U.S.-China First Priority: Safe Food Imports
CONTACT:
Jen Mueller, 202-797-6553
U.S.-China Strategic Dialogue Should Put First Priority on Safe Food Imports
Statement of Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter
“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’s 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.”