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So, the WTO just killed USA's Country of Origin labels on meat... Claimed it violates trade pact (Original Post) peacebird May 2015 OP
I'm with you. We should have the right to know where our food comes from hardcover May 2015 #1
"... Exemplifies Corporate Profits Trumping Democracy" RiverLover May 2015 #2
We just need to make sure our laws are strong enough to prevent mad cow disease cascadiance May 2015 #3
Here's the thing - I have absolutely no reason to think that the laws will be made stronger, djean111 May 2015 #4
Mad Cow Disease came to North America from the United Kingdom (in Europe) Romulox May 2015 #13
It does violate the trade pact. randome May 2015 #5
that may be true, but that is not the case. and it is not cali May 2015 #6
I think fully funding our food safety organizations should go hand in hand with the TPP. randome May 2015 #12
but that is a "should", not reality. cali May 2015 #14
When you find yourself defending a rule that forbids you to know where your food came from DisgustipatedinCA May 2015 #8
Did you ever care where your food came from before this? randome May 2015 #15
good grief, yes. cali May 2015 #17
Most people don't, though. I would say the vast majority of people don't research their food. randome May 2015 #26
So protecting the local sources of our food is wrong? Cheap meat from other countries puts jwirr May 2015 #23
Protecting local sources IS wrong if the point of a treaty is to encourage trade. randome May 2015 #28
From what I have read there is nothing in the TPP that is about real trade - the exchange of goods. jwirr May 2015 #32
Because consumer choice is somehow bad? dreamnightwind May 2015 #25
When you have this kind of treaty with another country, it isn't 'bad' to label their products. randome May 2015 #29
Or killing the FTAs. Chan790 May 2015 #31
Informed consumers make better choices dreamnightwind May 2015 #33
K & R &... AzDar May 2015 #7
Makes me glad I am 95% vegetarian and 5% Pescetarian. stevenleser May 2015 #9
Will this apply to Country of Manufacture as well? One_Life_To_Give May 2015 #10
Not sure, my fear is it is applied to fruits/veggies also. I use COO labels to pick produce.... peacebird May 2015 #11
This is what the TPP represents: a corporate overrule of our democracy. Where are its defenders? Romulox May 2015 #16
The US arbitrarily ignores WTO rulings, as it sees fit. closeupready May 2015 #18
A system ruled by and for corporations is corrupt? I am shocked I tell you! Romulox May 2015 #19
I know, right. Same shit, different day, lol. closeupready May 2015 #20
Speaking Of The WTO... Did You See THIS: WillyT May 2015 #21
To think I was depressed before.... Argh.... peacebird May 2015 #22
Japan? KamaAina May 2015 #24
Fukishima? peacebird May 2015 #34
I disagree with the WTO on this JustAnotherGen May 2015 #27
But don't worry... kenfrequed May 2015 #30
But think about how much U.S. GMO bred crop sales will expand when Europe can't prohibit it. hedda_foil May 2015 #35

hardcover

(255 posts)
1. I'm with you. We should have the right to know where our food comes from
Tue May 19, 2015, 05:18 AM
May 2015

and what regulations it is produced under. This is bullshit.

RiverLover

(7,830 posts)
2. "... Exemplifies Corporate Profits Trumping Democracy"
Tue May 19, 2015, 05:23 AM
May 2015

Profits over people & planet. This is the new global order.

 

cascadiance

(19,537 posts)
3. We just need to make sure our laws are strong enough to prevent mad cow disease
Tue May 19, 2015, 07:05 AM
May 2015

As I noted in another thread, North American regulations aren't as strong as that of Europe's and many Asian countries in making sure we stop the spread of this disease, and we recently this year had another case of Mad Cow disease in Canada. Less labels (hopefully those buying American or Canadian meat are able to get "organic" labels and that that ensures that stronger feeding rules by the businesses selling organic meat here when our government doesn't put in place adequate regulations for other meat producers here.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1097226

 

djean111

(14,255 posts)
4. Here's the thing - I have absolutely no reason to think that the laws will be made stronger,
Tue May 19, 2015, 09:17 AM
May 2015

or, if they are, money will be allocated in order to test compliance. If anything, the government will make organic meat rules more stringent, just to please the meat producers. Yeah I am cynical..

 

randome

(34,845 posts)
5. It does violate the trade pact.
Tue May 19, 2015, 09:21 AM
May 2015

Labeling is a means to highlight something, which is a means to discourage its purchase.

What we need is a more robust inspection process. More inspectors. More laws with teeth in them regarding violations. If we could be assured of food safety, why would it matter where it came from?
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"The whole world is a circus if you know how to look at it."
Tony Randall, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964)
[/center][/font][hr]

 

cali

(114,904 posts)
6. that may be true, but that is not the case. and it is not
Tue May 19, 2015, 09:37 AM
May 2015

going to get better before the TPP comes into effect. Shouldn't we have that robust inspection process already in place BEFORE we open ourselves up to more challenges that endanger food safety? And no, labeling is not just meant to discourage- it is also meant to encourage. Producers here want to put "Made in Vermont" on their food products, because it's a big sales advantage.

I don't, for example, buy imported shrimp. Shrimp from Vietnam is especially problematic. What happens when Vietnam decides to do re labeling, what Mexico and Canada just did, or if a Multinational operating in Vietnam decides to take a case challenging those laws to an ISDS panel?

 

randome

(34,845 posts)
12. I think fully funding our food safety organizations should go hand in hand with the TPP.
Tue May 19, 2015, 09:52 AM
May 2015

If our food safety standards are applied to ourselves as to every other country that is a signatory, then I see no problem. If Vietnam continues to violate those standards, then I don't see how the WTO could fault us for labeling their food. Of course, what we should actually do is forbid its import until those safety standards are enforced. I'm not sure if anything is keeping us from that now other than the prospect of cheap shrimp.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"The whole world is a circus if you know how to look at it."
Tony Randall, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964)
[/center][/font][hr]

 

cali

(114,904 posts)
14. but that is a "should", not reality.
Tue May 19, 2015, 09:55 AM
May 2015

reality is that with the tpp, odds are great that we will be opening up our market to more unsafe foods.

 

DisgustipatedinCA

(12,530 posts)
8. When you find yourself defending a rule that forbids you to know where your food came from
Tue May 19, 2015, 09:42 AM
May 2015

...something has gone very, very wrong.

 

randome

(34,845 posts)
15. Did you ever care where your food came from before this?
Tue May 19, 2015, 09:55 AM
May 2015

Did you research where the chocolate comes from in your favorite sweet? Did you discover how the chicken you ate last week was raised? (Of course for all I know, you did both but I'm talking about the vast majority of people.)

If the food is the same, then why does it matter where it comes from? Labeling becomes, then, another means of protectionism, and that's something these treaties are designed to weaken.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

 

cali

(114,904 posts)
17. good grief, yes.
Tue May 19, 2015, 10:17 AM
May 2015

lots and lots of people do. We had a little kerfuffle at the local co-op over organic garlic from China.

I know where the chicken and eggs and pork I eat comes from (1/2 mile down the road).

In Vermont, the locavore movement is huge. Hell, my tofu comes from town. My seeds are local.

And yes, I know that the coffee I buy is "fair trade".

 

randome

(34,845 posts)
26. Most people don't, though. I would say the vast majority of people don't research their food.
Tue May 19, 2015, 12:42 PM
May 2015

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
23. So protecting the local sources of our food is wrong? Cheap meat from other countries puts
Tue May 19, 2015, 11:58 AM
May 2015

farmers out of business. Also what about the fact that many of those other countries are being compelled by the IMF and World Bank to export food from corporate farms instead of feeding their own people? I am not interested in supporting imported foods for those two reasons. If that is called protectionism then so be it.

 

randome

(34,845 posts)
28. Protecting local sources IS wrong if the point of a treaty is to encourage trade.
Tue May 19, 2015, 01:16 PM
May 2015

And encouraging trade, in a small measure, unites us. It's a slow process and I'm not at all saying that's behind everything that goes on with trade issues but...it's also true that the more trade we have with other countries, the closer they get to our standards.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font][hr]

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
32. From what I have read there is nothing in the TPP that is about real trade - the exchange of goods.
Tue May 19, 2015, 01:33 PM
May 2015

It is about multi national corporate profit and power. The people who are breaking down local markets be they here or in other countries are totally ignoring science: climate change and oil depletion. If we really want to help those countries we will get the faulty IMF and World Bank loans off their backs and allow them to have their own land back to once again begin to feed their own families. None of this is in the so called modern trade agreements.

 

randome

(34,845 posts)
29. When you have this kind of treaty with another country, it isn't 'bad' to label their products.
Tue May 19, 2015, 01:18 PM
May 2015

But it is protectionist. And thus the WTO ruling.

The solution, as always, is a more robust inspection process on our end.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font][hr]

 

Chan790

(20,176 posts)
31. Or killing the FTAs.
Tue May 19, 2015, 01:32 PM
May 2015

I prefer my solution. No more free-trade because free-trade is anti-freedom.

dreamnightwind

(4,775 posts)
33. Informed consumers make better choices
Tue May 19, 2015, 01:36 PM
May 2015

I am inclined to see protectionism as a good thing.

Even so, I don't understand how labeling is protectionist, intuitively that doesn't seem like protectionism to me, is there something I am missing in the meaning of that word?

Our inspection mechanisms and regulatory agencies in general have been captured by corporate interests, no way in hell I am going to make my entire purchasing decison on what some government agency (FDA?) says is safe, these agencies are run by industry lackies and the regulators are defunded by Republicans every chance they get. A very small percentage of our food is inspected.

I agree that more robust inspection would be a good thing, but a consumer should be allowed to make informed decisions on their own based on where a product comes from, and as much as possible based on how it was processed or what ingredients are in it. Seems to me that you are on the wrong side of this issue.

 

stevenleser

(32,886 posts)
9. Makes me glad I am 95% vegetarian and 5% Pescetarian.
Tue May 19, 2015, 09:45 AM
May 2015

I've felt much better since stopping eating all other meat.

One_Life_To_Give

(6,036 posts)
10. Will this apply to Country of Manufacture as well?
Tue May 19, 2015, 09:48 AM
May 2015

Seems to me we mark all products manufactured with their country of origin as well. And there is a long history of discrimination associated with products manufactured in various countries over the years. Once Japan was synonymous with low quality. Since then the association has moved to other Asian manufacturing countries.

 

closeupready

(29,503 posts)
18. The US arbitrarily ignores WTO rulings, as it sees fit.
Tue May 19, 2015, 11:04 AM
May 2015

So I'm not buying the notion that anyone's hands are tied here.

 

KamaAina

(78,249 posts)
24. Japan?
Tue May 19, 2015, 12:15 PM
May 2015

I don't think we import much meat from there, except maybe Kobe beef and some sushi fish. And I'd trust stuff from Japan. China, not so much.

JustAnotherGen

(31,681 posts)
27. I disagree with the WTO on this
Tue May 19, 2015, 01:03 PM
May 2015

And will be reaching out to our local farmers (where I buy meat and poultry from when I can) to see if they can assist our local food bank.

hedda_foil

(16,368 posts)
35. But think about how much U.S. GMO bred crop sales will expand when Europe can't prohibit it.
Tue May 19, 2015, 02:47 PM
May 2015

This is horrifying.

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