Tag Archives: FDA
A true story, but ever so fishy…
You may have heard of Chevron, the huge oil and gas company and probably one of the biggest oil producers in the world. But you may not have heard of the “Chevron deference” justified by congressional agencies. This became an unspoken government policy some 40 years ago. Here is the unspoken protocol. Congress would legislate a new, ambiguous bill to “fix” an issue. The enacted law was then passed to one of the agencies such as the FDA, EPA, USDA, or if there wasn’t a specific agency, a new one was formed. The purpose was to formulate government policy using the new law. An example is when President Jimmy Carter formed the Department of Energy in 1977. Reportedly it was to plan strategies to conserve energy and develop alternative energy sources. I will let readers form their own opinions in this time of shifting energy strategies. Yet 40 some years later, it almost all falls back on using fossil fuels. Let’s face it. Windmills and solar panels aren’t the long-term solution. more, >>CLICK TO EAD<< 07:03
Is forced labor in Indian exports affecting Louisiana shrimpers? Congress investigates
A congressional committee is investigating allegations of slave labor in the Indian shrimp industry. Such practices are among those blamed for rock-bottom shrimp prices negatively affecting Louisiana shrimpers. The House Committee on Natural Resources is investigating accusations of forced labor as well as importation of illegally obtained fish products. Additionally, the committee is looking at fraudulent reporting through the Seafood Import Monitoring Program, and the illegal use of antibiotics. The health of the American shrimp industry can often be measured by the number of landings each year. Those numbers have been on a mostly steady decline since 2001, with only five years above the downhill slope. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:10
Ecuador signs agreement with FDA to facilitate more shrimp imports into the US
An agreement between the United States and Ecuador could impact Alabama’s seafood capital, Bayou La Batre. Officials said the agreement is to help facilitate growth of shrimp exports to the U.S. “It’s really going to affect us a lot more. Shrimp prices are already low, fuel prices are high. It’s going to hurt the fishing industry more than anything,” Local shrimper Trey Bonin said. “It’s crazy. I guess President Joe Biden can sign some paperwork to forgive all the boat loans and the loans that the shrimp shops have to take out. Like he’s doing for the college folks,” Bayou La Batre Mayor Henry Barnes said. Video, >click to read< 10:24
Lawmakers urge more FDA inspections of imported seafood, win approval
An effort to increase the amount of imported seafood the U.S. inspects for health issues has crossed a hurdle in the Senate. Louisiana’s two Republican senators, John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy, won approval of a measure that would add $3.1 million the FDA’s budget for such testing. Shrimpers in Terrebonne and Lafourche, joined by their peers in other states, have pushed for the measure,, The group represents shrimp fishermen and processors in Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas. Video >click to read<17:48
Imported Foods: There Is A Staggering Amount Of Feces In Our Food
Most Americans are eating significant amounts of feces on a regular basis without even realizing it. You might not mind this, but most people out there would not willingly eat feces if they could avoid it. Not only is it disgusting, but feces is also a breeding ground for all kinds of dangerous diseases. Unfortunately, as a result of the never ending quest to cut prices even lower more of our food is being imported from overseas than ever before.,,, If you are eating seafood that was imported from Asia, there is a very good chance that it was raised on pig feces. Not only that, the truth is that a lot of the poultry that comes from Southeast Asia is also raised on pig feces. click here to read the story 12:53
How Big Business Uses Big Government To Ruin Small Fishermen Like Me
Ensnared in an international trade dispute between Vietnam and very large U.S. catfish farms are hundreds of small wild-caught catfish producers throughout the United States. As a commercial fisherman for near on 40 years now, it didn’t take long for me to figure out that nature was at best ambivalent about whether I make a living. Being driven from the water by a thunderstorm that made working the last few crabtraps in a string unsafe was not unusual. Even if the weather part of nature cooperated, of course, there were fluctuations in abundance.,, But you know what, your own government is not nature click here to read the story 09:08
Good news for fishermen. FDA Bans Antibacterial Triclosan in soap.
Antibacterial soaps were banned from the US market on Friday in a final ruling by the Food and Drug Administration, which said that manufacturers had failed to prove the cleansers were safe or more effective than normal products. The new federal rule applies to any soap or antiseptic product that has one or more of 19 chemical compounds, including triclocarbon, which is often found in bar soaps, and triclosan, often in liquid soaps. Professor Patrick McNamara: triclosan could play a part in driving antibiotic resistance, saying, “after these chemicals are used in our homes they go down the drain to wastewater treatment plants and eventually to the environment where they can select for antibiotic resistance genes”. Read the article here American Style Environmentalism is Destroying The Environment Part 1 by JJ Johnson written May 8, 2012 – Dawn dishwashing liquid (distributed by Proctor and Gamble) has a wildlife campaign that is advertised on the bottles of soap. The bottles proudly proclaim, “Dawn Helps Save Wildlife,” and feature heart warming pictures of ducks, penguins, and even two seals kissing (My personal favorite.) Read the article here 08:50
FDA warns Hawaii seafood processor about handling of tuna
A seafood-processing facility in Honolulu was found to have “serious violations” of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations during a May 17 and 20 inspection by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The resulting warning letter, dated July 27 and sent from the agency’s San Francisco District Office, informed Tropic Fish Hawaii LLC that its “fresh, refrigerated histamine-forming fish products, including Ahi tuna, mahi mahi, and skipjack tuna” are therefore adulterated, meaning that “they have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have been rendered injurious to health.” Click here to read the article 11:42
Import Alert! Barriers go up against shrimp and prawns from Malaysia
American consumers are scooping up more shrimp than ever at lower prices, but it is not all good news because some aquaculture-grown shrimp and prawns from Malaysia contain residues from unapproved animal drugs and unsafe food additives. The combination of the huge consumer demand in the U.S and the growing potential for unsafe product getting into the country caused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue an import alert yesterday on Malaysian shrimp and prawns. An import alert means border agents will detain a food product without physical inspection. Read the rest here 05:44
Video: Has America lost control of its seafood?
Despite having some of the longest coastlines of any country in the world, the United States imports 90% of the fish and seafood it eats. Watch the video here 10:36
FDA approves first genetically modified salmon for consumption
AquaBounty Technologies’ salmon became the first genetically engineered animal to receive U.S. approval for human consumption, setting the stage for more such approvals. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday the company’s genetically engineered Atlantic salmon was as nutritious as the farm-raised ones and was safe for consumption. (1.usa.gov/1NFfKyd) The company is majority owned by Intrexon Corp, whose shares rose 7 percent at $37.80 Thursday morning. Read the article here 11:45
Alaska delegation seeks name change of Russian-water fish sold as “Alaskan pollock”
When you buy Alaska pollock at the store, there’s a nearly 40 percent chance the fish was caught in Russian waters, U.S. pollock producers say. “The problem that we’re facing is that pollock caught by the Russians is also being called Alaskan pollock, which is pollock that is of a more inferior quality,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). “It’s causing confusion with our good, sustainably managed fishery and a fish that is of high quality.” Read the rest here 21:20
Linda Bean says Rockland lobster processing plant has fixed FDA violations
A major lobster processor claims to have fixed a long list of FDA violations. Linda Bean says she has addressed everything on the list. An FDA spokeswoman declined to comment on whether the FDA believes Linda Bean’s corrections are adequate. BDN 09:20
Environmental Group Says Lobster is “Poor Choice” for Pregnant Women – “Them’s fightin’ words!”
Later this summer, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) plans to raise concerns about mercury levels in lobster within the context of a draft update to federal consumer guidelines for seafood consumption. As a Maine resident (and someone who has been covering mercury in seafood more than a little recently), I immediately sat up and took note at the mention of . Read more here 20:01
Government Recklessly Reopened Fisheries in the Gulf – Based Decision on Skewed Data and Questionable Testing Methodology
Everyone knew something was very wrong back in 2010 when the “US Department of Commerce – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) began closing fisheries on May 2, 2010. It began reopening them, with various spatial and other limits, on June 23. The well was capped on July 15.” more@oilandgasleaks 17:26
NOAA Inaction in the Gulf of Mexico http://www.fishnet-usa.com/NOAA_Inaction.htm
Alaska fishermen and fish consumers shouldn’t be concerned about the new disclosures of radioactive water leaking into the Pacific Ocean
The amount of radioactive material flowing into the ocean is relatively minimal, compared to the size of the spills that occurred in the wake of the meltdowns that occurred at the site in 2011 following an earthquake and tsunami, said Ken Buesseler, a senior scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. more@adn
United Fishermen of Alaska, is urging the public to file comment’s to FDA on genetically modified salmon
FDA ruling on GMO salmon worries Alaska fishermen Marshall Swearingen – The Goat Blog Jan 17, 2013 05:00 am
Making a living on fishing has always been a gamble, but this year Alaska’s fisherfolk have even more cause for worry. On December 26 the FDA quietly issued its approval of genetically modified “AquaAdvantage” salmon. After more than a decade of regulatory uncertainty, the FDA’s decision all but paves the way for the fish to be “farmed.” read more
Tell Your Members of Congress: Stop the Approval of GE Salmon – Food & Water Watch
This holiday season, the FDA has disregarded the concerns of hundreds of thousands of consumers around the country by moving forward with the approval of genetically engineered salmon. This frankenfish would become the first genetically engineered meat to hit the market, potentially opening up the floodgates for more GE food animal to come. And, to add insult to injury, the GE salmon may not even be labeled, preventing consumers from making informed decisions about their food..The best way we can fight the FDA’s abuse of its approval power is by asking our legislators to keep GE salmon out of our grocery stores. Join us in sending an email to your members of Congress today asking them to block the approval of GE salmon. Read More
