Pet Treats and Processed Chicken from China: Concerns for American Consumers and Pets
Transcript (PDF) (Text)
Recently major pet stores have announced they would stop selling dog and cat treats made in China following the deaths of 1,000 dogs which may be linked to pet treats from China. Chickens raised in the United States may now be shipped to China for processing before being sold in the United States. Researchers are also exploring the connection between the domestic outbreak of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus with China. These developments have highlighted concerns over the effectiveness of China’s food safety regulation, the effectiveness of U.S. government regulation of imported foods from China, and the overall safety of such foods. Moreover, they raise questions about whether current labels are adequate in helping American consumers determine when foods or its constituent components come from China.
This hearing was webcast live here:
Opening Statements
Senator Sherrod Brown, Chairman
Representative Christopher Smith, Cochairman
Witnesses
Panel 1
Dr. Daniel L. Engeljohn, Assistant Administrator, Office of Field Operations, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Tracey Forfa, J.D., Deputy Director, Center for Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Panel 2
Shaun Kennedy, Director of the Food System Institute, LLC; Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota
Patty Lovera, Assistant Director, Food & Water Watch
Christopher D’Urso, Student and Consumer Advocate