The Bark, with lots of bite
By Gina Spadafori
May 19, 2007
Last month I ran into Cameron Woo, publisher of The Bark magazine, at a pet-related charity event. We commiserated over magazine deadlines, and how by the time the next Bark hit the newsracks and mailboxes, all the recalls would be over and this horrid nightmare would be solidly into the “how do we keep this from happening again?” stage.
With the latest recalls just two days ago, it’s pretty clear my assessment last month that we’d be well past this mess by now was wildly optimistic. Who knew?
I got my May-June Bark yesterday. And guess what? The Bark has done a spectacular job of adding to the coverage. A tricky thing that, since for almost all pet publications, food ads are an essential source of revenue. Some pet pubs deal with this by not only working to avoid conflicts with big advertisers in articles, but also by going even farther to make advertisers happy with the editorial content as well.
Rare are the pet pubs, like the Whole Dog Journal, that go ad-free and rely on subscriptions. Most of the others need to balance the pressures of their advertisers against a publication’s responsibility to its readers to be honest in reporting.
The Bark needs its ads, too, and yet it refused to roll over. Good Bark! Good Bark!
The May-June Bark has extended interviews with Dr. Donald Strombeck, the retired University of California, Davis, professor of vet med whose “Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets: the Healthful Alternative
Also, a piece from Dr. Patty Khuly, the rising star of the Pet Connection fave Dolittler blog.
Besides the food recall information, The Bark still manages to offer a lot of other great stories. A profile with Merrill Markoe, whose novel, “Walking in Circles Before Lying Down
All in all, an incredible effort under extreme pressure. And that’s why The Bark is still, hands down, my absolute favorite canine-related publication. Go get a copy, or better yet, subscribe.
***
Here’s an earlier post, on my visit to The Bark offices in Berkeley, Calif. My gosh … more than two years ago! Where does the time go?
***
YouTube critter vids: Finally, completely unrelated … some comic relief with a YouTube video of a tortoise who does not want a cat in his yard. … and this one of a dog being interviewed that’s at least as insightful as some of the human interviews I’ve seen.
Not so funny … a poor-quality video of those three Chihuahua puppies born without their front legs. The person who posted the last video remarks in doing so that the puppies’ plight is due to “overbreading.” So, backyard breeder, a few less bread-crumbs next time, or better yet, some spaying and neutering.
Anyway … it’s not over-breeding (or “breading,” whatever), it’s irresponsible, careless and clueless greed-breeders. All breeders are not like that. OK, lecture over … carry on … must write now.
***
Finally: I think Christie’s curled up in a fetal position somewhere, and I have to finish a book today. So … play nice, don’t post twice, and cough up the citations for everything you claim. Don’t make me come back and post cute kitten pictures, because trust me, I will. Oh yes, I will.
Please forgive the re-posting. I was looking for a relevant recent thread to put this in and picked another thread, and then this thread appears which I actually think is a better “match”, so I’m putting it here, too.
Anyway, in case anyone wants to see an example of the disdain the Pet Food Industry holds us in, go here:
http://www.petfoodindustry-dig.....?u1=friend
find “Pages” and select Page 50 for an Opinion piece by the Editor-in-Chief of “Petfood Industry” magazine.
Here’s an example of the “high esteem” in which she holds us:
“Anyone could read these blog postings and think they all make sense, especially if he or she has limited knowledge of animal nutrition, petfood or the recalls, or has a lot of emotion invested. (That might be an apt description of many pet owners.)”
Ah yes - the “uninformed hysterical pet owner” thing again. But they’re sure happy to take our money, aren’t they? Sigh . . . . . . .
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 19, 2007 @ 7:15 am
OTHER Pat, I agree. I posted about this yesterday in the bee colony thread but it got caught in the spam filter & took awhile to post so some may have missed it.
Comment by Ally — May 18, 2007 @ 11:45 am:
….that make me shake my head and sigh in huge frustration.
Oh Debbie Phillips-Donaldson…..ye of little faith.
Perhaps you need to look in the mirror and consider your “limited knowledge” of pet parents and recall related bloggers? Here’s a newsflash for you: Most of us DO have a modicum of intelligence.
Methinks PFI, FDA, Menu, CN & related types really do not like this amazing tool we now have called the “internet”. I’ll be danged if we aren’t all going to use it. Life can be such a biatch at times Debbie, yanno?
The truth is out there.
We WILL find it.
Donna also has her feedback on this in the bee thread here:
Comment by Donna — May 18, 2007 @ 4:58 pm
(in case you’d like to read her take as well)
I think both Duane & Debbie seriously underestimate all of us “uninformed pet parents”. If we remain strong and unified in our conviction for change, eventually the pet food companies will feel those ramifications in more ways than just financially. The first step for PFI is for Duane to resign. There is absolutely nothing poitive this man can do for this organization or to save their integrity.
Comment by Ally — May 19, 2007 @ 7:43 am
Apologies if this has already been posted but in my early AM not yet enough consumed caffeine state, I haven’t seen this posted here yet.
The AVMA site now has a page up for people wanting to get involved in their NEW AVMA grassroots network. You can sign up at the link on this page:
http://avma.org/advocacy/get_involved/avmacan.asp
This post might get caught in the spam filter due to the link, but it will eventually be freed so am going for it. Any additional action and help on our part cannot hurt.
Comment by Ally — May 19, 2007 @ 7:51 am
Cool - the linked post made it through. :)
Comment by Ally — May 19, 2007 @ 7:52 am
Saturday morning and no friday night recalls. Did they change their tactics?
Love the “limited knowledge of pet nutrtition” comment from above. What I do know now thanks to the PFI, is that mystery veg protiens from China aren’t very healthy, so they spike it with melamine. Which was extremely unhealthy for an alledged 18,000 american pets that are either gravely ill or dead.
The trust the PFI as been shattered in the eyes of the public, even if it’s the few screaming from the roof top of the interent. Our voices are being heard.
“Read these blog postings and think they all make sense.” If your are so informed, I think all of us using these blogs would love to hear this information you have withheld for the last 9 weeeks. I believe we have repeatedly asked the PFI to come clean with the events that have altered your customers lifes so dramatically. Your silence to this animal cruelety speaks loudly. Our pets were poisoned, by the food you made and sold to us. How could a human being not have an emotional investment through watching anything die from being poisoned? So quickly.
I admit I was totally ignornant to recalls, I had no idea a company would withhold recalling product they even suspected was deadly to it’s clients. Knowing this one fact has changed much in my little world here. Hopefully it will change the laws of the world at large, least here in my own counrty and anything coming into it.
Next FDA media farce I would love to hear this question:
We have not had an update on the numbers of reported complaints to the FDA in the last couple weeks. Does the 18,000 still stand or has it grown?
Comment by Maudigan — May 19, 2007 @ 8:05 am
“I admit I was totally ignornant to recalls, I had no idea a company would withhold recalling product they even suspected was deadly to it’s clients. Knowing this one fact has changed much in my little world here. Hopefully it will change the laws of the world at large, least here in my own counrty and anything coming into it.”(Maudigan)
There would be a better chance of getting the laws changed if the population at large had the *luxury*(very tongue in cheek!) of having the knowledge from blogs like this one at their finger tips.
But that would mean,of course,that the media would have to be able to report the *facts*.
I wish there were a way to run front-page info ads in every paper ,whenever necessary,to translate FDAspeak/spin-speak /recall info into useful language so that people would know what is REALLY going on.
Never turn our back on the masses,someone once said.
Comment by Lorna — May 19, 2007 @ 8:44 am
Comment by Lorna — May 19, 2007 @ 8:44 am
“I wish there were a way to run front-page info ads in every paper ,whenever necessary,to translate FDAspeak/spin-speak /recall info into useful language so that people would know what is REALLY going on.”
Lorna, if only that were possible. It sure could help save more pet’s lives, couldn’t it? *sigh*
I was just perusing an L.A. Times editorial piece that pretty much called out the current FDA lack of being able to handle the scope of this situation:
“The regulations that govern food safety are woefully out of date, written before the U.S. imported much of its food and before the advent of processed tasties made of mysterious stuff like “wheat gluten.” In the early 20th century, a Food and Drug Administration inspector could look at a bushel of apples and tell by sight if they were rotten or diseased. An inspector today would be hard-pressed to look at a pile of kibble and tell much of anything.”
“The FDA, which bears 80% of the food safety burden, accounts for just 24% of food safety expenditures. It has no power to require recalls (that’s up to industry) and has little ability to track recalls already in progress.”
“The Safe Food Act would create a single agency that, unlike the FDA, could concentrate solely on food safety — standardizing inspection and recall standards across all food types and markets, more aggressively screening imports and so on. It’s a welcome acknowledgement that food safety needs to adapt to the 21st century.”
That last paragraph perfectly encapsulates what I’ve been posting for several weeks. We need a separate agency to concentrate “soley on food safety”. The FDA is overloaded and the USDA has plenty of it’s own inspections keeping it busy. IMO, by creating a separate agency, without all the added responsibility of drug regulation, et al, they can better focus on the task at hand: ensuring our food is SAFE. Is that really so complicated an issue to grasp?
Comment by Ally — May 19, 2007 @ 8:59 am
Forgot to add the link to today’s L.A. Times editorial:
http://www.latimes.com/news/pr.....-a_section
Comment by Ally — May 19, 2007 @ 9:00 am
My Vet had a new kidney failure patient last night. I didn’t get to ask which food. He was busy but wanted to take a second to let me know there was another poisoning case, just like ours.
Last Night!
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 19, 2007 @ 9:24 am
My aunt just sent me this. It may be a bit long, but I think we could all use a little humor ;)
Subject: Help Wanted
The insurance firm put a sign in the window saying “HELP WANTED. You must be a good typist and have good computer skills. Successful
applicant must be bilingual. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.”
A short time later a lovely golden retriever dog trotted up to the window, saw the sign and went inside. He looked at the receptionist and
wagged his tail, then walked over to the sign, looked at it, whined and pawed the air.
The receptionist called the office manager. He was surprised to say the least to see a canine applicant. However, the dog looked determined so he led him into the office. Inside, the dog jumped up on a chair and stared at the manager expectantly.
The manager said, “I can’t hire you. The sign says you must be able to type.”
The dog jumped down, went to the typewriter and proceeded to quickly type a perfect business letter. He took out the page with his mouth and trotted over to the manager, gave it to him, then jumped back up on the chair wagging his tail.
The manager was stunned, but told the dog “That was fantastic, but I’m sorry. The sign clearly says that whomever I hire must have computer skills.”
The dog jumped down again, went to the computer and proceeded to demonstrate his expertise with various programs. He produced a sample Excel spreadsheet, a sample Power Point presentation, retouched a picture with Photo shop, and then printed all of them out for the
manager.
The manager was dumbfounded. He said to the dog, “Listen, I realize that you are a very intelligent applicant and have fantastic talent, but you’re a dog! There’s no WAY I can hire you!”
The dog jumped down and went to the sign in the window and pointed his paw at the words, “Equal Opportunity Employer.”
The exasperated manager said, “Yes, I know what the sign says. But the sign also says you have to be bilingual.”
…The dog looked him straight in the eye…
and enthusiastically said… “Meow!!!”
Comment by Kat — May 19, 2007 @ 9:28 am
Thank you Kat, that was perfect. Today’s word, “Meow.” *is having a PeeWee Herman flash back moment* Which filled many a saturdays when my girls were little.
Comment by Maudigan — May 19, 2007 @ 9:44 am
“Never turn our back on the masses..”..can’t type.
Of course that is YOUR back,never turn your back on the masses.
Lorna
Comment by Lorna — May 19, 2007 @ 9:53 am
But what if I WANT more cute kitten pictures? Should I misbehave?
I can’t believe I’m considering buying a d-o-g magazine for those interviews. I’d have to hide it in a plain brown wrapper so the tribe doesn’t see it. ;)
Comment by Katherine — May 19, 2007 @ 10:06 am
Comment by Katherine — May 19, 2007 @ 10:06 am
It begins innocently enough with a d-o-g magazine.
Suddenly a few stuffed animals surrepticiously show up…..along with a leash, collar…..and perhaps a d-o-g treat or two. Then come the baby gates to keep the d-o-g-s from da kitties and before you know it, the peace in your house is forever changed by the ever loving padding of canine paws following you around…..;-)
Comment by Ally — May 19, 2007 @ 10:32 am
Just when I thought Perdue was safer because it wasn’t ChickaMine, This…..
“Perdue plant shut down after inspection”
Sat, May. 19, 2007
“CROMWELL, Ky. —
Work was suspended after an inspection at a western Kentucky chicken processing facility that prepared chicken served to Queen Elizabeth II recently, officials said.
The suspension happened after a U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection raised an unspecified concern at Perdue Farms’ plant in Cromwell, in Ohio County midway between Owensboro and Bowling Green, the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer reported.
The plant was allowed to temporarily resume production Thursday night to process chickens remaining in the plant but had to shut down once the job was finished, the newspaper reported.
“To not have processed those birds would have been a poultry welfare issue,” said Julie DeYoung, vice president for corporate communications in Perdue’s headquarters in Salisbury, Md.
Amanda Eamich, a spokeswoman for the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service, said an inspector in the plant “did raise a concern about (the facility’s) ability to consistently produce a safe and wholesome product.”
Perdue was given 72 hours to submit a plan to address the concern.
“They submitted their plan, which wasn’t entirely sufficient, and that’s when the suspension was (ordered),” Eamich said. Eamich said she did not have specifics of the problem.
The company said it hoped to resume processing chickens at the plant Sunday or Monday.
The plant, which opened in 1995, recently provided specialty cut chicken breasts for a meal served to Queen Elizabeth II in Louisville, where she attended the Kentucky Derby, the newspaper reported.
The company employs about 1,250 workers. In 2006, the plant processed 50 million live chickens into 255 million pounds of fresh meat.”
http://www.kentucky.com/471/story/73917.html
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 10:52 am
I wonder if all the problems MS users are having posting some comments are in any way related to the programming MS has in China to prohibit some information flow. I think Google did the same. Probably not, but it made me think considering I don’t know much about programming.
Ms.Clara is already grown and is pretty! We want more Clara photos!!!
Comment by rose l — May 19, 2007 @ 11:00 am
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 10:52 am
That’s IT
*arms high*
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 11:03 am
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 10:52 am
AWESOME find Aunt Granny! I just sent spocko a link to your post as I have a feeling he’ll be mighty interested! ;)
Comment by Ally — May 19, 2007 @ 11:09 am
Good grief, Aunt Granny!
Wonder if she got sick here????
That’s scary!!!
Comment by Kat — May 19, 2007 @ 11:13 am
“To not have processed those birds would have been a poultry welfare issue,” said Julie DeYoung, vice president for corporate communications in Perdue’s headquarters in Salisbury, Md.
Would this be because of they way they’ve modified the traits of chickens to be larger breasted? It seems another article/comment a not too long ago mentioned something similar about the poultry and need to process regarding the birds comfort. I had thought it may have been due to hormones and rapid growth, but Perdue doesn’t use them . . .
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 11:15 am
What gets me is that they didn’t say what was really wrong at the plant, it was kinda vague and left me with my imagination to run wild…
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 11:20 am
And this good article:
“Our cats’ and dogs’ health could have been compromised long before tainted pet food was recalled.”
“Overnight, commercial pet foods turned from safe to suspect. But how safe have pet foods been all along, or at least since some ingredients have been imported from China?
Beginning in March, Menu Foods announced the recall of nearly 100 brands of pet food. Since then, about twice that many brands total have been recalled by Menu Foods and other manufacturers. No one knows how many pets were sickened or died after eating tainted pet food.
Scientists think melamine imported from China (used in fertilizers in Asia), combined with elements such as cyanuric acid (used in the chlorination process for swimming pools), was used as filler in wheat gluten (or with wheat flour) or rice protein in the tainted food.
According to Richard Goldstein, internal medicine specialist and assistant professor of Small Animal Medicine at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, it was this combination that caused the unique crystals that formed in the urine of some pets that ate the tainted food, causing acute kidney failure syndrome.
At a recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration news conference, David Acheson, assistant commissioner for food protection for the FDA, said melamine was seen in pet food samples as far back as early 2006. Before that, he said no one knows, or will likely ever know, whether melamine was present in pet foods.
So, is it possible that our pets’ health (cats in particular since they seem to be more prone to kidney problems) was compromised for some time before the initial recall in a way that remains a mystery to veterinary medicine?”
The rest of it here:
http://www.kansas.com/living/pets/story/73942.html
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 11:23 am
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 11:20 am
seriously hope whatever it is, it isn’t the reason why they needed to finish processing them . . .
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 11:24 am
very vague.. tight-lipped. Bet it’s e. coli.
Comment by Kat — May 19, 2007 @ 11:25 am
There are some things I just don’t want to know, yet deep down I know I need to know. That is what this recall has done to me & I doubt I’ll ever be the same.
Don’t get me wrong. I do want to know whatever I need to keep my pets safe. But that doesn’t mean I’ll enjoy reading every gory, gruesome detail about things I never thought I’d need to learn in order to protect those I love.
Comment by Ally — May 19, 2007 @ 11:27 am
As I’ve been by chicken processing plants, I’ve not see facilities for housing the chickens. They seem to be taken straight from those short transport crates where they really can’t stand up and trample all over each other, right in for processing. I should think that was the “welfare issue” in not keeping them in that state…
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 11:28 am
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 11:24 am
The thought came to mind that perhaps it had something to do with very harmful bacteria being on hand if they didn’t complete processing? I’m probably way off base, but these days anything’s possible.
Comment by Ally — May 19, 2007 @ 11:29 am
Wonder how the Queen is doing. WOW. If Purdue were to make her sick, that would be something else. That would be something. WOW. Purdue really messed up. I was really starting to trust what they said. Their spin doctors are GOOD, hm…
Maryland location was mentioned in that article. We did have inspectors here at an ‘unnamed’ plant in Maryland during all the drama -
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 11:29 am
Granny - aw, ok. I didn’t know if whether or not the chickens had begun processing (were already de-feathered, de-skinned, whatever) and needed to be completed for health hazard reasons. Nevermind.
Comment by Ally — May 19, 2007 @ 11:30 am
Company News
From their website:
What Does Perdue Feed its Chickens?
May 7, 2007
We feed our birds the finest natural grain products, including yellow corn, soybean meal, marigolds, vitamins and mineral supplements. Our company nutritionists develop all of our feed formulations, we have standardized quality control procedures for all of our ingredients and finished feeds, and have full time feed quality control associates in each of our feed mills.
Regarding recent news stories about melamine in poultry feed, we have not been notified by USDA that any of our chickens or turkeys are involved in the current hold on birds on farms, and have no reason to think they would be.
Our customers and consumers should have complete confidence in the safety of PERDUE® products that are in stores or in your home. Food safety is a top priority of ours, and the standards by which our products are produced actually exceed government standards.
Comment by Kat — May 19, 2007 @ 11:30 am
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 11:28 am
ok, that makes sense. i was thinking of the farm not plant when i was reading that. forgot they weren’t in the same spot, lol!~. i’ll have to dig around and see if i can find the earlier ref.
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 11:34 am
My guess is Avian flu…
Comment by Kat — May 19, 2007 @ 11:37 am
There’s another good article I found. It’s up at 11:23, was long and had URL and probably got caught in spam filter:
“Our cats’ and dogs’ health could have been compromised long before tainted pet food was recalled.”
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 11:41 am
If this is a maryland plant - I can drive there if it would make sense to do it. See what there is to see/hear. I didn’t go back and look at the article just posted but I believe it said Salisbury. Couple hours maybe, not much.
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 11:46 am
Work was suspended after an inspection at a western Kentucky chicken processing facility that prepared chicken served to Queen Elizabeth II recently, officials said.
The suspension happened after a U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection raised an unspecified concern at Perdue Farms’ plant in Cromwell, in Ohio County midway between Owensboro and Bowling Green, the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer reported.”
wish it was in Maryland, would love to hear what you could find out . . .
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 11:51 am
Aunt Granny … please post JUST ONCE. I released that comment from the spam filters already.
Be nice, and don’t post twice. We see all the posts, and if yours gets caught, we’ll release it.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — May 19, 2007 @ 11:53 am
Perdue HQ is in Maryland. The Plant in question is in Kentucky.
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 11:56 am
Thanks Auntie.
That drive is uhhh…a tad longer :)
Anyone out in the Bluegrass wanna get nosey and do a little outdoors activity w/ the dog? That was my thought. Had it been in MD. Still sleuth but go outside and take my dog with me. He’s tired of snoozing on my hip as he is right now as I hoard data from the internet….that’s who I worry for most right now is my dog. I feel like I can’t stop researching because this affects him and I should stop for the same reason; he doesn’t understand, though I’ve told him…
ok, no more babbbbbeling.
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 12:00 pm
re: Comment by Ally — May 19, 2007 @ 10:32 am
NoooOOOOOOOOOooooooooo!!!
Uh oh. I better go. The tribe already knows how to spell words like “t-r-e-a-t” and “f-o-o-d,” and they’re giving my laptop this really suspicious look… ;)
(P.S. LOL!)
Comment by Katherine — May 19, 2007 @ 12:01 pm
Sorry Gina,
Oops… I thought I only posted it once, then only referred to it when it made the thread.
When I refresh my browser it stops at the bottom of the page where I left off and I don’t have to start again at the top and find where I left off. I kinda figured they all did that….
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 12:01 pm
more on the plant closing. sounds like code violations
http://www.wbko.com/home/headlines/7566117.html
interesting info:
http://www.factoryfarming.com/Rapsheets/perdue.pdf
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 12:11 pm
Comment by Katherine — May 19, 2007 @ 12:01 pm
ROTF at your response!!!
Although initially, your reply gave me such a heart attack I had to scroll back up to see what you were reacting to. Cripes woman. Be still my pounding heart.
Katherine, just wait. D-o-g-s can spell too. Try taking up a local mime class. Comes in handy when other human units are around and you need to communicate around the fur critters.
Watch out for that canine stuffed animal that’s sneaking up behind you. ;-D
Comment by Ally — May 19, 2007 @ 12:14 pm
eep!
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/c.....es0700.htm
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 12:14 pm
“Poultry giant Perdue Farms, Inc., for example, is boosting its investment in China with a joint venture for a processing plant and hatchery near Shanghai. Pork giant Smithfield Foods repeatedly tried to produce pork in North Carolina for export to Europe. Trade restrictions arose continually, and Smithfield opted to buy companies that process and sell pork in France and Poland. Smithfield has gone from owning no foreign subsidiary companies in 1993, to owning and controlling companies in Canada, France, Mexico, Brazil, and Poland in 2000.”
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 12:18 pm
US meat companies are welcome to do whatever they want overseas. If they want my $ it will need to be produced in the USA/Canada.
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 12:18 pm
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @
i agree, but unless we have COOL . . .
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 12:27 pm
I hope we get “COOL” ASAP, and we would have had it long before now if big business hadn’t been able to delay it.
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
Maybe what the FDA-USDA really need is a reminder. Not a reminder of who they used to work for before they went to the agency, OR who they hope to work for when they leave…
Who they work for NOW!
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 12:33 pm
Aunt Granny’s post Re:Perdue chickens
“The company employs about 1,250 workers. In 2006, the plant processed 50 million live chickens into 255 million pounds of fresh meat.”
Wuh!Five pounds of fresh meat per bird??!!Must be the marigolds!
Lorna
Comment by Lorna — May 19, 2007 @ 12:34 pm
it’s pretty interesting reading old news these days. i have whole new set of eyes to read with!
http://www.electricarrow.com/CARP/agbiz/80.htm
i’m going to heavy encourage my state to enact COOL. but it until it happens, i plan to KNOW my ranchers/farmers that i am purchasing from. by the time anyone gets around to putting it in action, i’ll prob not notice ;)
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 12:34 pm
Lorna, I read an article somewhere (sorry - this was a couple weeks or so ago - no way can I remember it for a link) that made a very interesting point. Namely, that with advances in meat processing technology, they’re able to get more useable meat off of any given animal than they used to. (I’m guessing they’re using some sort of computer-driven robot arm for the carving that can follow the line of the bone more closely than a human being could or something along those iines.)
Consequently, the post-processed skeletons that get passed along to the petfood industry for inclusion in pet foods no longer have as much meat clinging to them as they used to. Which means that to meet the protein %-age requirements, the pet food manufacturers have had to look for some OTHER protein source to fill the gap.
Buy actual MEAT to add? Are you kidding??? That would cost MONEY!!!!
Especially when there’s this really inexpensive high-protein wheat gluten you can get from China to do the job instead . . . . . . .
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 19, 2007 @ 12:52 pm
NEED A BEST FRIEND WITH A TAIL AND FOUR LEGS? Pedigree Sponsoring ‘Adopt a Dog’ Campaign
By Tony Rutherford
Huntington News Network Writer
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Pet food manufacturers have taken a significant hit when the massive recall of foods occurred. Now, one company that did not have any items recalled wants to assist in helping individuals rescue a few good mutts from the pounds, humane societies and rescue services throughout the country.
Pedigree raised $750,000 in shelter donations, too, in 2006 which went to feed and care for homeless canines. This time their goal is a cool one million.
Their Adoption Drive features a page for “finding the right dog for you” then offers advice on caring for the animal.
Other ways to help beautiful and lonely dogs in shelters is to donate food – Pedigree —- and the company will match it! Or, if you find a dog you adopt, they will give you a month’s supply of kibble!
For more info and to participate visit: http://www.pedigree.com/dogado.....xj=0150000
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 1:00 pm
In partnership with Confucius Institute at Purdue, Purdue University China Center serve as the expert authority on China for Purdue University, providing value-added information and expertise on Chinese culture, language, tourism, and scientific and business environments to academic programs, research project teams, and Indiana and Midwest businesses and communities.
http://www.purdue.edu/china/
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 1:06 pm
Listeria - I wonder if it’s Listeria @ Purdue. That would be awful. That’s going around now, too. (recalls for that reason) That’s serious.
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 1:11 pm
“U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection raised an unspecified concern”
I have a feeling that what happened at the Perdue plant was more proceedural than any sort of disease/contamination, since USDA wanted “a plan”. For diseases/contamination they would have had a hard stop, testing and possible recall.
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 1:18 pm
“possible recall.” ?! lol!~ you’ve got to be kidding! right?!
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 1:22 pm
ONLY *IF* the plant was shut closed for disease/contamination would there be a recall. From reading that it was “an unspecified concern”, I’m thinking it was more of a “pi$$ing contest” between the USDA and the plant over proceedure, since the USDA gave them 72 hours to come up with “a plan” that USDA approved of…
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 1:31 pm
ComeON now!
http://archives.foodsafety.ksu.....sept_4.htm
Grass fed doesn’t mean grass fed.
Never knew that. We’ve been fooled there, too.
Not even meat from our local sources is safe. not even grass fed.
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 1:32 pm
http://www.kyagr.com/pr/news_e.....dustry.htm
Purdue contracts out their chicken raising. it’s mentioned in this article.
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 1:37 pm
From reading the article on “grass fed” and the way “forage” was defined looked pretty good to me:
“So officials provided leeway by proposing that only 99 percent, rather than 100 percent, of a cow’s diet come from grass forage, and by defining forage more broadly to include things like leftover corn stalks from harvest and silage, which is fermented grasses and legumes.”
Somebody with more knowledge than the little I have could clarify this for us.
As I recall from family that raised “grass fed beef”, hay that had to be fed in the winter when the pastures died back didn’t have as much nutrition as green pasture grass. They would grow sorghum and soy, grind it up for “silage” and use it to suppliment the hay in the winter.
I do recall that the cattle loved the silage. It would ferment and they would get a bit “tipsy” and sure would follow that tractor around for more…
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 1:45 pm
It’s not good to me. If it’s grass fed, in my mind, it’s not eating the garbage that I’m trying to avoid by purchasing grass fed. However, that’s not the case it seems. To some extent, they do get food from other sources towards the final months of their life span to “fatten them up”.
Free range chickens - the innocent public such as myself I see these little guys as running round, fending for themselves without the processed garbage. (read - melamine free here). but nope, gotta fatten them up towards the end of their life -
those last few months of their lives plays a big role in what is in that animal that we’re gonna eat. If any of their ‘new food’ has issues, we’ll eat it. But we’ll be buying it at times like these - grass feed - free range - that’s what we’re looking for right now to stay safe, but in actuallity, it’s not really
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 1:58 pm
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 1:58 pm
regarding free range poultry, when i see it in the store, it is quite a bit smaller piece wise than say Perdue and Generic chicken, and Perdue is somewhat smaller than the Generic. One reason I feed the pets Perdue was that it was Hormone free yet still had some meat on it and I could get it on sale often . . .
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 2:08 pm
I think trying to define the terminology: “grass fed”, “free range”, “organic”, make it very difficult and they’ve tried to, and need to continue, to develop standards so we consumers know what we’re really buying.
The people in my family who raised “Grass fed beef” didn’t “fatten them up” on anything. They grazed the pastures, had hay and silage in the winter and in the fall they got (and loved) the apples and pears that were to bruised, so misshapen that it wasn’t worth the effort to try and peel them or that the birds had pecked on too much.
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 2:09 pm
that should say fed the pets, not feed the pets!!
they are now on bulk free range meats.
thanks for the info on grass fed! Now I have another question I can ask the ranchers! lol!~
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 2:10 pm
http://www.fedspending.org/fpd.....;submit=GO
This is a very cool site. Set your own specs
also, what’s Purdue receiving a bunch of $$ for soybean processing for. wonder what kind of soybeans. hm. wonder if they might be the roundup ready kind. have to search that too…
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 2:10 pm
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 2:09 pm
Yea - that’s how I imagine it too. Farming is in my family, but that part of my family isn’t local to me unfortunately. They have free range and grass feed and they don’t do this ‘fattenin up’ thing either.
I imagine if they weigh more they are worth more - hm?
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 2:13 pm
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 2:09 pm
from what i have seen researching sources here in NY, you can get grass fed/grain finished or grass fed/finished.
you can not use organic on the label/advertising if it isn’t. some of the produce farms i was looking at were not quite to certified soil stats yet, but were working towards it (time etc. others were sharing/renting land for certified labeling until theirs was ready. there seemed to be a lot of transparency in how operations were run for both meat and produce. and quite a few decent choices for me!
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 2:16 pm
You know, what the pet food industry seems to keep forgetting (when they insult us, withhold vital information from us, let us down, and just plain ol’ make us mad), is that we are consumers…and as such, we have the money that they need to keep in business.
If we withhold our money, they are no more.
Think about it…
Comment by Marcy — May 19, 2007 @ 2:16 pm
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 2:10 pm
#
they went around that question when i asked early on in the recall before the feed contamination issue came up. “all natural ingredient diet” is what they said. well, yes, corn IS a natural ingredient, but is theirs?!
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 2:18 pm
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 1:45 pm
In Texas,at least south central, we put on Rye in Oct/Nov. Grows green all winter into spring. Plus, oats.
Comment by Kat — May 19, 2007 @ 2:22 pm
All sorts of violations at various Perdue plants, according to these folks:
http://www.farmsanctuary.org/m.....perdue.pdf
Comment by Kat — May 19, 2007 @ 2:23 pm
I think Perdue is good chicken. I always get Perdue or Sanderson Farms.
Chickens that are “free range”, a term that seems to have broad meaning, get to move around a lot more and have more room per bird. They actually get to burn off some of the food they take in and I should think that would cause them to be leaner, smaller and not as tender as a chicken the same age kept in a big house with no room to do anything but eat and grow along with 14,000 of their closest friends.
As with grass fed beef that only graze the pastures and eat silage, when compared to the ones who are fattened up on grains the last few months, the grass fed are a bit smaller and the meat is much leaner. Most people want tender beef and you don’t get that with grass fed, it’s lean. I love grass fed beef. Though it takes more chewing, the lack of tenderness is more than made up for in flavor.
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 2:25 pm
University of Guelph - that’s the Univ. the gov was using for the tests, right?
I just used the site I gave above and pulled up the contracts Univ. of Guelph has. They have a bunch with the government.
University of Goof seems to fit here, just as another poster here named them!
http://www.fedspending.org/fpd.....;submit=GO
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 2:27 pm
I have a feeling it’s probably a sanitary thing. I remember not too long ago another chicken place was shut down because of…..gross gross….chickens falling on the floor into blood & put right back up on the assembly line without being rinsed off. Sort of makes you not want to eat chicken, melachicken or not. Maybe it was Perdue…..trying to remember what company it was. Having a senior moment & can’t remember.
After all the reading I’ve done, my brain is on overload or perhaps tilt, not sure which. It’s amazing I can retain anything these days…..
Maybe alcohol will clear the fog…….oh Ally, where are you?
Comment by JanC — May 19, 2007 @ 2:30 pm
MaKO wrote a little essay on the bee thread that I really think should be required reading. Lots of depths and “truths” there when you really stop to think about it as you read what she wrote. Here it is again:
http://www.petconnection.com/b.....ny-deaths/
“Imagine: US consumers are really changing their buying/spending habits and boycott wares from China, and *demand* that China is adhering to our standards and protocols of producing (which are obviously stated in those ‘trade agreements).
That would mean that Chinese wares would become more expensive - probably about as expensive as domestically produced. No more ‘cheap way out’ for bibu (big business).
That also would mean, that domestic farmers would have a real chance to sell without being outbid by Chinese produce.
Meaning, our farmers and ranchers would have a chance for survival, *even and especially the ’smaller, non-commericalized’ niche farmers/ranchers.
Raised consumer conscience and care could actually spell good, clean domestic products, and a decent living for those who provide good products domestically.
Ok, that is too easy. That makes sense. Therefore, it can’t be and has a logical weaving error.”
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 19, 2007 @ 2:33 pm
Reading the link posted by Kat…
at the bottom it speaks of arsenic in chicken…found in both Purdue and Foster Farms chicken! ugh….
Comment by Marcy — May 19, 2007 @ 2:35 pm
A little arsenic with your chicken, lovely, just lovely!
And here we cut the seeds out of the apples so the kids (feathered and 2 legged) won’t eat them and get the natural arsenic, and you get some anyway in the chicken!
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 2:52 pm
The term “Free Range” is not always what you think.
http://www.api4animals.org/art.....amp;more=1
Comment by newlurker — May 19, 2007 @ 2:58 pm
Sorry, old Granny’s brain glitched!
Apples have cyanide in them, not arsenic.
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 3:00 pm
Sorry, it’s the apple seeds, not the apple.
I must need somebody to pass me the bottle…
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 3:01 pm
Aunt Granny:
You seem to have the same brain fog I do….I’ve been looking for Ally & the tequila. She ran away & took that bottle with her…..I’ll find her & then she’ll have to share with us…..
Comment by JanC — May 19, 2007 @ 3:09 pm
JanC,
Sounds like a winning idea!
I think all this reading and trying to remember stuff from the past has made the hamster fall off the wheel. He doesn’t dust himself off and jump back on and run as quickly as he used to…
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 3:13 pm
Oh boy. Who brought up caged free vs free range vs whatnot? I had to go and do some sleuthing. I really wish I hadn’t. The images of what turned up really weren’t pretty. Don’t even get me started on the de-beaked chickens. Nope, don’t want to go there.
*passes the bottle to JanC, Granny and whoever else is interested*
I’m drying out for a spate & taking the dogs for a jaunt to enjoy some stellar sunshine. Gee, what a concept? Step away from the computer, breathe and rejoin the real world. Have fun gang and don’t forget to enjoy some quality time with your fur kids!
Comment by Ally — May 19, 2007 @ 3:20 pm
Well, Well… FDA telling PFI about their responsibilities. POSSIBLE FDA Testing. Right. Slim possibility, crisis over, back to business as usual!
“FDA Center For Veterinary Medicine Letter To Feed And Feed Ingredient Manufacturers”
“Dear Feed and Feed Ingredient Manufacturers:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is taking this opportunity to remind feed and feed ingredient manufacturers of their legal responsibility to ensure that every ingredient used in their products is safe for its intended use, whether the product is meant to be used to feed animals intended for human consumption or non-food animals such as pets.
Manufacturers are responsible for taking their own measures to ensure the safety of their products. Manufacturers should not wait for possible FDA testing of their materials as manufacturers bear the responsibility of ensuring only safe products are put on the market.”
The whole letter is here:
http://www.fda.gov/cvm/Feedmanufacturers.htm
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 3:29 pm
http://www.wbko.com/home/headlines/7566117.html
More on the Perdue closure - some new stuff
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 3:30 pm
I can’t tell if this is new. Has ongoing with a date of 4-2-07. This is waaaaaaay down at the bottom of the newest RECALL LIST. Baby pig supplement waaaaaaaay down at the bottom:
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/.....01004.html
RECALLS AND FIELD CORRECTIONS: VETERINARY MEDICINE - CLASS I
___________________________________
PRODUCT
Beef Pizzle dog chew. Label includes ”American Bullie A.B. Dog Chew Medium Made from All American Beef Pizzle. Distributed by T.W. Enterprises Inc., Ferndale, WA 98248” where all sizes are included. The firm manufactures the following products/sizes: 6 inch/dog chew Medium; 10 inch/dog chew large; 13 inch/dog chew XL; 16 inch/dog chew mega; 26 inch/dog chew jumbo; 3-4 inch/puppy chew and 4-6 inch/puppy chew. Each chew is individually heat shrink wrapped in clear polypropelene plastic with multicolored label. Recall # V-032-2007
CODE
Product contains no manufacturing or lot codes.
RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER
T.W. Enterprises, INC, Ferndale, WA, by telephone on April 2, 2007 and follow up letter on April 10, 2007. Firm initiated recall is ongoing.
REASON
Product contaminated with Salmonella.
VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE
12,463 units
DISTRIBUTION
CA, WA, PA, IL, and OR
Comment by Kat — May 19, 2007 @ 3:32 pm
Plus, more peanut butter topping recalled at the top. Has Sonic named too.
Comment by Kat — May 19, 2007 @ 3:33 pm
Yep. Looks like it was a “pi$$ing contest” over procedure and paperwork. If there’s anything the govt loves, it’s paperwork, they’ll sort it out and be back in production very soon.
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 3:36 pm
“Have fun gang and don’t forget to enjoy some quality time with your fur kids!”
BAH! it’s raining and the Yanks are losing AGAIN. sigh, think i’ll putz around the kitchen . . .
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 3:37 pm
Comment by Kat — May 19, 2007 @ 3:32 pm
Kat -
It’s not new, but I’ve been watching out for it on the shelves to avoid it, since I do use Bully’s as a treat. The recall for them came amongst the melarecalls, kinda blended in with them
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 3:38 pm
Comment by Kat — May 19, 2007 @ 3:32 pm
i hate to say this, but too bad it wasn’t a larger recall. i can see the headlines now. lol!~ “mommy, what’s All American Beef Pizzle?”
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 3:40 pm
That recall has been reported … here, itchmo, howl911, Pet Food Tracker and The Pet Food List.
But it’s surely news to some people, right?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — May 19, 2007 @ 3:40 pm
Thanks Ally
*passes the bottle to JanC, Granny and whoever else is interested*
Just in time!!!
I think we’re starting to get stuff on Saturday afternoon now instead of Friday afternoon/night. Next thing you know they’ll create an 8th day of the week that only they can use. Maybe call it *Spin Day*.
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 3:42 pm
I guess this group of dairy farmers don’t get the fact that some people don’t want to consume FrankenFood. I’ve read some recent articles where dairy groups that use the growth hormones were trying to get the FDA to *Force* those who don’t use the hormones to stop putting *Hormone Free* on their lables…
“Idaho dairymen oppose rBST labeling trend”
“Idaho dairy farmers don’t want anyone telling them they can’t use government-approved tools such as recombinant bovine somatotropin.
They’re also troubled that some processors have started labeling their products as rBST-free even though the artificial bovine growth hormone has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.”
Whole article:
http://tinyurl.com/22egqx
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 4:13 pm
I am getting ready to watch CNN about poisoned food (8:00 ET) which starts earlier where I am.
CNN reported that 4 states have taken catfish off the shelves that came from China because of tremendous amount of antibiotics found. They are banned from Mississippi, Alabama, and two other states. The states say they cannot wait for the federal government to act. Also, the waters in China are very polluted from industrial and human wastes, which is the reason for the overdose of antibiotics.
We get a lot of fish from China, the report goes on to say.
Ye gads, what do my furbabies eat?
Thankful for this blogging site, have learned a tremendous amount and have also been comforted, too.
Comment by Evelyn — May 19, 2007 @ 4:13 pm
I just spent $130 at the grocery store for all organic and locally grown food and I feel great about it. It’s probably at least twice as expensive, but now I’m eating as good as my cats!!!!!
Comment by Chelsea — May 19, 2007 @ 4:22 pm
** Don’t Forget **
In less than 30 minutes the program on CNN 8 ET/5 PT.
CNN Special Investigations Unit: Danger! Poisoned Food: Do you know what you’re really eating? Dr. Sanjay Gupta uncovers the truth about how tainted the food entering the U.S. food supply REALLY is.
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 4:32 pm
Granny & all -
Here is a link to the report and some video, articles to what will be covered tonight too. Will also be on tomorrow night, same time.
(I don’t have cable so I look for it on the net when you guys post the cable tips:)!)
http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/siu/
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 4:51 pm
http://www.opensecrets.org/ind.....mp;ind=A05
Poultry people do a lot of donating to the politicians.
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 5:06 pm
http://www.opensecrets.org/ind.....mp;ind=A05
Need to resend - had my ISP blocked - sorry!!! (gov surfing)
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 5:08 pm
Comment by Chelsea — May 19, 2007 @ 4:22 pm
it’s more expensive, but it sure does feel good. i just bought the Kitchen Aid Ice Cream Maker attachment. I’ll be using farm fresh eggs when i make my ice cream!
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 5:14 pm
Link to Corn GLuten meal research - development of it’s fertilizer and weed control properties
http://tinyurl.com/kuznf
Comment by Linda — May 19, 2007 @ 5:37 pm
I knew TW Enterprises looked familiar. Wonder why it’s listed in this weeks RECALL List?? Just an update that it’s still ongoing & a friendly reminder?
One thing that REALLY bugs me is how old the blood/components recalls are. There always are a bunch of recalled blood, ie: HIV, hepatitis, needle users, visits to certain foreign countries. According to the South TX Blood Bank:
Donated red blood cells must be used within 42 days.
Some of these blood recalls are pretty old. Did people receive the blood/components before the recall then?
Comment by Kat — May 19, 2007 @ 5:51 pm
I spent the morning at the river with two of my dogs and then took the pups a favorite park in mid-town. Boy did we have fun. Nothing like fresh air and happy tails to clean out the gluten cobwebs.
Comment by Linda — May 19, 2007 @ 5:51 pm
Thanks for the tip on CNN - time for the news to confirm what we already knew guys.
Comment by Linda — May 19, 2007 @ 5:53 pm
Here’s Dr. Sanjay Grupta’s webpage about Poisoned Foods. It’s on tomorrow nite too, 8 PM ET
http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Program.....index.html
Comment by Kat — May 19, 2007 @ 6:03 pm
Kat -
maybe there was a change of somekind to the recall? I know it’s been on the FDA site quite a while now, that’s where I saw it for the first time - it was buried in amongst that blood stuff you’re looking at when I ran across it another time, too.
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 6:05 pm
Glug glug….thanks Ally & Aunt Granny. Yum, that was good. I have the bottle now…..ha ha.
Took my pooch out in the morn for her ball throwing session & a little walk & again this afternoon for another little walk. I do enjoy spending time with her so much more now. Guess you sometimes take for granted they’ll be there tom’w. Not after all this. Thankful she’s still with me.
Ok, guys, I’ll ask the stupid question. What is a beef pizzle? I just happened to notice them in a pet catalog as I was ordering for my dog. I looked at it & couldn’t figure out what the hell it is. I have a suspicion but I can’t possibly be right. Ewwwwww…..I don’t want my dog chewing on THAT…..*takes another chug of tequila while visions of pizzle dance in my head…..*
Comment by JanC — May 19, 2007 @ 6:35 pm
Thank you Kat for the link and info about CNN story for tomorrow night too. I missed it tonight. I did read the food safety tips - I bought a special chopping block that resists bacteria growth and then I use lots of cotton cloths to wipe and immediately toss and wash with bleach.
On another note, while walking my Moon, the found pup, near a dog training class in the park, a trainer came up to admire him. Long story short, she thought he might be a Walker Hound and I said he looked like a French Pointer and she disagreed giving me various reasons - rarity being the most logical one. Well maybe she’s right but that’s what he does look like even if he is a mutt. We had fun in the park anyway. He’ll always be a French Pointer to me. (She thought a Walker Hound Mix but I have a pure bred Treeing Walker Hound that is 91 pounds and Moon sort of and not too much looks like him.
It’s nice to not see bad news on here - maybe the recalls have stopped for awhile or for good would be nice too.
Comment by Linda — May 19, 2007 @ 6:37 pm
Jan C…. Hahaha! Isn’t it amazing which parts they now consider too good to grind up and put in pet food? Give it a cutsie name and charge extra for it as a treat!
Up the thread at 3:32 you’ll see where Kat posted the *RECALL* on “Beef Pizzle dog chews”.
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 6:41 pm
Aunt Granny: You didn’t tell me what a pizzle is. Is it something…..let’s see, how can I put this in polite company…..say UNDER the animal? If so, I was right……ewwwwwwww…..pray tell, who would buy that for their dog to chew on??????
Comment by JanC — May 19, 2007 @ 6:55 pm
*opens second bottle of tequila after banging head on desk*
Comment by JanC — May 19, 2007 @ 6:59 pm
Oh Jan, my child . . . . .
Funny story from a dog list I used to be on. A number of years ago before the “pizzles” (or “bully stix” as they are also sometimes called) became so popular, one of the posters happened into a feed store and saw one about three feet long leaning against a counter. She asked about it, and the guy behind the counter said they’d ordered it in to see how it went, but no one was buying it. So he cut her a really good deal on it.
She got home and took it out to the garage to use her husband’s bandsaw to cut it into more manageable lengths for her dog. While she was working at this, said husband returned home and came out to the garage to see what she was doing.
She showed him, and of course, he, too, wanted to know what a “bully stick” was.
Upon having it explained to him, he went a decidedly interesting shade of green and left again for his local bar/hangout because for some silly reason, he suddenly decided he needed a drink REALLY bad . . . . . . . .
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 19, 2007 @ 7:05 pm
The OTHER Pat:
I had a good laugh over that. I think the name “bully stick” was enough to tell me that I was right. I’m sorry but I can’t imagine people buying that for their dog unless, like the poor lady in the story, they had no clue what it was. When I first saw it & the name pizzle in my catalog, I had no clue what it was but for some reason, I suspected what it was & again went “ewwwwww”.
Like the husband, I think I’ll have a drink….
Comment by JanC — May 19, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
a bull pizzle, also known as the bully stick -
it the Penis of a Bull.
My dog has been chewing on one all day - favorite here, one of a few favorites! :)
I didn’t tell HIM what it was :)
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 7:13 pm
Did anybody watch the CNN program? What happened??
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 7:16 pm
SitStay was one of the first sites to introduce them (under the name “Macho Stix”). I’ve always gotten a chuckle out of their “information page”:
http://www.sitstay.com/store/edibles/chews1.shtml
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 19, 2007 @ 7:41 pm
comment by shelly 7:16 pm
Did anyone watch the CNN program. Yes. I did. Very interesting. Mainly covered the spinach recall. I never knew ecoli came from cow manure. Learned something. Also that there is no way we can be 100% protected and that most likely something with say the spinach will happen again. They showed this 800 acre farm and how the workers had meetings on Mondays and other times to make sure they understood cleanliness. At the very end the dog food recall was mentioned and da** if the comment referred to 16 confirmed deaths and possibly many more. I wonder if the same thing will be repeated tomorrow. I taped tonight’s program.
Comment by VJ — May 19, 2007 @ 7:42 pm
For those who don’t have cable: The program on CNN tonight was mostly an in-depth rehash of the spinach & e. coli last fall. At the very end the pet food poisoning did get a quick mention with deaths possibly in the thousands, which is good and getting more realistic.
The program comes on again tomorrow night, same time and from the web info, looks like imported food will be covered. Hopefully since what was supposed to be going into the pet food was labeled “Food Grade” which is for human consumption, and and not “Feed Grade” animals only, the subject will get more coverage in the segment tomorrow night.
I read the fine print ingredient lists on my pantry items when “wheat gluten” was first identified as the poison carrier. I’m sure many of you did too. It was amazing to see what all has some sort of vegetable protein/gluten in it. It has to be there just to boost the protein level in the Nutrition Facts Box. These were for the most part “convienience foods”, things that I’ve made from scratch many times and they don’t require those additives.
Take for instance that old and famous soup company and their Cream of Mushroom. I love cream of mushroom soup and make a decent one from scratch when I have time and the fresh mushrooms on hand when the mood strikes me. I have the canned on hand for other times. It has whey and soy protein concentrate as ingredients listed. If you think about it, there’s no reason why there would be any protein in cream of mushroom soup except for the protein in the can of milk you add to it. Low and behold the instructions say to add a can of water, not milk anymore. And only 100 calories per serving too!
They’ve done the same to pet food as they’ve done to human food. They add these assorted veggie proteins/glutens, milk whey, etc., to be able to boost the protein amount they list in the nutritional information. It’s not like after what we’ve learned during all this, that pet food actually has much of anything we’d consider meat in it.
That many of the big PF companies are also big manufacturers of human food (or something that’s intended to pass for it), it’s no wonder they’ve asked the CDC to watch for a rise in numbers of kidney problems in humans.
It really would be nice if tomorrow night Dr. Gupta would connect those dots for all of America. I know he won’t, but it would be nice…
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 7:42 pm
Also Acheson had a comment which I don’t remember probably because I wasn’t very impressed by him or his comment.
Comment by VJ — May 19, 2007 @ 7:43 pm
Well, not at all impressed with that CNN special on poisoned foods. All old news, nothing new. Guess we have to wait for a PBS special.
Learned something here though. I also never knew what a beef prizzle dogchew was. Now I know. Frankly, always thought that that type of stuff went into hotdogs.
Comment by Serijna — May 19, 2007 @ 7:44 pm
Serijina, did you have a straight face while you were typing that?! LOL!
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 19, 2007 @ 7:58 pm
Serijna-
oh, hot dogs can easily have that in there -
they also have been known to contain snouts, ears, and blended organs!
Baseball, anyone?
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 8:08 pm
I think Acheson said either that food or lettuce could never be 100% safe.
My comment—how about at least 94 percent safe—it is nowhere near that now in my opinion.
Comment by Evelyn — May 19, 2007 @ 8:08 pm
“For years, U.S. inspection records show, China has flooded the United States with foods unfit for human consumption. And for years, FDA inspectors have simply returned to Chinese importers the small portion of those products they caught — many of which turned up at U.S. borders again, making a second or third attempt at entry.
Now the confluence of two events — the highly publicized contamination of U.S. chicken, pork and fish with tainted Chinese pet food ingredients and this week’s resumption of high-level economic and trade talks with China — has activists and members of Congress demanding that the United States tell China it is fed up.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....01273.html
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 8:12 pm
There’s another recall of chicken products by Kayem Food. 26,000 pounds due to wheat which is not listed.
Comment by VJ — May 19, 2007 @ 8:18 pm
We got to know the refrusal reports through March pretty well - the April report is up, I hadn’t read the complete data for April don’t think -
http://www.fda.gov/ora/oasis/4/ora_oasis_c_cn.html
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 8:18 pm
Did you guys ever notice how much dried fruit gets refused? I used to love that stuff. I like it in those trail mixes too. I’m steering clear of it now - way clear
P.S. no shot at the Triple Crown this year, by a piece of a nose
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 8:23 pm
If the thought of bully sticks gross you out, wait until you hear this. Someone from my dog’s adoption group had a dog that was missing some teeth and she would chew on the bully stick to get it started for the dog. That is until she found out what it really was! If you haven’t seen them, most bully sticks are about 1/4 or 1/2 of an inch thick, kind of look like a pepperoni stick/Slim Jim. But I found some last winter that looked more like the business end of what they really are. Made great Christmas gifts for special friends! More on topic maybe, I heard that the company that had the recalled bully sticks later had them irradiated.
Comment by kb — May 19, 2007 @ 8:23 pm
Fuqing Dongwei Aquatic Products Industry Co., Ltd.
Fuqing Fujian, CN 350315 LOS-DO AQZ-0241168-7/1/2
16XGT21 FROZEN BREADED SHRIMP IQF SIZE 51/60
04-APR-2007
NITROFURAN
Why are they even sending this FOOD over here with NITROFURAN in it? Several countries have banned this stuff, for a long time. We’ve had it banned since like 2002? Even longer in the UK, Canada.
Whatever country buys food of any kind from China is just super-duper-dumb.
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 8:30 pm
Comment by kb — May 19, 2007 @ 8:23 pm
I take pics of my dog doing anything and everything; I don’t want to forget anything - - in like 14 or so years from now….
so, I have pics of him having his way with all kinds of sizes of bullies. Lots of kinds of raw meaty bones too; have a cute shot of him w/ an ostrich neck. I don’t have a website so I don’t know how to get a pic up - I took a pic of him next to his largest bully ever recently - it’s bigger than he is. Don’t know if it’s that big due to processing method (probably) or a very blessed bull.
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 8:33 pm
The other Pat,
Actually , I did have a straight face. That “prizzle” is a lot more honest/cleaner than animal digest or scrapings from the factory floors. No reason to waste it, probably a grilled delicacy for humans somewhere on this planet.
Comment by Serijna — May 19, 2007 @ 8:33 pm
The Kayem recall for unlisted wheat:
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/sto.....id=5319696
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 19, 2007 @ 8:36 pm
WHOA-
This is on the refusal list I posted above - It’s for a cleaner for our DOGS EYES!!!!
Pharhome International
Guangzhou , CN CIN-DO AEK-7883013-6/1/1
56LKL72 TYLOSIN TARTATE USED FOR CLEANING DOGS EYES
05-APR-2007
NOT LISTED
NEW VET DR
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 8:38 pm
shelly - I use Village Photos:
http://www.villagephotos.com/
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 19, 2007 @ 8:38 pm
No more Chinese food, no more Gerber baby food, no more pet wipes, no more Purina, no more (fill in the blanks). No more China, period. Okay, I probably can’t get everything out of my life that’s “Quality Made in China” but I can sure try.
Comment by Nabiya — May 19, 2007 @ 8:40 pm
About the chickens falling off the assembly line and being put back up - when I worked in a restaurant years ago, cooks would drop food all the time on the floor and put it back on the plates. I objected once and was told to just serve the chicken breast. Gross.
If we knew what goes on with our food, inside and out of restaurants, we wouldn’t eat anything much out.
One can’t go wrong with a steak and baked potato. Steak is grilled (germs cook out) and no one touches the inside of the potatoes.
Comment by Linda — May 19, 2007 @ 8:41 pm
kb…..about fell out of my chair with your story. Can’t believe that person munched on a bully stick. Bet she had a heart attack when she found out what it was.
Shelly…..do you really give those to your dog? If you say dogs really like them, maybe I’ll get one for my dog. But I’ll be totally grossed out giving it to her. I did see them in a catalog & I’m about to order some stuff from them.
Honestly, guys, maybe I’m naive but I never heard of pizzles until I saw them in that catalog a few days ago. I really wasn’t sure what they were but suspected they might be THAT! I had no idea they processed that for dog chews. OMG, what next? Do they throw anything out?
I’m off to watch tv & maybe crap out early. All that tequila & head banging today made me very tired.
See you all tom’w……
Comment by JanC — May 19, 2007 @ 8:46 pm
Comment by Nabiya — May 19, 2007 @ 8:40 pm
I was reading an article on I think spinach, where 2 little kids got really sick. a father was telling the gov that he cannot keep his children safe from spinach. He cannot keep them safe from food, etc. I need YOU to keep them safe, because I cannot keep them safe - - -it went along those lines and it broke my heart.
Terrible that we have to try to avoid this stuff at the consumer end - our country needs to keep this from us.
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 8:48 pm
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 8:23 pm
“Did you guys ever notice how much dried fruit gets refused? I used to love that stuff. I like it in those trail mixes too. I’m steering clear of it now - way clear”
You know, I keep thinking how Sojos just defended the heck out of how sure they were of the quality of the dried fruits they use from China in their foods in their email to me. “The thing to remember is that China differentiates between human-quality and feed-quality ingredients just like we do. The same protocols for human-quality are followed over there as they are here.”
Yeah. Sure. Right, Sojos! And THAT’S why my new bag of Sojos Europa is sitting unused in a corner of my kitchen.
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 19, 2007 @ 8:49 pm
JanC -
Yes, have for a long time. Go get them your dog will love you for it. It’ll look like a stick, often near the counter at any pet store that carries them. I find them where I find natural, raw diet kinds of foods.
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 8:51 pm
I don’t use the brand that says pizzles or prizzles or whatever - it says bully sticks on it - T.W. uses the zzz’s so I don’t buy those (recall item)
There’s dried tendon’s too - they look like swirley sticks - like curly fries but bigger. They’re usually next to the bully’s where ever I go (I have a few shops I haunt, same method of marketing - next to the counter)
Grass fed ones are the ones I choose. antibiotic free, the whole bit. It’s on the labels…(ugh labels)
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 8:56 pm
Pat -
Maybe send them to SOJO’s, along with the dried fruit data in the refusal site and your email you received from them.
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 8:57 pm
Do you have a link for the refusal site that shows the dried fruits and veggies?
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 19, 2007 @ 9:03 pm
Some of TrimSpa’s products come from China. Do ya think…..????
Comment by Nabiya — May 19, 2007 @ 9:12 pm
After seeing what VJ wrote, I thought maybe I’d just heard what I wanted him to say. Glad I recorded it and have it set to capture tomorrow night too. He said “…with 16 confirmed deaths, but the number may run into the thousands.” At least that’s something, and not just letting it stand at the 16 confirmed, and for the really brave who have said maybe hundreds.
The one thing they didn’t say is that e. coli doesn’t just come from uncomposed cow manure, it also comes from human feces (why the well and the outhouse can’t be near each other). There are a number of countries that use human manure too. They don’t compost it either. Maybe he’s saving that tidbit for tomorrow night when they cover imported food.
Acheson said about e. coli, it would be difficult to push the possibility of contamination to zero on every spinach leaf or lettuce leaf. I think he’s a spin doctor, and also think that was the only truth that’s come out of his mouth lately.
Truthfully, I’m not really expecting any of us to learn much of anything new from these programs. I think we’re about as on top of it as we can get with all the reading and information digging and sharing, and for what the FDA-USDA are willing to tell.
There are so many who haven’t followed much of this at all because TV news hasn’t covered it very much. Those are the people I hope will be made aware, VERY aware!!!
My sister doesn’t have a computer and what she’s seen about it on the news has been so little that when I first talked to her about it she wasn’t terribly interested. Her fur child passed a couple of years ago and she thought the recall was a one time thing, not an on-going nightmare.
I told her to read the ingredients on what’s in her pantry, and printed out a few things and took them to her, the next week a few more. Suddenly she started asking questions… For the last 6 weeks I’ve been looking up things for her on the internet and telling her the other things I’ve learned from what seems like constant reading. Finding the dairy that doesn’t shoot the cows up with hormones after the article that said up to 7 times the incidence of breast cancer in women who drink the miik from the hormoned cows. With breast cancer in the family, our girls and grands can do without the extra risk.
When the chicken and pork issues made the news she didn’t buy the spin, she’d already read too much of what I’d given her. She wanted me to look up which chicken is McD’s nuggets (Tyson) and which one BK’s chicken fries (Pilgrim’s Pride), all these grands we have that need to be kept safe…
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 9:12 pm
http://www.news.com.au/sundaym.....02,00.html
This article was posted by Laura in Australia in another area of the blog -
The Other Pat -
http://www.fda.gov/ora/oasis/ora_ref_cntry.html
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 9:15 pm
http://www.news.com.au/sundaym.....61,00.html
Bird Flu has been confirmed in China
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 9:22 pm
The OTHER Pat — Thank You
That link for the Macho Sticks was just the good laugh I needed, the write up on them is priceless!
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 9:27 pm
They’re saying the outbreak of bird flu is in birds only. Don’t know that they can be trusted on that. Never have seen anything more about all those pigs they had dying. Maybe they got the lid on that one.
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 9:33 pm
Shelly,
I think you and I could go bully stick shopping together! I’ve found which brand takes longer for my dog to eat and I also read the label and buy the natural, unsmoked kind. Free range - think the bull really cares anymore? Maybe we could use the excuse of researching the pet food recall crisis to find out how they process them to make 3 foot long bully sticks. Bet your dog was so happy with a bully bigger than he is. Kind of like giving me a chocolate chip cookie the size of a pizza. Thanks for the laughs amidst this frustrating situation!
Comment by kb — May 19, 2007 @ 9:35 pm
“More on topic maybe, I heard that the company that had the recalled bully sticks later had them irradiated”
What an ending
*grin*
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 9:44 pm
In days gone by, the bully stick parts from large animals they now sell as dog treats, were dried shellacked and sold as walking sticks. For the man who has everything….
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
Just checked out Dr Fox’s site. It is lengthy, but quite succinct IMO. http://www.doctormwfox.org.
Comment by elliott — May 19, 2007 @ 9:51 pm
For the man who has everything….
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
Perfect! Great idea Granny! I’ll give one to the Boss at Xmas! He’s already got everything, so hard to shop for.
A walking stick.
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 9:56 pm
From Dr Fox’s site - he writes about CYROMAZINE.
Comment by elliott — May 19, 2007 @ 9:56 pm
From Dr Fox’s site:
http://tedeboy.tripod.com/drmichaelwfox/id71.html
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 10:01 pm
Thank you - Shelly!
Comment by elliott — May 19, 2007 @ 10:06 pm
Dr. Fox has got a bit on GM foods too, and boy does he.
http://tedeboy.tripod.com/drmichaelwfox/id76.html
Comment by shelly — May 19, 2007 @ 10:13 pm
Has anybody else read this Washington Post article Shelly linked to?
Somebody help me, I know it’s late here on the east coast, but I think the hamster has fallen off the wheel face down in the cedar chips and can’t get up!
“Last year, under high-level pressure from China, the USDA passed a rule allowing China to export to the United States chickens that were grown and slaughtered in North America and then processed in China — a rule that quickly passed through multiple levels of review and was approved the day before Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Washington last April.”
If they are grown and slaughtered here, then shipped to China, pray tell what in the H-E double L are they going to turn it into and sell it back to us as???
This would totally get around COOL too!!! Country of Origin? USA!!!
*I need a drink, please pass the bottle, hold the worm*
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 10:35 pm
Well Aunt Granny..that’s just the first stage. I think they were worried about the bird flu using Chinese chickens..so we ship them ours.
But the next stage is China raising and processing the chickens themselves.
Wonder if that will still go through now that an Avian Flu outbreak is being reported in China.
Comment by newlurker — May 19, 2007 @ 10:47 pm
http://www.boston.com/business.....rom_china/
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Wor.....40082.html
China is waving the big stick at us..and we’re caving in.
Comment by newlurker — May 19, 2007 @ 10:53 pm
shopping alert!
for whoever was talking about the doggy wipes being made in china, Amazon has seventh generation (pretty sure that was the all natural brand) at a good price in bulk and i think it was free shipping also.
they have some good stuff in their grocery area in *bulk* at 50% off. I’m buying some grain and beans etc cause it’s def cheaper than the stores around me. and i *heart* free shipping with my UPS guy carrying it up 3 flights of stairs ;)they have bob’s red mill grains etc which i think someone here mentioned. i used to buy their flours, but went through so much making dog treats, i mill my own now. they also had some very good deals on bulk paper goods and cleaning supplies that are earth/pet friendly and i don’t believe are connected to the big corps that are poisoning our pets. so if you’re like me and can’t get somewhere for good prices (or don’t drive) and have some storage space. 7th generation paper towels are only 1.23 when you buy the 30 pack, and they’re 2-ply! great for cleaning up the occasional kitty hair ball ;)
back to normally scheduled recall talk. this commercial break has been brought to you by a pet owner 4 change ;)
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 10:53 pm
newlurker,
I sure hope this newest outbreak puts the nix on that slipery deal.
I read that part too but at the moment I’m so hung up on the what already is, that I can’t get to the what could be right now.
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 10:56 pm
Comment by newlurker — May 19, 2007 @ 10:47 pm
I am SO not getting how this is a good idea. Even IF their *service standards* were up to par, what a freakin’ waste of energy!!! Not only that, we are talking POULTRY here. The same raw meat that they are constantly warning us about in regards to proper handling. So shipping it to China and back is proper handling?!
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 11:02 pm
straybaby,
No kidding!!! The warnings about handling poultry have gotten so severe in recent years, it’s like Emeril says: when you bring chicken home from the store you need to wash everything, don’t forget to wash the car too!
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 11:09 pm
I read somewhere that China is pushing this and in return will buy our beef.
I don’t understand why the poultry industry is not screaming their heads off. They can just look around and see what chinese imports did to other industries in America.
Comment by newlurker — May 19, 2007 @ 11:17 pm
“poultry industry is not screaming their heads off”
the part that isn’t invested in China is. And we need to join them. I’m trying to find as many groups I can that support US farming for US citizens to lend any support I can. The corps may be big, but if enough people wake up, they may not be big enough. I’m also going to play the vote card with the politicians as often as possible. I’m independent until the parties start REALLY supporting the people not big biz.
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 11:22 pm
As my mother always says, it’s amazing we’re not dead by they way they talk. I don’t know how we ever survived the pre-antibacterial days ;)
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 11:24 pm
**We ALL Need To Wise Up QUICK**
This insanity is way out of hand! The beef people want to sell theirs to China, I understand that. In the end who pays the awful price for this??? Not China, they’ve got too many people and aren’t the least bit worried about it, are so overpopulated they’ve have had a “mandatory one child rule” for years.
Some of the poultry people won’t scream, in fact they’ve been noticeably silent. Tyson has 9 or 10 large operations in China already, don’t know about the others.
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 11:27 pm
Wow..just wow.
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.o.....ry-imports
Comment by newlurker — May 19, 2007 @ 11:28 pm
newlurker,
Great find! You’ve got to give it to them, the SOB’s are slick! Guess the old saying’s true: “Money talks, BS walks”. I hope it’s worth it in the long run to those who made it all happen in record time!
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 11:45 pm
newlurker,
the farm bill issue is up again. it was mentioned in the hearings. i need to look over it so i can write to my reps and make sure we don’t get screwed over again. it also relates to COOL which i think may also be a part of 2007 farm bill (implementing it finally! or not) . . .
Comment by straybaby — May 19, 2007 @ 11:47 pm
From the crapola I just read we need something like COOL+ . What a mess!!!
Dr. Fox’s site looks interesting, I read some things. It’s also extensive, so I’ve bookmarked it for tomorrow when I can give it the time it deserves.
I need to save all these pages I’ve got open so I can shut down and head for bed.
Night all!
Granny
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 19, 2007 @ 11:56 pm
how about a simple statement on the label stating that no ingredient has ever resided in China or any other developing country with less than standard sanitation and food practices for any reason ;)
Comment by straybaby — May 20, 2007 @ 12:05 am