WASHINGTON - June 19 - “Food & Water Watch applauds the House Appropriations Committee for protecting consumers’ health by maintaining a ban on imported processed poultry products from China. Despite pressure from agribusiness to end the prohibition in the U.S. Department of Agriculture budget, the committee maintained the ban on poultry products from a country with weak food safety protections.

“Reports from U.S. government inspectors visiting poultry processing facilities in China and repeated discoveries of unsafe foods from China by U.S. border inspections indicate the risk posed to consumers. U.S. inspectors have found defective equipment, lack of employee hygiene, unsanitary conditions, and an absence of testing programs for Salmonella, E. coli and other contaminants. As recently as this spring, officials of China’s Health Ministry described their food safety situation as ‘grim, with high risks and contradictions.’

“We commend Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) for taking the lead on protecting U.S. consumers from a potentially dangerous food product. We urge the full House and Senate to prioritize consumer safety and domestic producers and ensure the ban on Chinese chicken products is kept in place.”