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Updated Wednesday, February 8, 2012 0:03 am TWN, By Enru Lin ,The China Post |
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Ex-VP Lu, 5 DPP counties, cities dig in heels over ractopamine beef rowDirectors of local agriculture bureaus in Yunlin County (雲林縣), Chiayi County (嘉義縣), Tainan City (台南市), Kaohsiung City (高雄市) and Pingtung County (屏東縣) joined up yesterday to address U.S. beef imports that contain the leanness enhancing drug ractopamine. If ractopamine-laced beef gets the green light, it is difficult to ensure that the U.S. will not use it as a precedent to win later concessions in Taiwan, said Lu Cheng-Chang (呂政璋), Director-General of Yunlin County's Agriculture Department. The ruling administration needs to carefully consider the repercussions of its decision, said Lu. “All cities and counties in southern Taiwan” oppose ractopamine, said Pingtung County Magistrate Tsao Chi-hung (曹啟鴻) yesterday. “Our opinions should be the backup support behind the government, during its bargaining with the U.S.,” he said. Say 'No' to Beef: Lu At a separate event, former Vice President Annette Lu called for the public to say “no” to beef and “no” to beef from the U.S. in particular. The only way to reject beef is not to eat it at all, she said. Lu added that Taiwan's import of U.S. beef should not be a precondition of Taiwan's admission to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). She continued, neither should it be a precondition for resuming talks between Taiwan and the U.S. under the bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). COA Minister to Tackle Issue Late Monday, new Minister Chen Bao-ji (陳保基) of the Council of Agriculture (COA, 農委會) asked COA to “sort out” the facts on ractopamine and to furnish a report. Chen opened a council conference late Monday to request a report from the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ, 防檢局) of the COA. Chen asked BAPHIQ to “return to professionalism” and “sort out” data from 2007, which includes studies on minimal residue levels, surveys of ractopamine use in Taiwan, and other related research. Said Chen, he invites those in the medical community, pathology sector, veterinarians to meet and help prepare the most accurate and comprehensive reference materials for the Executive Yuan. There is no official timetable for the meeting, but he hopes to convene the first session this week, Chen added this morning. No Room for Talks: Pig Farmers Hog farmers are not budging from their stance against ractopamine, said Chen. Chen said Monday that he has spoken to representatives from the Republic of China Swine Association (中華民國養豬協會). Those in the hog industry are unwilling to grant concessions on the issue, according to Chen. The R.O.C. Swine Association confirmed the stance yesterday, saying they ask for a “total boycott of ractopamine. There's no room for negotiation.” “The association wants to maintain the status quo, which means that no leanness enhancers should be allowed in Taiwan under any circumstances,” said the association's deputy director Lin Chiu-kuei (林秋桂). Those in the industry are “jumping out” for a mass protest this Friday, said Pan Lien-chou (潘連周), who heads the organization. Comments February 8, 2012 mikeintw@ I say allow it. If people don't want to eat it then they don't have to there is always Australian beef. No sense hurting Taiwan/US relations over this. I really can't understand why they are making such a big deal about this when many of Taiwan's products are far more dangerous than US beef. February 9, 2012 wirewrapper@ EAT US BEEF! If this issue of ractopamine were truly a problem than there would already be repercussion. People have been eating US BEEF HERE in TAIWAN for a long time! So many other products are produced here in Taiwan’s RECKLESS CULTURE! All of a sudden minute amounts of a drug are found and it's a big problem. I think the government in TAIWAN Should Do some better inspections of RAT INFESTED OPEN MARKETS and ENFORCEING TAX LAWS On "Black Stores"! The Taiwanese government does these stupid APOLITCAL moves that make me SICK! | |||||||||||||
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If you can't produce safe products that people are not willing to buy, then think of a way to improve your products.
I, for one, am not going to eat US beef anymore. It is loaded with antibiotics, hormones and leanness enhancers.
The Taiwanese government has done a great job of looking out for the consumers. for example, cigarette packs have photos showing the damage caused by smoking, alcohol percentages on beer, GM foods are labeled, and problems that do occur are resolved with the consumer in mind and not the corporations.