Support American farmers and fisherman and read the labels carefully for food “imported from”, “prepared by” or “packaged in” China.  In order to make even more profit than they already do, U.S. food companies are relying on China to do their dirty work, literally.  Although I am uncertain of the source for the information listed below, there has been enough exposure of wrong-doing by the Chinese in the press (remember their baby formula that killed scores of infants?) … to suspect that most of what is written below is true or close enough to truth to sharpen my eagle eye in the grocery aisle.

  • Starkist Tuna is now owned by Korea and is in big conflict with the U.S. concerning quality, safety and records, which Korea refuses to produce.
  • Smithfield Farms, the largest U.S. pork producer, was sold to China last September. The hogs will be raised here, but slaughtered and packaged there before being sent back to America with the label “raised in the USA.” Their facilities and methods are not even close to ours, and ours leave a LOT to be improved. (You remember the dying cows being kicked into the slaughter facility on YouTube, right?)
  • Avoid tilapia from Asia.  Fish farms are fed raw sewage daily. They have no Food & Safety Inspectors. They simply add food colorings and flavorings and sell it cheap at our chain supermarkets.
  • Avoid “High Liner” and most frozen fish products from China or Indonesia. The package may say “Pacific Salmon” on the front, but don’t be fooled. The Montreal Gazette had an article documenting cages of chickens over the fish farms, with chicken poop dropping in, along with growth hormones, expired medicines, etc. And of course, shellfish from Asia are the worst of the lot, as bottom feeders of all the sludge.
  • Green Giant vegetables are from China.  (Stick to Arctic Gardens and Birdseye)
  • China is the largest producer of garlic, often grown in human or chicken poop. Lovely. Buy it at the farmers market instead.
  • Buy local honey only! First because it contains the pollen and micro-nutrients from your area, hence less allergies.  But especially because the Chinese honey became so notorious for heavy metals and antibiotics in the honey that they resorted to labeling and shipping through Vietnam and other countries.  Throw out the Sue-Bee honey and other American brands that simply put their labels on Chinese honey.

So think about this.  70% of Americans believe that the lopsided trade agreements with China should end. Well, if you’re waiting for the government to do anything, you must still believe in the Easter Bunny or Tooth Fairy.

Vote with your dollars!  If 200 million North Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese goods, that’s a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our favor … fast.  That’s also a billion dollars invested in our own farmers and fishermen, who you can chat with over the counter at the farmers market. Immediate transparency.

My bottom line is that you either pay for good food now, or you pay for the doctor later.  I’m reading labels.