We still can't seem to get our food inspection regulations tightened for imports, but rules might be getting stricter for live animals coming into the country. The Centers for Disease Control want to know what you think about proposed changes in quarantine regulations for animals coming into the United States:
Health and Human Services/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (HHS/CDC) believes that many animals imported into the United States for the commercial pet trade represent a risk to human health.
HHS/CDC/Division of Global Migration and Quarantine regulates the importation of dogs, cats, and African rodents into the United States, as well as prohibits the introduction of civets, to prevent the entry of zoonotic diseases. The current regulations can be streamlined, strengthened and broadened.
On Tuesday, July 31, 2007, HHS/CDC posted an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to begin the process of revising HHS/CDC Animal Importation Regulations. This ANPRM is intended to solicit public comment and feedback on the issue of animal importation to determine the need for further rulemaking.
Find out more and share your views here.
not to mention the US stopped importing Canadian beef themselves...the border closure was a huge topic here in Alberta for a long time...but they still buy contaminated food from China and Mexico.
Posted by: Chanin | 12 September 2007 at 08:00 PM
Quarantining something imported that might transmit an animal to human disease - now there is a novel concept! So, how is it that the U.S. is importing poultry products from China this year since there has been reported outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu in China this year? And how about why is the U.S. importing hog and pork products while there are reports of active outbreaks of blue ear hog virus (PRRSV) in China in 25 out of 33 provinces? Why aren't we delaying such imports until the outbreaks are verifiably gone? China saw ONE case of mad cow disease in a Canadian cow here in the U.S. in 2003 and ceased all U.S. beef imports into China FOR YEARS!
Posted by: Dennis | 12 September 2007 at 08:00 PM