Compromised Human and Pet Food Supply A True Bread and Butter Emergency Who will show leadership in the Agricultural Congressional Committees? Implement the Full Food Spectrum Truth in Labeling Farm Bill 2007 - Stimulate Our US Food Producers Block Suspect Countries' Food Imports Hire more USDA and FDA Inspectors and Supporting Staff Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Democratic Subcommittee Members: Senator Herb Kohl (Chairman) (WI) Senator Tom Harkin (IA) Senator Byron Dorgan (ND) Senator Dianne Feinstein (CA) Senator Richard Durbin (IL) - Project Vote Smart Record Senator Tim Johnson (SD) Senator Ben Nelson (NE) Senator Jack Reed (RI) Republican Subcommittee Members: Senator Robert Bennett (Ranking Member) (UT) Senator Thad Cochran (MS) Senator Arlen Specter (PA) Senator Christopher Bond (MO) Senator Mitch McConnell (KY) Senator Larry Craig (ID) Senator Sam Brownback (KS) Officials: Pet Food Poison May Have Been Intentional http://abcnews .go. com /Health/ story?id=3058844&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312 ABC News - Posted for Fair Use Archival Purposes Only "... FDA Investigators Say Chinese Companies May Have Added Melamine to Appear to Boost Protein Content By DAVID KERLEY and BRIAN HARTMAN April 19, 2007 — - For the first time, investigators are saying the chemical that has sickened and killed pets in the United States may have been intentionally added to pet food ingredients by Chinese producers. Food and Drug Administration investigators say the Chinese companies may have spiked products with the chemical melamine so that they would appear, in tests, to have more value as protein products. Officials now suspect this possibility because a second ingredient from China, rice protein concentrate, has tested positive for melamine. So has corn gluten shipped to South Africa. That means there is a possibility for another round of recalls. The FDA's top veterinarian, Stephen Sundlof, says finding melamine in so many products "would certainly lend credibility to the theory that it was maybe intentional." Melamine, which is used to make plastics in the United States and as a fertilizer in Asia, contains nitrogen. Nitrogen can appear to boost the level of protein in products. The revelations have led the FDA to expand the number of products it is testing as they enter the United States. So far, those inspections at the border have not turned up any melamine in wheat gluten. Tainted wheat gluten used by Menu Foods is suspected in sickening hundreds, if not thousands of pets. Some of the tainted pet food has apparently made it into feed for hogs. Federal agencies are trying to determine if it was actually fed to animals and whether it may have reached the human food supply." ... Contact All Levels of Government Please DO add Links Relating to the USA Food Supply Poisonings Name of Resource Material Type Description Comments The Farm & Ranch Guide Pet food mishap shows reason for COOL _____________________ The Pet Connection Pet-food recall: Country of origin labeling Agriculture Guide website _________________ A Blog with all pet related news and information Consumer Rights for all (human) food ingredients labels to have country of origin listed For more information see USDA site - Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) and Americans for Country of Origin Labeling Labeling Law and Information Food manufacturers have long held the belief that American consumers want the cheapest food available. This mishap with pet food can serve as a wakeup call that using the cheapest food ingredients can actually become a costly mistake. The wheat gluten that caused the deaths of the pets did not come from the United States. Country of Origin Labeling is one way to assure that Americans have the opportunity to purchase food raised in the United States. The Pet Connection http://www.petconnection.com/ Pet-food recall: What Pet Lovers need to know The site who is organizing for pet lovers a mass of resources and reporting databases. Pet-food recall: Get the food off the shelves The Pet Connection Blog Itchmo Howl911 Pet Food Tracker PetSitUSA The Pet Food List Spocko’s Brain Dogged Pet Lover Sites and Blogs more current than the FDA, News Media, Veterinarians, and Congress for resources and breaking news! Every day since the first recall was announced on March 17, we here at Pet Connection have been informal members of a team of Web sites whose owners wanted to help. None of us ever heard of the other before, but we all somehow found our niche and together, we provided more support than any one of us alone could have.