Country-of-origin lables on meat and produce

[One Sweet World]

The Arkansas Democrat Gazette reports that a new law will require grocers who sell meat and produce to post "country-of-origin" labels. I think its a good idea, but Walmart seems a little scared:

"Caren Epstein, a Wal-Mart Stores Inc. spokesman, said that as the deadline approaches, the company is 'working diligently, and we will make every effort to be ready.' While the labeling requirement is fairly straightforward, she said, Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart and other retailers are trying to get some clarity on record-keeping requirements."

Clarity? Or wiggle-room?

Can you imagine what kind of sketchy places Walmart meat and produce comes from?

[Richardo]

1. I think 'China' is enough of a problem.

I know I'm consciously looking at country of origin labels on seafood, fruit, etc to make sure it doesn't come from China. I'm not as vigilant on packaged goods, I don't know why.

[One Sweet World]

3. Walmart gets 70% of its products from China

Obviously most are crappy toys and trinkets, but we saw a couple of cases in '07 where dog food sold at Walmart from China was poisonous.

[dipsydoodle]

2. The bit I've never been able to figure

and you need to allow for the fact that in the UK we've had that legislation for years, is whether or not all of the minor ingredients need country of origin too.

FYI everything in the UK needs to show country of origin if not UK made.

I guess Walmart may need to strip their shelves and restock where necessary - dumping everything which doesn't comply.

[NoFederales]

4. It doesn't make sense not to have everything listed to country of origin. The US

has dumped shit on 3d world countries for years, and now we bitch, but Public safety and even security issues are involved. Not that our corporations give a shit about any one else's safety and security, so how dare these Chinese, and others, subvert us. Still, corporations have to be vigilant not to get tied in to compliances that include them while aimed at 'outsiders', eh?

We foul our nest repeatedly, at our peril.

NoFederales

[depakid]

5. The law's been on the books for 6 years now- it just hasn't been implemented

by guess who's administration?

More on that:

Spam, Still the Mystery Meat, Escapes New U.S. Food-Label Rules

U.S. rules requiring meat and fresh produce to be labeled by national origin are falling short of lawmakers' aims, leaving shoppers in the dark about where mixed vegetables, steaks and Spam come from, some lawmakers say.

Six years after being adopted by Congress, country-of-origin labeling takes effect today. Concern about unsafe imports from China and Canada helped overcome food industry efforts to delay the measures. They will cost companies $2.5 billion in the first year, with retailers spending more to market beef, pork and lamb, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says. Industry groups say expenses will be even higher.

Some lawmakers and consumer advocates say loopholes will let meatpackers blur the distinction between foreign and domestic meat. Mixed vegetables are exempt from the requirements, as are processed foods ranging from roasted peanuts to Spam, the canned luncheon meat made by Hormel Foods Corp. More regulations may be needed, the lawmakers say.

``USDA may be trying to dodge congressional intent,'' said Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the Democrat who heads the House subcommittee that oversees the department's funding. Last week 31 senators, including Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, wrote Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer calling for more restrictive meat-labeling rules.

It's too early to consider changes to the new rules, according to Mark Dopp, a lobbyist for the American Meat Institute, whose members include Tyson Foods Inc. and Kraft Foods Inc.

``We don't know how the markets will react; we don't know how the consumers will react,'' Dopp said.

More: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=ar4YmiQiK0T8&refer=home
==========

:crazy:

[tom_paine]

6. The tiniest step in the right direction...and even this China-Mart resists.

It's a big SECRET that Wal-Mart sells a bunch of cheap Chinese crap and stiffs their workers.

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!