Make no mistake folks, the USDA and FDA are not there to protect us or our pets, they are there to protect the corporations pure and simple. And it is but one of many aspects of our society that we need to fix.

I had my fill when I watched heads of the FDA LIE to Congress during the pet food meltdown subcommittee hearings. They told the Congressmen that the U.S. DOES NOT IMPORT *ANY POULTRY* FROM CHINA. That is a bald faced LIE. I did indeed send emails to the Congresspeople on that subcommittee showing them photos of the labels of the pet treat and food products from China which were indeed being IMPORTED.
It really was nice of the national pet chains to provide those label close ups, thank you very much. And the links made it so much more authentic. But did Congress listen? Nope.
The devil is in the FDA details was - not for human consumption. So it is okay for your kids to handle the dog and cat kibble or treats that might have been exposed to H5N1 bird flu at the time, it just isn’t okay for them to actually EAT the poultry, just okay for them to stick their hands in their mouths after handling the dog bowl. Yep. Protect us some more please. I cannot wait to see what else.

Potential health risks associated with stressed foodstuffs:
http://www.genengnews.com/news.....e=49417483

And here’s a second write up on same story - http://www.netindia123.com/sho.....researcher

Here’s a study on this same subject:

Subject: Amyloidogenic potential of foie gras
Date: June 22, 2007 at 2:23 pm PST

http://lists.ifas.ufl.edu/cgi-.....038;P=9621

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As for your ubiquitous PETA question, maybe this will help anwer that.

http://blog.peta.org/archives/…..update.php

Things like that help me to keep spending more for humanely raised turkeys.

Comment by Cooper — February 10, 2009

Can you imagine how awful things would have to be to get cruelty charges in a factory farm?

Eat less meat … so you can afford to pay more to opt out of cruelty. I like the motto of the Ethicurean blog: Chew the right thing.

I am very worried about this CEO—I just hope he has some good medicine for a cure.

Itchmo is still MIA, but here is a link to a cache of that discussion. There is a link to the research there.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/c473dd

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As for your ubiquitous PETA question, maybe this will help anwer that.

http://blog.peta.org/archives/.....update.php

Things like that help me to keep spending more for humanely raised turkeys.

But in recents months, there’s been plenty in the US in both Elk and Deer! And we say ‘buy US!’

South Dakota -
http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife.....esults.htm

http://www.rapidcityjournal.co.....535010.txt

Michigan -
http://www.michigan.gov/docume.....1168_7.pdf

Wyoming -
http://www.trib.com/articles/2.....081245.txt

Minnesota -
http://www.bah.state.mn.us/bah.....-01-26.pdf

USDA 2008 Report on what they ‘say’ they are going to do -
http://www.ars.usda.gov/resear.....38;fy=2008

And…here’s just one study which talks about how these infectious ‘prions’ which cause CWD, BSE, etc…survives in soil, remaining infective -

http://www.plospathogens.org/a.....at.0020032

Point being, CWD is widespread in the US…they can’t possibly test EVERY Deer/Elk before it’s slaughtered then entered into food chain. Wild animals can contract CWD just by traversing across contaminated soil, urine or feces from infected animal.

I feel for the hunters oblivious of what they might be eating, and for those who choose not to care.

Nom, nom — and my brain cells should stay nice and firm (or was that dense?)

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/02/.....eref=ib_us