China's Beef Embargo Frustrates U.S. Producers
US - The continued Chinese embargo of U.S. beef products is frustrating to this country's beef producers, said Terry Stokes, chief executive officer of the National Cattlemen Beef Association.
21 August 2007
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The boycott continues even after Chinese food imported into the United States has been found to be dangerous, such as Chinese wheat flour in pet food that killed hundreds of U.S. cats and dogs.
The flour was contaminated with melamine, a chemical used to make plastics and fertilizers.
That same contaminated wheat flour, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was found in animal feed fed to as many as 20 million chickens and thousands of hogs.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also reported that a quarter of the shrimp coming from China contains antibiotics not allowed in U.S. food production.
Accordingly, the FDA rejected 51 shipments of catfish, eel, shrimp and tulips because of contaminants such as salmonella, veterinary drugs and a cancer-causing chemical called nitrofuran.
China raises most of its fish in water contaminated with raw sewage and compensates by using drugs and chemicals, many of which are banned in the United States.
Last week, U.S. negotiators sought to convince China to lift its ban on U.S. beef.
China is still only offering to partially lift its ban on boneless beef products, but U.S. negotiators demand a full resumption of trade.
Source: TheIndependent
