Let's start from the beginning. Vietnam represents an important market for U.S. soybeans. U.S. soybean and soybean meal exports to Vietnam totaled nearly $100 million in 2008 and are on the rise. U.S. exports of soybean meal climbed from just 17,469 metric tons in 2004 to almost 115,000 metric tons in 2008, a 558% increase.
Let's start from the beginning. Vietnam represents an important market for U.S. soybeans. U.S. soybean and soybean meal exports to Vietnam totaled nearly $100 million in 2008 and are on the rise. U.S. exports of soybean meal climbed from just 17,469 metric tons in 2004 to almost 115,000 metric tons in 2008, a 558% increase.
In case you didn't know anti-competition lobbyists representing American catfish farmers are working hard to have a Vietnamese fish called pangasius banned from this country and that spells trouble for Montana cattlemen. Despite the fact that pangasius has been safely imported for years and has caused a grand total of zero illnesses, the bottom-feeding special interest lobby has cooked up a food safety scare story and is shopping it to USDA and anyone in Washington who will listen.
At the same time the Obama Administration is working to curb the influence of narrow special interests, American catfish producers are busy telling fish tales to Congress to get their competition regulated out of existence. They've dreamt up a faux food safety scare and they're shopping it to any reporter or regulator who will listen. It's a piece of fiction that's fat with anecdotal exaggerations and thin on facts. But this isn't the first time the anti-competition catfish lobby has stooped to these types of tactics.
Gov’t Finds ‘Serious Violations’ at Illinois Plant
October 21, 2009 Washington, DC - In a move long advocated for by the Better Seafood Board (BSB), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) used its enforcement power to support the economic integrity of seafood, calling on a processor to correct violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act including alleged short-weighting practices or risk a closure and/or the seizure of product.
"This is certainly not the first situation that FDA is aware of but it is the first time in many years that the FDA is doing something about it," said BSB Secretary Lisa Weddig. "The honest folks in the seafood industry are getting what they asked for - an opportunity for the regulatory process to work."
According to a warning letter from FDA, Registry Steaks & Seafood Ltd. of Bridgewater, Illinois increased the weight of a variety of frozen shrimp products by adding an ice glaze and/or "marinade" glaze and substituted Northern Rock Sole for Grouper, both a violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The company was given 15 working days to respond with actions they will take to correct the violations or face further action.
"We're experiencing a shift in the FDA's attitude toward enforcing laws designed to ensure consumers get the product they pay for," said Weddig. "The FDA is clearly sending a signal that the days of lax enforcement are over."
In February the FDA reminded processors that the net weight of seafood products ‘may not include the weight of glaze (ice).' A month later the Government Accountability Office found the FDA wasn't doing enough to combat fraud. In August FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg announced she was making regulatory enforcement a priority.
"The timeline is proof that progress is being made but it will take more than one warning letter to deter the bad actors from defrauding the public," added Weddig.
The Better Seafood Board (BSB) was established by the National Fisheries Institute to provide a mechanism for industry's partners in the supply chain - restaurants, retail operations, producers and processors - to report suppliers suspected of committing economic fraud.
Contact Information:
Lisa Weddig
(703) 752-8886
lweddig@nfi.org
Yesterday the Center for Science in the Public Interest released its distorted list of what it calls the "riskiest" foods. More than a few observers questioned why, for instance, CSPI insisted on claiming tuna was the third most risky food to eat when by its own calculations eight other foods on the list caused more illnesses.
The following fall under the category of, did you know?
Did you know that the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is headed up by a lawyer? Did you know that by trade she's a lobbyist not a scientist?
Did you also know that until she was exposed in a front page story as a lawyer/lobbyist and not a scientist she was being considered by the Obama administration to run the USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service?
Later this morning the scaremongers at the Center for Science in the Public Interest will be holding a news conference detailing what it says are the "top 10 riskiest foods" the FDA needs to pay closer attention to. It's important for reporters to note that by focusing on FDA the report excludes beef, chicken and some egg products, which means that the vast majority of proteins eaten by Americans aren't even considered.
Commissioner says her FDA will catch companies that “cross the line”
August 7, 2009 Washington, DC - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is renewing its commitment to crack down on food companies that break the law, a pledge that is earning the agency's new chief praise from the Better Seafood Board (BSB.)
"Committed staff inside the FDA has long understood that short weighting of seafood and species substitution is a food safety issue and that FDA is mandated to police it," said BSB Secretary Lisa Weddig. "Word that the new FDA commissioner plans to make regulatory enforcement a priority is welcome news."
In a speech Thursday FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said, "Companies must have a realistic expectation that if they are crossing the line, they will be caught."
"For too long we've heard the FDA say funding challenges have prevented it from enforcing the laws it's charged with enforcing, " said Weddig. "Finally we're hearing a commitment to a tougher stance. We can only hope that stance applies to the economic integrity issues that have dogged the seafood sector for too long."
Reports say that in the eight weeks since Hamburg started the FDA has already cracked down on a number of non seafood companies allegedly selling fraudulent or dangerous products.
The Better Seafood Board (BSB) was established by the National Fisheries Institute to provide a mechanism for industry’s partners in the supply chain – restaurants, retail operations, producers and processors - to report suppliers suspected of committing economic fraud.
Contact Information:
Gavin Gibbons
(703) 752-8891
ggibbons@nfi.org
Michael Taylor is a nationally recognized food safety expert
Michael Taylor is a nationally recognized food safety expert whose appointment as Senior Advisor to the Commissioner at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is applauded by the National Fisheries Institute.
In his earlier tenure at the FDA Taylor led the development of the existing Seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point regulations that have been so successful in highlighting the effectiveness of a risk-based approach to food safety.
We are pleased that among his initial responsibilities will be allocating fiscal year 2010 resources and planning for the implementation of new food safety legislation. NFI has advocated for increased funding for FDA, particularly in the area of food safety.
We welcome the opportunity to once again work with Mr. Taylor as he continues to build on the FDA’s legacy of ensuring safe and healthy seafood is available to Americans.
John Connelly
President, National Fisheries Institute
For more than 60 years, the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) and its members have provided American families with the variety of sustainable seafood essential to a healthy diet. For more information visit: www.AboutSeafood.com.
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Contact Information:
Gavin Gibbons
(703) 752-8891
ggibbons@nfi.org
