When buying your food, what is most important to you?

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Just curious...

 

[Tex]

Just curious...

I want to know that it is safe. I want to know who processed it (there are some processors I have grown to distrust for good reason). I want to know that the laws that protect food safety and food honesty are enforced. Right now, we don't know that. I want the USDA to not be the final say in food safety when they make policies like they did against not testing for food safety in the Creekstone deal. Tyson lied about not having fed its chickens antibiotics on their chicken packages and they are being sued by their competitors. These people should not be allowed to participate in selling food to Americans, and neither should China when they subsidize their currency and have lax food safety laws. We need food safety and honesty laws that have teeth. Right now we do not. I want to know that a company like Tyson can't take over a foreign firm because of a perceived health reason not allowing that product into the U.S. and then getting an exception after they buy the foreign plant to do just that.

In short, I want the USDA to be run for the people of the U.S. and not big agribusiness that is willing to do anything to make a buck and consolidate the markets.

I want the best government in the U.S. looking out for the public interests and not the interests of those who are paying off politicians.

Right now we have the best government money can buy and it is affecting the honesty and integrity of the food supply just to benefit one favored company that is paying off politicians to get regulatory favors. Heck, they were even convicted of bribing the secretary of agriculture of the U.S. and got a presidential pardon from Clinton. Someone needs to go to jail over that instead of the president selling out his government powers to friends who are corrupting our government.

Cheapest price is important only if the food is safe and the label saying what it is is correct. Using melamine to increase the tested protein content and other food frauds should never pay off and it shows a big deficit in the USDA's ability to do their job.

Tex

 

[hypocritexposer]

I like to buy food from a country that is a partner in all we stand for.

Fish can be from any country, but they only travel so far, so a country that fishes with respect for international laws and caught close to home matter.

Countries that also stand for the same things as Canada matter also. When food safety and business regulations are about the same, I have more respect for another countries' product.

When they are willing to back our country on matters of National safety and trade, I will be more apt to buy their products.

A long time supporter and partner is important, and I don't feel they should be grouped with all the other countries that have not offered support in all these things for hundreds of years.

And I respect signed contracts, through thick and thin, and not only when the need arises.

 

[HAY MAKER]

as long as it aint from mexico or points south,Ill buy,around here quality means a helluva lot more than cheaper prices...................good luck

 

[Mrs.Greg]

I feel like you left out the most important on your poll....that its "SAFE" for all to eat.At this point we're getting our food world wide,if its coming from Canada,US, China,Mexico I want to know that my grandchildren are safe eating it.A big part of that is its processed and handled to Great,even better then great standards.The cost of the meat doesn't mean anything if its not processed and handled properly.

Because I don't believe all countries are up to the standards I wish for so I guess country of origin is a nice bonus. I'd look first for the Maple Leaf then the US labels as my top two choices.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

I feel like you left out the most important on your poll....that its "SAFE" for all to eat.

Actually, that was kind of the point of the poll: To see if people actually knew that where food was processed was way more important than where the animal originated with regards to safety.

I keep hearing from R-Quackers about how consumers want country of origin, how they demand it, yet I'm not seeing that here. Which means that people who are educated about food safety realize that country of origin is meaningless.

Rod

 

[HAY MAKER]

I feel like you left out the most important on your poll....that its "SAFE" for all to eat.

Actually, that was kind of the point of the poll: To see if people actually knew that where food was processed was way more important than where the animal originated with regards to safety.

I keep hearing from R-Quackers about how consumers want country of origin, how they demand it, yet I'm not seeing that here.

Which means that people who are educated about food safety realize that country of origin is meaningless.

Rod

Rod,That statement tells me you never been in mexico,you might as well adjust to cool,its here to stay.
good luck

 

[Red Barn Angus]

Around here the beef in the produce counter says "product of US, Canada, or Mexico. If this is all the better COOL can do it hasn't done much in my opinion. I want to know where it came from. If it is US or Canada I will probably buy it....if it is Mexico I will not. IMO COOL needs some enforcement or it really serves no purpose.

 

[Sandhusker]

I feel like you left out the most important on your poll....that its "SAFE" for all to eat.

Actually, that was kind of the point of the poll: To see if people actually knew that where food was processed was way more important than where the animal originated with regards to safety.

I keep hearing from R-Quackers about how consumers want country of origin, how they demand it, yet I'm not seeing that here. Which means that people who are educated about food safety realize that country of origin is meaningless.

Rod

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumers overwhelmingly support stricter food labeling laws, with 92 percent of Americans wanting to know which country produced the food they are buying, a consumer magazine said on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Eighty-two percent of consumers support mandatory country of origin labeling of food, according to a poll released today by Food & Water Watch.

"Consumer support for country of origin labeling has been consistently strong for years," said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch. "It is time for Congress to listen to the more than eight out of ten Americans who want to know where their food comes from and stop delaying country of origin labeling."

 

[Tex]

I feel like you left out the most important on your poll....that its "SAFE" for all to eat.

Actually, that was kind of the point of the poll: To see if people actually knew that where food was processed was way more important than where the animal originated with regards to safety.

I keep hearing from R-Quackers about how consumers want country of origin, how they demand it, yet I'm not seeing that here. Which means that people who are educated about food safety realize that country of origin is meaningless.

Rod

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumers overwhelmingly support stricter food labeling laws, with 92 percent of Americans wanting to know which country produced the food they are buying, a consumer magazine said on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Eighty-two percent of consumers support mandatory country of origin labeling of food, according to a poll released today by Food & Water Watch.

"Consumer support for country of origin labeling has been consistently strong for years," said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch. "It is time for Congress to listen to the more than eight out of ten Americans who want to know where their food comes from and stop delaying country of origin labeling."

Congress isn't listening to the public on this issue, they are listening to the money.

 

[MoGal]

The American people are too trusting. We assumed that food imported would have the same guidelines as if it were grown here and processed.

We've been lied to and deceived. We've got a USDA and FDA that isn't interested in the american people or their health.

Melamine is in baby formula and grain so the FDA (with NO tests to back it up) is now saying there is an acceptable amt of melamine. They just don't want people to know the milk supply is tainted as well as cheese, butter, etc............ because the grain has melamine.

Here's the link for what I'm talking about:

http://waronyou.com/2008/11/90-percent-of-us-infant-formula-may-be-contaminated-with-melamine-fda-abruptly-declares-chemical-safe-for-babies/

I realize you wanted to to find out about beef. But I'm tired of all the crappy food brought into this country and I want to know where "everything" I put in my mouth comes from because I don't trust this communist government we have.

 

[RobertMac]

I feel like you left out the most important on your poll....that its "SAFE" for all to eat.

Actually, that was kind of the point of the poll: To see if people actually knew that where food was processed was way more important than where the animal originated with regards to safety.

I keep hearing from R-Quackers about how consumers want country of origin, how they demand it, yet I'm not seeing that here. Which means that people who are educated about food safety realize that country of origin is meaningless.

Rod

Rod, COOL is the first step toward knowing where the food was processed and raised. Those that care about price first, don't care about safety...those that care about safety, buy what they can. Like Tex says...government protection ain't what it used to be!!!

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Rod, COOL is the first step toward knowing where the food was processed and raised.

Sorry, but thats horseshit and you know it. In this global economy an animal can be born in Mexico, raised in the US and processed in Canada. Or born in the US, finished in Canada and processed in China, only to be sent back to Canada via the US. Hell, 30 years ago my uncle took Canadian born holsteins, fed them Canadian barley and sent them to the US for live transshipment to Japan where they were processed as Kobe and then sent back to Canada (via the US).

Anyway who tries to make country of origin a safety issue is only lying. A Chinese born cow is just as safe as a US cow if its processed in the same plant.

And all you R-Quackers know it.

Rod

 

[RobertMac]

Rod, COOL is the first step toward knowing where the food was processed and raised.

Sorry, but thats horseshit and you know it. In this global economy an animal can be born in Mexico, raised in the US and processed in Canada. Or born in the US, finished in Canada and processed in China, only to be sent back to Canada via the US. Hell, 30 years ago my uncle took Canadian born holsteins, fed them Canadian barley and sent them to the US for live transshipment to Japan where they were processed as Kobe and then sent back to Canada (via the US).

Anyway who tries to make country of origin a safety issue is only lying. A Chinese born cow is just as safe as a US cow if its processed in the same plant.

And all you R-Quackers know it.

Rod

Rod, calm down and explain to me how the consumer will know where food is processed and raised if there isn't some form of COOL.

 

[hypocritexposer]

Some "form" of COOl, would work perfectly, a form that labels the product to processing practices, which are the same in Canada as they are in the US.

Some "form" of COOl, that does not take an imaginary line (49th), as the determination of food safety.

 

[Sandhusker]

Rod, COOL is the first step toward knowing where the food was processed and raised.

Sorry, but thats horseshit and you know it. In this global economy an animal can be born in Mexico, raised in the US and processed in Canada. Or born in the US, finished in Canada and processed in China, only to be sent back to Canada via the US. Hell, 30 years ago my uncle took Canadian born holsteins, fed them Canadian barley and sent them to the US for live transshipment to Japan where they were processed as Kobe and then sent back to Canada (via the US).

Anyway who tries to make country of origin a safety issue is only lying. A Chinese born cow is just as safe as a US cow if its processed in the same plant.

And all you R-Quackers know it.

Rod

You're telling us that beef from an animal that was fed melamine is just as safe as beef from an animal that wasn't? You sure about that?

 

[hypocritexposer]

proper testing would find out what they have been putting into their feed.

 

[RobertMac]

The determination of food safety is ultimately determined by the consumer.

An industry that is export dependent is vulnerable.

 

[Sandhusker]

proper testing would find out what they have been putting into their feed.

Well, it isn't being done and it won't be. Put a country of origin label on it and let the consumer decide if they trust the Chinese or not.

 

[hypocritexposer]

And the consumer is knowledgeable in food safety, how?

The average consumer wouldn't know how to determine food safety from a hole in the ground.

More people in the US probably die from improper pesticides annually than melamine in feed.