Poison the people? Everyone's doing it

Canada may raise pesticide levels to match U.S.

Posted by Katharine Wroth at 7:44 AM on 10 May 2007

Read more about: agriculture | ag policy | Canada | United States | food

Every day there are roughly 1,347 stories I wish we could cover in Daily Grist. Here's one that didn't make the cut today, but that I can't get out of my head: in an effort to bring its rules in line with the U.S., Canada is getting ready to raise allowable levels of pesticides on food.

Canadian authorities say it's just an effort to smooth out trade relations, and will be decided on a case-by-case basis. But critics say Canada and the U.S. already use more pesticides than Europe, making the new plan lu-di-crous. "We should look to equal or surpass the best in the world, not only measure ourselves against the U.S.," says eco-lawyer David Boyd. Word.

Another choice quote, from a spokesman for the Environmental Coalition of Prince Edward Island: ""I think it's part of the move toward a cheap food policy in a globalized food economy, which I am personally convinced is not the way to increase prosperity for Canadian farmers."

Scary stuff.

For story: Poison the people? Everyone's doing it
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my primary objection to regional trade agreements

The story out of Canada is another example of why current regional trade agreements are fundamentally flawed. They inevitably strive to reduce standards to the lowest common denominator. They lead to increased use of pesticides, decreased labor standards, decreased safety standards, decreased food quality standards, decreased protection of the environment, increased release of pollutants, decreased protection of endangered species, et cetera. They give a green light to traditional practices that harm people and the environment and ride roughshod over local efforts to improve quality of life and preserve the environment.

I know... we are all aware of this. I just wanted to complain a bit.

I challenge all of the economists out there to present one good example of a trade agreement that actually raises standards to match the highest of the parties involved.

by wiscidea at 8:05 AM on 10 May 2007

Must respect their sovereignty...

If Canada decides they want to follow in the US's footsteps it's their call. Canada has every right to make stupid choices, just like their big brother to the south.

"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act!" -- George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair)

by yoder at 4:53 PM on 10 May 2007

Oh, Canada...

Sure, we'd like to think that we're so much better than our neighbours to the south, but... clearly, we're just deluding ourselves. Instead of reaching for higher standards like those in Europe, we'd rather stoop even further. Great.

by Cirevol at 8:03 PM on 10 May 2007

The End - - of Globalization --is Near

NPR's On Point program delivered an excellent and frightening discussion of the safety of food from China last night...

http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2007/05/20070521_a_main ...

Only 1% of food from China is inspected upon entering the United States and this is what they have been finding...

Swordfish so contaminated they should be labeled "poisonous".

Dried apples preserved with carcinogenic chemicals banned in the United States.

Food dyed with toxic chemicals banned in the Unite States.

Catfish containing levels of antibiotics not permitted in the United States.

AND MORE AND MORE OF THE SAME!

When the FDA went to inspect the facility responsible for the adulterated pet food ingredients, all they found was rubble. The company actually leveled the facility with a bull-dozer to avoid inspection.

The show covered the fact that many ingredients found in processed food are manufactured only in China. Companies are actually exporting chemicals to the U.S. and selling them below cost to drive out competition. Yet we don't have an effective means of inspecting all of this stuff.

It is time to call for "Country of Origin" labeling for all products. If companies refuse to cooperate I suggest boycotting every food item that they are not willing to publically certify as free of adulterated ingredients.

I personally am going to do whatever is necessary to avoid all food (for humans, for pets, for wild birds) from China... which means calling processors and asking them directly... where did their ingredients come from?

Why is this an environmental problem? Globalization of our food supply has essentially exported damage to the environment, allowed companies to avoid regulations, harmed other people (the Chinese who also consume the tainted food), built an economy on the assumption of continued availability of fossil fuel, and led to government policies design to ensure the continued flow of fossil fuel. By demandind the HIGH uniform standards for food grown everywhere in the world, environmentalists can rein in such reckless harmful activity and rebuild local agricultural economies.

BOYCOTT ALL FOOD FROM AND FOOD MANUFACTURED WITH INGREDIENTS FROM CHINA!

by wiscidea at 10:06 AM on 22 May 2007

ADVERTISING POLICY

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