Let’s at least give them a chance on this before we start throwing cold water. If it is doomed to fail from the get-go as you imply, then why did we all work so hard? From my heart Kudos to Durbin, the 98 other Senators, and everyone of us who wrote, called and who worked together to make a difference.
Comment by elizabeth R. — May 9, 2007 @ 5:55 pm
Comment by Palomino — May 9, 2007 @ 5:46 pm
“looks like someone got Durbin to jump into their pocket”
In the short run there is not much one, or even ten senators can do except raise awareness by holding hearings, proposing legislation, and trying to embarrass an agency to act. They can’t easily force an agency to act. They can issue subpoenas but the process takes time and agencies can claim executive privilege.
It is unrealistic to expect a quick fix from members of Congress, they don’t have the power to enforce laws and it is not easy for them to force the executive branch to act.
Comment by MFEMFEM — May 9, 2007 @ 5:56 pm
Comment by elizabeth R. — May 9, 2007 @ 5:55 pm
I’m not being pessimistic, I’m being realistic. I lost a beautiful pet companion to this terrible poison. He was in horrible agony until I had to have him put to sleep. I want to see action taken and I hope those responsible pay a high price. I commend everything that is being done. However, no single senator or other white knight is going to provide an easy fix. It will be a long and difficult road. I’m in it for the long haul because I know it won’t be easy.
If people expect a quick fix and have unreasonable short term expections then I think they will be disappointed. It’s important to know how difficult the task is and how powerful the opposition is.
Comment by MFEMFEM — May 9, 2007 @ 6:03 pm
You know what, if Bush holds back on this with his approval rating and Americans are truly but at risk by their own government.. do you not thing they’ll push an impeachment?
I don’t think they’ll ride this too far out in the ocean. Just my opinion & deep hope.
Comment by Ann H — May 9, 2007 @ 6:18 pm
Neither am I being pessimistic. The Senate is not designed to produce results. Its a place we put “problem children” who have too much wealth and power by birth or by deeds. They have one important and grave responsibility, as specified by the Constitution: to ratify treaties and executive appointments. And in this capacity, they already failed us 8 years ago when they granted China “Most Favored Nation” status.
With any luck, though, the President may act unilaterally after his meeting with China’s Vice Premier Wu Yi, later this month.
http://www.businessweek.com/gl.....144781.htm
Even this may not help though. If it triggers a sell-off at the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Chinese products will become irresistably cheap — then we’ll really be screwed. “Please pass the melamine, Mom!”
Comment by Palomino — May 9, 2007 @ 6:24 pm
People the ball has started rolling,
now we have to see that it continues..
i’ve been calling my congressman several times a week. what i see is a lot of support for food
safety , for pets and people.. (in the office
of my Ny congressman).
we’v got to do what we can to see things change
that means we stay with the program, keep calling , and writeing.. you do what nessescary
if you find a fool who’s blocking change let others know? together we address the problem.
patience , patience it pays, and we cannot afford to allow things to slip back to what
was! their’s a lot of support for safe food.
lets make it work!
Comment by johnypaycut — May 9, 2007 @ 6:44 pm
I did fax & email the AVMA page, the medical report on fish oils treating melimine tumors in rats and the protocol sheets to our State Agriculture Dept and media and the politicos.. don’t know if it’s worth doing, but I did it.
I can’t do more than ask, if our doctors and our hospitals know how to recognize when one of us has become a statistic on the pencil pushers risk assessment page and needs to report the data to CDC.
This gets more mentally & emotionally challenging by the day.
Comment by Ann H — May 9, 2007 @ 6:54 pm
If I were President, I would tell Mr. China Ambassador - here’s the story . . . YOU need to set a priority and agree to cooperate with the US government. I don’t want letters of intent, but I will give you my understanding —your country will establish standards and quality control or you will be looking elsewhere for the $2.2 billion check for your agriculture exports.
Do I have any votes?
Comment by Donna — May 9, 2007 @ 7:01 pm
sorry, i forgot the link:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/en.....;DB=pubmed
Comment by Ann H — May 9, 2007 @ 7:01 pm
oy, type melamine lesions in the search box.
Comment by Ann H — May 9, 2007 @ 7:06 pm
We will not purchase food items from China. This is all you need to tell your supermarket managers and pet food brands.
Take time to get informed about what you are purchasing. More importantly,let them know that you don’t want any food from China at any price and stick with that position.
Comment by Steve — May 9, 2007 @ 7:15 pm
The former head of China’s State Food and Drug Administration will go on trial beginning next week for allegedly taking bribes in return for drug approvals, state media reported on Wednesday.
The paper said 31 other people are alleged to have been involved in the FDA scandal, including Zheng’s wife Liu Naixue, his son Zheng Hairong, and officials at several drug companies.
http://tinyurl.com/yu37h2
Comment by Steve — May 9, 2007 @ 7:24 pm
This is a link to a sobering but informative opinion piece from the New York Observer. It is about free trade and why it has not worked like the economists of the Clinton and Bush administrations had hoped. Apparently, there is an awakening around Washington that mid course corrections are in order. The article mentions the China pet food contamination angle and explains why it is not quite as easy as “just saying no” to China imports. Gina blogged on global trade earlier today.
http://www.observer.com/2007/f.....page=0%2C0
Comment by elizabeth R. — May 9, 2007 @ 7:54 pm
Comment by johnypaycut — May 9, 2007 @ 6:44 pm
I agree 100 %. Some sound like they are already willing to give up - that would be a self fulfilling prophecy. Thanks to Durbin for listening and acting. Let’s see what happens next.
Comment by Jenny — May 9, 2007 @ 7:54 pm
Comment by MFEMFEM — May 9, 2007 @ 5:34 pm
“Remember that the FDA, like most federal agencies, is run by political appointees appointed by the administration in power. Career employees risk losing their jobs if they don’t do exactly what their political masters tell them to do. The career people at federal agencies are not free to speak their minds.”
MFEMFEM — Your comment deserves repeating. This is almost EXACTLY what the FDA rep that I spoke with told me when my call was finally returned. I was told numerous times during the conversation that the best way to get things to change is to keep up the political pressure, keep calling and writing our elected officials, just like Gina and Christie keep saying.
I was also told several times to continue to urge affected pet parents who have not reported their poisoned pets yet to call the FDA and BE COUNTED. Even if it takes awhile to get a call back, I was told they really do want to get the reports and they really do want an accurate count. I would guess they need reports to create pressure from their end for increased resources.
In any case, the squeaky wheel still draws the most attention, and stamps are cheap. If this system is to be changed, we have to be in this for the long haul. Do what you can — call, write, fax, email, camp in your elected officials’ offices, whatever works for you. Just refuse to go away.
It’s a labor of love for all those we love, furry and otherwise.
Comment by michelle — May 9, 2007 @ 7:56 pm
This is a message I emailed to an Oregon tv station. Please feel free to use it to notify your news media. I think I will use it as a Letter to the Editor as well. You can copy and paste it and change the wording to suit you:
The news about the pet food recall is not just about pet’s dying which is bad enough, but the fact that our food supply is in jeopardy.
The FDA/USDA is claiming in press conferences that our food supply is safe. Their own regulations prohibit distribution of food that has been contaminated and adulterated in any way, and yet they allowed 20,000,000 chickens to enter our food supply that had eaten food tainted with melamine and other compounds, and have released who knows how many hogs, and now fish is eating the same contaminated food, but not to worry!
This attachment is from the US FDA website, I guess it is protocol for conducting what they call is the Protein Surveillance Assignment. (checking for melamine and related substances)
Please note in the Safety part the personal protective equipment they are requiring for inspections for melamine and related compounds.
Note that it says “Pregnant women should not perform this assignment”
It also says that “chronic exposure may cause cancer or reproductive damage.”
FDA’s claims that the small concentrations aren’t harmful to people because of the “dilution factor” is just a lie. “The contaminants have been found in concentrations of up to 20% in analyzed samples” 20% is 1/5th!! No small diluted amount, in my opinion.
Besides for this the AVMA website posted a study done in the 60’s that showed how toxic it was to sheep. I think it said a 10% concentration killed the sheep.
The FDA will not give out the names of the chicken farms that fed the tainted feed, nor the pork producers, nor will they answer straight questions from reporters if ANY of the positive samples they have gathered are from the human food supply.
I choose not to eat the chickens or hogs or fish that have been fed the contaminated food, I don’t care how safe the FDA says it is.
FDA, USDA, and others held a press conference yesterday which can be accessed on their website, I think. Please check it out and notice how they evade answering specific questions from the reporters, and how many times they used the phrase “it is our belief”, or “I believe”.
When it comes to the safety of our food supply we need concrete scientific facts and studies. They have said from the beginning they have no studies on the risk of melamine in humans, yet it causes cancer in rats and kills dogs! And yet they “believe” there is no risk to humans?!!
Comment by Elaine — May 9, 2007 @ 8:00 pm
http://www.newsday.com/news/he.....3647.story Farmed fish have been fed meal spiked with the same chemical that has been linked to the pet food recall, but the contamination was probably too low to harm anyone who ate the fish, federal officials said yesterday. *** Somehow the word PROBABLY in the above statement doesn’t seem very reassuring!
Comment by Peg Long Island NY — May 9, 2007 @ 8:07 pm
Read the incredible Itchmo find of the 1966 AVMA archive on Melamine crystalluria in sheep.
Then read Dr. Louise Murray’s… What Happened to Scooby…..the necropsy.
They are almost identical!!!
No way am I eating melachicken/melapork.
I think these 2 pieces of information should be brought to Senator Durbin’s attention. Nothing has changed toxicity wise in 41 years of experimenting with feeding ANY animal melamine.
We the people, shouldn’t be forced to eat this either.
Comment by PegH — May 9, 2007 @ 8:33 pm
Comment by elizabeth R. — May 9, 2007 @ 7:54 pm
The United States shouldn’t have to go into decline to meet their standards. Thats the part of the deal that “free traders”, wall street insiders and multi national corporations didn’t talk about.
Thats the Catch 22. Americans have been screwed over. Big Time.
Comment by Steve — May 9, 2007 @ 8:38 pm
Come on folks, can we at least pretend to not be clueless, paranoid nitwits? To wit, Itchmo’s breathless revelation that..
“Despite repeated FDA statements saying that there is no risk to human health from contaminated pigs and chickens, the FDA surveillance order indicates otherwise. It states: Pregnant women should not perform this assignment. (Emphasis ours)
Melamine and additional related contaminants have been found in concentrations of up to 20% in analyzed samples. The MSDS for pure melamine is attached as Attachment B and includes warnings “to avoid breathing dust, avoid contact with eyes, skin and clothing”. Chronic exposure may cause cancer or reproductive damage.”
The only situation anyone might encounter such concentrations (20%) is agents of the FDA or other investigative agencies — people — checking raw samples of the Chinese “gluten” or RCP” … those concentrations are *far* above anything seen in the pet food or chickens, etc.
Comment by David — May 9, 2007 @ 8:46 pm
O PLEASE let someone get called on at tomorrow’s FDA briefing who asks about the “pregnant women should not perform this task” thing.
Comment by slt — May 9, 2007 @ 8:52 pm
Comment by David — May 9, 2007 @ 8:46 pm
Did you read the story about the cat “Scooby” who was fed a food which did not contain any of the suspect ingredients but was manufactured in the same plant as some of the recalled food? He died. Horribly. And I repeat: he did not eat any of the tainted wheat flour. He was poisoned by “cross-contamination”. Some pretty serious toxicity there.
Comment by slt — May 9, 2007 @ 8:57 pm
Comment by David — May 9, 2007 @ 8:46 pm
Lets toss in despite ZERO environmental enforcement Chinas been sheltered from international laws by the “Developing Nation” label. Thanks to the friendly folks at the WTO in Geneva, Switzerland.
Were we given genuine opportunities to express our views and to influence the outcome of these policies and decisions? NO. The WTO is the most non-transparent organization on the planet.
Comment by Steve — May 9, 2007 @ 9:01 pm
Comment by slt — May 9, 2007 @ 8:57 pm
What does that have to do with my statement? Nothing.
The point I was trying to make is that the flakier the posts/themes are on these “alternative internet info sources,” the easier it is to dismiss them. Capiche?
Comment by David — May 9, 2007 @ 9:05 pm
Comment by Steve — May 9, 2007 @ 9:01 pm
Ditto for steve-o
Come on, folks… focus.
Comment by David — May 9, 2007 @ 9:06 pm
Comment by David — May 9, 2007 @ 9:05 pm
What it has to do with your statement is the toxicity level of even a trace amount of the contaminant(s). IOW 20% is toxic, sure but apparently so is a *much* smaller amount.
btw, not nice to call names. At least that’s what my Mom always told me.
Comment by slt — May 9, 2007 @ 9:11 pm
Newly industrialized Country. NIC
However, China and India are special cases: the immense population of these two nations (over two billion people combined as of November 2006) means that per capita income will remain low even if either economy surpasses that of the United States of America. However, keeping PPP in mind, the Chinese and Indian populations will enjoy significantly reduced costs of living, as basic commodities tend to be less expensive in both nations.
Additionally the group composed of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa meet annually with the G8 countries to discuss financial topics, due to their economic importance in today’s global market, in a group known as G8+5.[7]
Brief economic analysis
NICs usually benefit from comparatively low labor costs, which translates into lower input prices for suppliers. This shifts the labor supply curve downwards, resulting in a lower equilibrium wage and a reduced number of labor-hours per worker. As a result, it is often easier for producers in NICs to outperform and outproduce factories in developed countries, where the cost of living is higher, and labor unions and other organizations have more political sway.
Complete the equation.
http://tinyurl.com/3bz5ad
Comment by Steve — May 9, 2007 @ 9:15 pm
RE: Comment by MFEMFEM — May 9, 2007 @ 5:34 pm
“Don’t get your hopes up even if Congress passes tough new laws. Congress does not enforce laws, the federal agencies do. Laws without enforcement aren’t worth much.”
Very true. But see the FDA document at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/protsurv.html
Do a find for the term “volunteer.” Should be two instances.
Hmmmm - volunteer - as in you and me, the pet owners? Gee, then we could be sure the job got done? What an opportunity. Is it viable?
Comment by Lynn — May 9, 2007 @ 9:27 pm
Here they are G8. Patting themselves on the back over all the great things and benefits Free Trade is doing for us.
http://tinyurl.com/2eaksz
Comment by Steve — May 9, 2007 @ 9:33 pm
Are there going to be any food recalls due to fish meal???
Hope one of the news people asks about the “hazmat suits” for picking up samples…… can you believe all this time when feeding our dogs and cats we should have been wearing protective clothing and opening the bags and cans under OSHA certified reverse flow hoods - who new!
Katie
Comment by Katie — May 9, 2007 @ 9:45 pm
Comment by Katie — May 9, 2007 @ 9:45 pm
Thinking of wearing a hazmat suit next trip to Wild Oats when we get our stuff in the bulk grains aisle.
Comment by Steve — May 9, 2007 @ 9:52 pm
Has Dr. Acheson, et. al., considered what effect, dilute or not, these foods will have on people with existing renal problems or pregnant women or babies? He obviously has considered his own staff enough to post a warning.
Where’s the warning for the rest of the country? If analyzed samples are showing up to 20%, this needs to be communicated. He knows that there are still contaminated products on the shelves in some places, thanks to the lack of media support and secrecy. Pregnant women and dialysis patients do actually handle the food when they feed their pets. What do babies and small children do? They put EVERYTHING in their mouths - including dog and cat food in bowls on the floor.
Does Dr. Acheson have any grandchildren or is he just so far removed from normal that he actually doesn’t realize this?
Comment by Cathy — May 9, 2007 @ 10:02 pm
For over 75 years, Nutro has created, tested and produced the finest pet foods on the market. Our philosophy is simple: we constantly strive to provide better ingredients and better nutrition for better health, no matter what the cost.
****** yeah, we know ******
My cat survived, for now anyway.
Comment by Kathi — May 9, 2007 @ 10:09 pm
Hey, David, I think you’re missing the point.
If the FDA is saying pregnant women shouldn’t be around this stuff due to its mutagenic/teratogenic/carcinogenic properties, then why does the FDA think it’s safe to feed this crap to infants in baby food?
And no, I’m not talking about chickens who ate bad feed - I’m talking about wheat gluten and rice protein - two things you find in baby foods. There’s quite a bit of it out there that hasn’t been accounted for yet. If it’s so harmless, then why won’t the FDA say where it went?
The point is, if a pregnant woman shouldn’t be handling the stuff, then we shouldn’t be eating it - at least without knowing we are! And we sure as he** shouldn’t be feeding it to kids, old folks, or pets.
Of course, two out of those three can’t vote.
Comment by Laura — May 9, 2007 @ 10:11 pm
Comment by Cathy — May 9, 2007 @ 10:02 pm
Re: Dr. Acheson: “or is he just so far removed from normal that he actually doesn’t realize this?”
Wow. Trippy flashback to the original Stepford Wives.
Comment by Ally — May 9, 2007 @ 10:12 pm
eLEXNET -
http://tinyurl.com/2vrpat
this is why we won’t learn the truth.
Comment by Kathi — May 9, 2007 @ 10:22 pm
Re: pregnant women
To be honest, the first thing I thought of was how pregnant women should not clean the litter box because of toxoplasmosis could affect their fetus. However there is no concern with other folks cleaning the litter box as long as they wash their hands.
So that said, I was wondering if this was more of a precautionary thing with the fetus than anything else.
Maybe, maybe not.
Comment by Carole — May 9, 2007 @ 10:23 pm
For now, I don’t believe anyone knows what may happen. I just don’t care to be a frigging “test” subject for this crap that nearly killed my babies.
Nor do I believe the FDA, USDA or any other agency has the right to subject me to any risk when it has already been established this is not a food product.
The U.S. Constitution says I have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
That would imply that no one has the right to jeoprodize my life which includes my health.
Comment by Kathi — May 9, 2007 @ 10:36 pm
Maybe we need to get hold of the ACLU for our constitutional rights violation by big government agencies that refuse to destroy tainted food and refuse to reveal where this food is.
Comment by Kathi — May 9, 2007 @ 10:39 pm
“Please note that, according to Menu Foods, none of the pet illnesses or deaths reported were related to any of Nutro’s products and that Nutro has received no case reports of illness or death related to this recall. Further, no Nutro dry foods, biscuits, or treats are affected.”
****** righto ******
Comment by Kathi — May 9, 2007 @ 11:05 pm
Uh, Kravis, you forgot to say CANS.
How clever.
Maximus IQous!!!
Comment by Kathi — May 9, 2007 @ 11:08 pm
The AVMA - 1966, suggests that FDA knew what to look for.
Comment by Kathi — May 9, 2007 @ 11:18 pm
Donna, Palomino, others thinking Bush is going to do something about this—he already has.
—He has appointed a “Food Safety Czar” who thinks our food is “probably safe”, at least until we get a spike of unexplained health problems.
—Top FDA commissioner (and Bush political appointee) Andrew C. von Eschenbach could tell his subordinates to reveal the mystery company that bought the contaminated rice protein and the companies selling the contaminated pork, chicken and fish. Hasn’t happened. Instead, the FDA is treating this information as though it is “classified”—too dangerous to reveal to the public it is protecting.
Don’t wait anymore for Mr. Bush to solve this—actions speak louder than words.
As for Bush telling the Chinese Premier we are going to boycott Chinese goods—that won’t happen because:
(1) we’ve outsourced too much manufacturing and agricultural production; the infrastructure is gone. We physically can’t produce all the stuff we consume.
(2) our economy runs on cheap imports made with cheap labor. Source those at home and we’ll have inflation. That is political suicide.
(3) China owns most of the ballooning debt that financed the Iraq war. We’re in no position to tell them what to do; for the first time in decades, it’s now the other way around.
I’m not posting this to start a political feud; I’m hoping people will direct themselves towards useful action instead of wishful thinking. This is not going to make our pets safer. The U.S. is in debt to China and we can’t manufacture what we consume; so talking about “banning Chinese imports” is like talking about solving global warming by putting refrigerator ice cubes in the ocean.
Comment by Lola — May 10, 2007 @ 1:56 am
I’m not particularly worried about the statement about pregnant women not doing inspections. All the documents for melamine relfect inhalation hazards. That said, this is the first time we’ve heard there are contamination rates at the tune of 20%. I noticed when the fish part of the story came out the FDA said in the press conference they’ll have to check the fish samples in their lab for melamine residues. Part of me wants to scream. Obviously they already had fish samples in their labs to check. I feel left out in the cold on one hand, yet understand that they don’t comment on ongoing investigations.
Yet by continuing the mention melamine, they are ignoring the other known compounds found in the samples and what effects they may have. And they repeatedly talk about dilution factors in HUMANS, but I still have no idea if it’s really safe to feed my cats. I’m almost positive that they ferried meat samples over to UC Davis. So I hope if there’s any reporter watching, I want them to ask about the residue levels in MEAT. THAT particular part of the investigation is NOT ongoing.
And I hope someone, somewhere asks the FDA employees on the ground what they feel is needed to get the job done. They’re the people who would know.
Comment by CathyA — May 10, 2007 @ 5:52 am
We don’t have a new FDA Czar - what we have is a new wooden puppet - and I’d like to know who is pulling the strings.
The great wall of China is littered with the rotting flesh of our pets and now even the fish glow melamine and schools of it are swimming ashore in San Francisco.
Don’t buy their crap - not any of it - hit them where it hurts!
Comment by Linda — May 10, 2007 @ 6:00 am
We are so third world and we don’t even know it.
Comment by Cynthia — May 10, 2007 @ 6:39 am
Quote:
If I were President, I would tell Mr. China Ambassador - here’s the story . . . YOU need to set a priority and agree to cooperate with the US government. I don’t want letters of intent, but I will give you my understanding –your country will establish standards and quality control or you will be looking elsewhere for the $2.2 billion check for your agriculture exports.
Do I have any votes?
Comment by Donna — May 9, 2007 @ 7:01 pm
——————End Quote
I would like to re-phrase that :)
If I were the President of the US, I would tell the Chinese Abassador: Something needs to be done, and done quickly. My subjects (the people of the USA) are getting nervous and restless, and due to that (juicy expression) internet they have access to information - sweeping situations like that under the rug is not longer as easy as it was some time ago.
Now the problem is that those subjects, regardless of my excellent spin meisters, are threatening to *not buy* any stuff from China any longer and that now is a problem. People talk, you know. Gossip and internet are the worst enemies of a well-oiled governmental machine.
I don’t have to tell you, Mr. Ambassador-from-China, what it means if only a percentage of those few misguided panicky pet-people refuse to buy ‘China food items’. Even *I* am getting those emails and letters from my subjects *threatening me* to not longer buy anything with the print ‘Made in China’, even my Congress is getting frisky.
So do something, and do it quick. Can’t you throw a few people into jail, and leak that to the media?
——————
What I learned during that 8-weeks-and-counting food scandal is:
Nobody in the Government or BigBusiness gives a [beeeeep] about our pets, about us, our health or anything else. All they care about is profit and power (money), resp.
Therefore: hurt them where they hurt most, in their pockets.
How about a ‘My pet and I paid a high price already’ one day no-buy.
Don’t buy anything: no gas, no food, no nothing. For one day. And let them know about that day.
That will send chills down their spines.
Comment by MaKo — May 10, 2007 @ 9:37 am
mako, you think so? So, I don’t buy gas tomorrow…. I’ll have to buy it eventually…. I don’t buy pet food tomorrow…. I’ll have to buy it eventually…
Comment by lablover — May 11, 2007 @ 8:24 am