Sen. Durbin still wants safer food

Want safer food for pets and yourself? A government report says if that's what we want, there are things that have to change:

The U.S. government's system for ensuring that imported goods are safe isn't keeping pace with changes in the global economy, and should be updated to put more scrutiny on the entire life-cycle of products, the White House said in a new report.



Amid a host of recalls and bans of Chinese goods and food, most notably children's toys, the report lays out a broad framework for the government to revise its approach to import safety, but recommends few immediate actions. A more specific action plan is to be released in mid-November, following a public comment period.



"Our import system does many things right and we intend to keep it that way, but make no mistake, the recent dangers found in some imported products are warning signs to us," Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt told reporters Monday.



The report, put together by the Interagency Working Group on Import Safety, says the U.S. should rely less on "snapshots" taken to interdict unsafe products at the border. Instead, the government should adopt a "video" model that prevents risky goods from entering the country by targeting critical points in the import life cycle.



"Such a risk-based, prevention-focused model will help ensure that safety is built into products before they reach our borders," the report says.

Full story here.



One voice in support of improved inspections of imported foods and other food safety regulation is Sen. Durbin (D-IL), whose office had this to say:

Today’s report is a clear indication that the Administration is acknowledging what a serious problem we have concerning imports of food and consumer products. While it is encouraging to see the Working Group report the need for increased resources, this is only the first step in a longer process that must result in a modern, effective strategy to protect consumers from dangerous imports.



It is essential for the Administration to work with Congress on this effort. I plan to make specific recommendations to the Working Group, including a proposal I recently introduced to establish an import user fee that will fund increased inspections of foreign goods. I hope to see these recommendations and others included in November’s follow-up report.

It's a systemic problem and needs a systemic solution. And systemic solutions are often dismissed as "too much government regulation" and never get anywhere. It remains to be seen if the demand for food and other product safety can reverse an overall trend towards dismantling regulation of all industries, including the food industry.

Comments

[MFEMFEM]

Nothing but more cheap political posturing and lame treacle coated statements to try and sooth public opinion. We will continue to hear the same old hollow words and nothing will change.



The agreement signed in China was a sham. The Communist Chinese government promises to stop using lead paint on exported toys - “trust us” they say. If we are foolish enough to believe this BS then it only proves that the lead paint has succeeded in its purpose - to accelerate the dumbing down of the American electorate.

[Trudy Jackson]

Thanks for the link.

I just heard on the news- Is China making safer toys? I didn't know We are Not allowed into their factories. this is a screwed up mess. We buy from them but aren't allowed in the factories. Why??????????? what are they hiding? I won't be buying toys for Xmas, except made in the USA.

[petlover]

from article above: "the report lays out a broad framework for the government to revise its approach to import safety, but recommends few immediate actions. A more specific action plan is to be released in mid-November, following a public comment period."



I hope this isn't just a little hype to try to save the 2007 holiday shopping season, which should be greatly affected by the continuous string of recalls we've been hearing about. Timing of this report's appearance would be just days BEFORE Black Friday, the traditional kickoff to holiday shopping madness!

[4meezers]

Trudy, here's Don Earl's site.



http://www.petfoodrecallfacts.com/

[Trudy Jackson]

Can someone give Me Don Earls' lnik? I can't find it. thanks,

[Elaine]

It takes longer to shop because of looking for the country of origin label, but I always feel GOOD when I can buy what I need and nothing from China!



I ALWAYS tell the cashier, or an employee in the aisles, that I will NOT buy ANYTHING from China! I think this is important to get the word out.



Big R in Bend, OR had just got their shipment of Christmas toys in, all from China, of course, and I told them they weren't selling ANY to me for my grandkids.

[thomas]

My shopping habits have also changed.I try to always buy local produce . I ask a lot of questions Did they grow it or buy it at the local produce auction? If they grew it is it GMO? Much of what is sold at the local produce auction is brought in from neighboring states and you have no way of knowing the history. I read labels, I buy nothing with corn syrup in it.



As far as a vehicle I just bought one , the old one would no longer pass inspection.I bought a truck with a cap so I can take all five with me and the labs can go swimming and it won't hurt if the interior gets wet of course, I have a cap on the truck and crates for the dogs. I do not buy anything that says made in china.

[Cathy Z.]

It would probably be better for us all to eat less food, but of a higher quality. And don't forget about the value in shopping at your county market. Mine is a "producers only" market and competes quite well with the megamart for price. Produce is fresh and in season and there are varieties one never sees at the grocery store. Nemmie the Cat says the catnip from the county market is the best!

[Trudy Jackson]

Petlover, Good for you. That's the way I feel too. We drive old worn out vehicles, My sneakers are falling off. but what the heck? I'm trying My best for the pets and our health. I just wrote to Sen. Durbin again and told Him He was doing a good job and to keep up the good work. That it wasn't over by a long shot.

You know, Xmas is going to look so different this year. My children and Grandchildren won't be getting the usual "stuff" and I'm thinking of something else. Not Wal Mart- that's for sure.

[petlover]

Glad to see this issue is getting some attention. There is a LONG way to go, and you can bet I will comment when the time arises.



For me, it's USA-only, local, & organic as much as possible. ...Went shopping today and spent almost double what I would have if I bought "regular" goods, but it was worth it to me. The pups got some "natural" chicken thighs and drumsticks and organic brown rice. The rest of the order for humans was all organic.



I'm an UN-consumer in other areas, so I will spend my money on more wholesome foods. We keep our cars till we run them in the ground, wear yard sale clothes, and don't buy the latest technology. We're not trying to keep up with the Joneses, so if we spend more on our food and food for the pets, that's fine. For anything else, the wallet is closed.

[MFEMFEM]

Unfortunately the problem is not as easy as not "buying Chinese". Young children have no control over what their parents purchase for them.



Government regulation and manufacturer oversight are the only ways to protect many children. It's easy to blame the consumer, but how about the children that don't have a choice? Leaving the government's role out of the equation when it comes to protecting children is amoral.

[Gina Spadafori]

Let's add another couple of players to the mix. Wal-Mart and YOU, the consumer.



As well-documented in Abigail Goldman's Pulitzer-winning series for the Los Angeles Times, Wal-Mart's unrelenting corporate mandate to push companies to deliver product at lower and lower costs has forced companies to go overseas or go broke.



Read up, and consider your own buying choices and how they fit in to all this.



If "lower prices" is all you care about and all you support, then you're voting with your $$$ for a system that delivers exactly that -- at what's now clearly a hidden cost to our country in terms of jobs lost and the quality of the products available.



Wal-Mart is a smart and nimble company, and it WILL change if it needs to to remain competitive because that's what we as consumers demand. I cannot honestly believe that the late Sam Walton's desire was to destroy the people and country he loved.

[newlurker]

I would like to add that China isn't the only ones at fault here. The US companies are chasing GREEN here and just contracted out that work and probably don't do any checking on the quality of the goods coming over here although they say they do.



As the motto go.."you get what you pay for". Use third world countries with no regulations to produce your goods and then expect them to be up to US standards ??? HA-HA. I'm no expert but it's sure as heck obvious to me that there is zero oversight on all this globalization.

[MaKo]

The government can sign as many treaties as they want - if I don't buy it, they can't make me :)



As I have stated a couple of times, my personal trade agreement with China is off. Nobody can make me buy their stuff, and if I even *suspect* that the wares are from China, the content of my wallet is much more proprietary than any information they give me (or not).



My shopping habits did change, tremendously, and I support local farmers by shopping their stuff.



Christmas is easy: we have a no-present policy. No guilt, no commerce - simply a nice dinner and quality time.



Try it, and you will have a fabulous Christmas, while the people around you can't catch a breath in their haste to buy, buy, buy in order to get, get, get.... ;)

[Cae Besaw]

I can't believe that they paint childrens toys with lead paint in China and we sell it to our kids in America.