Why Do We Import Food From China?

Money. That's the short answer. It's all about profits. And value. We are a nation of people who want to pay the lowest possible price for everything, including what we feed ourselves and our pets. In order to provide "value" priced pet food and still make a profit, manufacturers imported dirt cheap grain glutens from China that appeared to have a high protein content. The FDA, which physically inspects a mere one in 100 containers of foreign food entering this country, didn't discover that the "protein" was actually melamine, normally used to make plastic dinnerware and fertilizer. Some consumers saved a few bucks (but not in every case -- the Hill's Prescription Diet foods, for example, are not cheap). Manufacturers boosted profits. The pets paid the price. David Goldstein has more at Huffingtonpost.com.

Meanwhile, our food supply is loaded with ingredients from China, the vast majority of them uninspected. Gives new meaning to the phrase "you get what you pay for," yes? What can you do about it? For starters, make pet food at home or verify that yours is safe. The Simply Pets website has a long list of recipes, and you can find loads of others by Googling "pet food recipes." Also, check the updates at Howl911, as well as the FDA pet food recall page daily for updates. Given the FDA's track record, Howl911 would be my first stop.

Finally, since it's clear that humans and animals are at risk, consider shopping locally whenever possible. Farmers' markets are springing up everywhere. They feature locally grown produce, so you and your community both benefit. For more ideas on how to eat locally, check out the 100 Mile Diet book and website.