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TPP Serves up and Unsavory Dinner TPP SERVES UP AN UNSAVORY DINNER TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP (TPP): AN INSTRUMENT FOR CONTAMINATED FOODS Antibiotic-laced fish? Lead-laden honey? Salmonella-contaminated fruits and vegetables? These are only a few examples of how TPP could further compromise food safety and public health. If ratified by the U.S. Congress, TPP will increasingly determine what’s on your plate. In this report the Center for Food Safety (CFS) uncovers some disturbing examples of tainted food imports already coming from TPP countries that contain residues from drugs that are illegal in the U.S., toxic contaminants, salmonella and other pathogens, and additional unsavory substances such as rodent hairs. NOVEMBER 2016 ABOUT US THE CENTER FOR FOOD SAFETY (CFS) is a national non-profit organization working to protect human health and the environment by challenging the use of harmful food production technologies and by promoting organic and other forms of sustainable agriculture. CFS uses groundbreaking legal and policy initiatives, market pressure, and grassroots campaigns to protect our food, our farms, and our environment. CFS is the leading organization fighting genetically engineered (GE) crops in the US, and our successful legal challenges and campaigns have halted or curbed numerous GE crops. CFS’s US Supreme Court successes include playing an historic role in the landmark US Supreme Court Massachusetts v. EPA decision mandating that the EPA regulate greenhouse gases. In addition, in 2010 CFS challenged Monsanto in the US Supreme Court ( Monsanto Co. v. Geertson Seed Farms ), which set key legal precedents. CFS has offices in Washington, DC, San Francisco, CA, Portland, OR, and Honolulu, HI. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Author: DEBBIE BARKER, international director Science Reviewer: JAYDEE HANSON, senior policy analyst Research Assistance: AMANDA MAINELLO, CFS intern SONIA PRABHU, CFS intern Editorial Assistance: HONOR ELDRIDGE, legislative and government affairs coordinator COURTNEY SEXTON, media manager Design: HUMMINGBIRD DESIGN STUDIO NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS PACIFIC NORTHWEST OFFICE 660 Pennsylvania Avenue S.E., Suite 302 917 S.W. Oak Street, Suite 300 Washington, D.C. 20003 Portland, OR 97205 Phone: 202-547-9359 | Fax: 202-547-9429 Phone: 971-271-7372 | Fax: 971-271-7374 CALIFORNIA OFFICE HAWAI`I OFFICE 303 Sacramento Street, 2nd Floor 1132 Bishop Street, Suite 2107 San Francisco, CA 94111 Honolulu, HI 96813 Phone: 415-826-2770 | Fax: 415-826-0507 Phone: 808-681-7688 www.centerforfoodsafety.org [email protected] 2 CENTER FOR FOOD SAFETY TPP SERVES UP AN UNSAVORY DINNER TPP SERVES UP AN UNSAVORY DINNER OST DISCUSSIONS ABOUT the Trans- TPP blithely ignores potential threats to food ( MPacific Partnership TPP) focus on jobs safety, public health, labor, and the environment, and economic indicators, important to be all central to the integrity of our food system. sure. But equally important, yet rarely discussed, is While trade officials claim that concerns are how TPP could impact your dinner plate. overblown, the evidence of tainted food imports This report provides examples of unsafe foods from some TPP countries tells another story. already crossing U.S. borders from TPP countries and outlines how TPP could increase contaminated, In addition to potential health hazards—some life tainted food imports. threatening—posed by TPP, many U.S. farmers and TPP negotiations concluded in October 2015 and food producers are put at a disadvantage by the now must be ratified by the U.S. Congress in order agreement. Producers in several TPP countries are to become the law of the land. President Obama able to sell products more cheaply than their U.S. considers the TPP to be a key aspect of his eco - counterparts, in part because of lax or non-existent nomic and foreign policy legacy and is committed safety, quality, and inspection standards and practices . to obtaining Congressional approval of the pact. All Causing further alarm is the fact that labor traffick - signs indicate that the TPP will be put forward in ing is well-documented in some TPP countries, the upcoming “lame duck,” post-election Congres - particularly in the seafood industry where labor 5 sional session. conditions are brutal, dangerous, and inhumane. In addition, agricultural and food production prac - This agreement between Australia, Brunei Darus - tices in some TPP countries gravely impact the salam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, environment. As one example: some TPP countries New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States, and are destroying mangrove regions to make way for Vietnam represents around 40 percent of global fish and shrimp farms. This deforestation has a GDP. China may also join the TPP in the future; devastating impact on local ecosystems. Mangroves talks are characterized by U.S. trade officials as are central to protecting coastal zones from dramatic being a “fair distance away,” but made it clear that storms and weather, and also play a vital role in negotiations will continue. 1 Other countries such water filtration and carbon sequestration. as Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines are also interested in joining TPP in the future. TPP blithely ignores potential threats to food safety, public health, labor, and the environment, all central Expedited trade rules in the TPP will increase food to the integrity of our food system. While trade offi - imports. As trade agreements during the last decade cials claim that concerns are overblown, the evidenc e have accelerated, so have food imports. For example, of tainted food imports from some TPP countries about 15 percent of the food that Americans eat tells another story. Below are a few case studies that today is imported, more than double the amount illustrate why TPP poses food safety risks. just a decade ago. 2 Yet Congress has not adequately funded the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CASE STUDY ONE: responsible for 80 percent of imported foods, to The Honey Hoax—Why the Honey Jar ensure robust food safety inspections. At present, is Not So Sweet the FDA inspects approximately 2 percent of foods coming into the U.S. 3 In the case of seafood, less ROM 2002-2013, massive amounts of honey than 1 percent of imports are lab tested, which is Fcontaining banned antibiotics, toxic metals, necessary to find drug or chemical residues, salmo - and sweeteners and other additives were nella, and other pathogens. 4 imported into the U.S. Referred to as “Honey gate,” CENTER FOR FOOD SAFETY TPP SERVES UP AN UNSAVORY DINNER 3 About 15 percent of the food that declared as originating from Vietnam, on its way to Americans eat today is imported, more than U.S. consumers. 9 double the amount just a decade ago. TPP, aimed to increase and ease the flow of goods among TPP nations, will make it easier for Honey - millions of pounds of tainted honey were pro - gate-like frauds to continue. Such fraud not only duced in China and then transshipped from dupes the American consumer, defrauds taxpayers, Malaysia or Vietnam, both TPP countries. and endangers economic viability for U.S. bee - One of the antibiotics detected in the honey— keepers and honey producers but could also have chloramphenicol—is a known carcinogen that can serious—even fatal—health impacts. also cause DNA damage in children. The drug, banned in the U.S. for use in foods, can also lead to CASE STUDY TWO: aplastic anemia, an often fatal condition in which Tainted Produce and Meat the body’s blood cell production sharply declines. XAMPLES OF TAINTED produce and meat Public health experts say that even the minute imports from TPP countries provide a hint amount of chloramphenicol found in corrupted E of what’s to come should Congress vote to honey can cause an aplastic anemia reaction in approve the agreement. With implementation of 6 about one out of 30,000 people. other trade agreements, imports of nearly two-thirds Toxic lead contaminants are also found in Chinese of vegetables and fruits consumed in the U.S. have honey brews due to the use of lead-based transport doubled over the last 10 years. 10 Approximately, drum containers. 7 Lead poisoning is known to 8-10 percent of beef consumed in the U.S. comes 11 caus e brain damage and a host of neurological from other countries. TPP will expand such trends. disorders in children. In addition to containing The pact will increase imports from some regions toxic elements, “honey” from China is often simply where produce is grown under unsanitary practices a mixture of various sweeteners and other addi - such as using irrigated water drawn from sources tives, with only a small amount of actual honey. where human sewage and other pollutants are Honey smuggling became rampant after the U.S. not treated. For example, over the last few years, imposed high import taxes (i.e., anti-dumping consumption of contaminated cilantro from duties) in 2001 on Chinese honey because Puebla, Mexico, led to multiple parasitic 12 it was being sold in the U.S. at less than outbreaks in the U.S. Similarly, tainted fair-market value. The illegal imports have cucumbers from Baja, Mexico, resulted been estimated to cost U.S. taxpayers up in Salmonella Poona outbreaks in 40 U.S. 13 to $100 million per year in lost import states in 2015/16. Contaminated duties. 8 Additionally, such fraud lowers fruits from Mexico have been a honey’s fair market price and smears persistent problem with berries, 14 15 16,17 the reputation for quality and safety papayas, melons, mangos of legitimate honey producers in and other fruits being recalled the U.S. for salmonella contamination. Despite numerous arrests and con - This honey may contain: Banned Meat imports from Australia and victions associated with Honeygate, Antibiotics, Toxic Metals, added Canada, both TPP countries, pose Sweeteners th, millions of pounds of illegal honey .
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