Food & Water Watch: U.S.-China Strategic Dialogue Should Put First Priority on Safe Food Imports
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 23, 2007
12:36 PM
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CONTACT: Food & Water Watch
Patty Lovera, 202-797-6557, plovera [at] fwwatch.org
Jen
Mueller, 202-797-6553, jmueller [at] fwwatch.org
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U.S.-China Strategic Dialogue Should Put First Priority on Safe Food Imports
Statement of Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter
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WASHINGTON - MAY 23 - “It is a poor time for China’s trade negotiators to talk tough with
the American people who are still reeling from the tainted pet and
animal food scandal. Last month, food imports from China were
contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals, banned antibiotics, and
bacteria. This week, regulators in Australia, Panama and the
Dominican Republic pulled Chinese-made toothpaste from store shelves
that contained a poisonous industrial solvent. Some of the
toothpaste was marketed to children under the brand name ‘Mr. Cool
Junior.’
“The safety of America’s imported food, ingredients and consumer
products should be job one of U.S. trade negotiators. The United
States should not trade away food safety for a few more non-stop
flights to Beijing or empty promises to prevent motion picture
piracy. Any discussions between the United States and China should be
about how to improve China’s woefully inadequate and indifferent food
safety regime.
“At a minimum:
* All Chinese food and animal feed exports to the United States
be halted until there are comprehensive inspections conducted of
Chinese facilities by U.S. food safety officials. These inspections
must ensure that government inspection, sanitation and other food
safety standards are equal to those met by U.S. food and animal feed
producers.
* For exports to be restored, all Chinese food and animal feed
products destined for the United States need to be re-inspected at
U.S. ports of entry. These inspections must include physical
inspection and residue and microbial testing.
* Action being considered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
to approve the export of processed Chinese poultry to the United
States needs to be halted. China still has an avian flu problem, has
not proven that it can meet U.S. food safety standards, and has not
controlled the smuggling of illegal poultry products to the United
States and other countries around the world.”
Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer rights organization that
challenges the corporate control and abuse of our food and water
resources.
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