Starting today, you will notice signs labeling where your food originated and how many stops it may have made. The United States Department of Agriculture's mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) program becomes effective on March 16th, 2009.
This new rule covers ground beef, lamb, chicken, goat, pork; wild and farm raised fish and shellfish; perishable agriculture commodities, such as fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. It also included macadamia nuts, pecans, ginseng and peanuts.
What does this mean for the average consumer? Under the new COOL program labels must contain country of origin and country of production, as well as method in that particular country. For instance, fish must now be labeled wild or farm raised, and meat must show origin of growth, and origin of processing. In other words, some meat labels must now list where the animal was born, raised and slaughtered. Nuts and seeds, will now list where the food originated, and where it was processed. As usual, there are always the "and if's and butt’s!" For example excluded from labeling are items derived from a covered commodity that has undergone a physical change, such as cooking, smoking or curing, or that has been combined with other covered commodities or other substantive food components such as chocolate, breading and tomato paste. Quite frankly, if everyone avoided processed refined foods, nitrates, nitrites and sulphates and sulphites, we would not have to worry about such exemptions.
Exemptions from this law, which makes no sense at all, are food service establishments such as restaurants, lunchrooms, cafeterias, food stands, bars and lounges. How can these be exempt? What does this truly mean, that these establishments are not to trusted because they can somehow purchase items not regulated by the new COOL law? I would love to understand how these establishments are exempt from this rule. It makes me wonder where exactly are they purchasing their food from. I may have to come to the awful decision not to eat out! Or at the very least have a parade of ingredients, before I order. It should be my right, to eat in an establishment that has at least purchased food according to the new COOL act. What makes restaurants and similar food establishment exempt from the COOL act. What makes them different?
The entire label list can be seen by clicking here . To understand the entire Country of Orgin labeling (COOL) of January 12, 2009
I Don't think that this a fool proof way of truly knowing where your food is coming from, for instance, Meat sold in butcher shops, labeling is only required in stores that purchase a certain minimum amount, such as $230,000 of fresh or frozen produce a year. What is this? What crap is this? Why is is a rule that cannot be a rule? Why must we make certain exceptions to an easy straight forward rule? How stupid do they think we are? What is wrong with simply saying, if you purchase meat, nuts or produce, you need to disclose where it was grown, processed, manufactured? Why is it necessary to HIDE certain information based on what a company purchases? I just don't get it! This is a joke! For the complete list of exemptions, Click here to see the complete list of Fooled and COOLED.
Ok so being of a positive mindset, somewhat, this law can help make informed choices and this is a huge relief, especially if you are well versed in the differences between countries' policies, as well as people who wish to truly consume products locally, are better informed choices who truly believe in and live their lives by carbon foot print. Having the whole picture helps to make informed discussions (or so we think!)
For me, as a Canadian, I personally would prefer to consume meat products raised in Canada, because I know there is no added hormones, however, I would prefer the animal slaughtered in the United States, because there is a law against downed cattle, unlike Canada. In some respects Canada is far superior to food laws than the United States, and yet, so far behind. I also know that New Zealand lamb is far superior to any other country. Lamb raised in New Zealand is naturally, and honestly, raised naturally and does not have the problems of USA raised lamb. Turkey for the most part does not have the same synthetic hormones that chicken has.
Downed cattle is a term used by the meat and dairy industries to refer to animals to sick, diseased and disabled that they cannot stand on their own and are dragged to the slaughter house. It was not until mad Cow disease became mainstream that the USDA took modest measures to discontinue the slaughter of downed cattle for human consumption. For more information click here
I spend a better part of my day seeking out food stores that import dairy products from Canada, again because I personally know that unlike the United States, there will not be added hormones in milk and dairy products. For some reason, the United States allows the injection of growth hormones into the udder of the cattle at the time of milking. We do not need artificial growth hormones in our milk and dairy products. Growth hormones are for the boosting of milk production that's it! No other reason than that. I commend WalMart, and Starbuck's for understanding the detriment to health and have banned all milk and cream, due to public awareness! Hurray for that!
So what is wrong with hormone laden milk? Although some experts confer that the extra hormones are destroyed during pasteurization, others agree and have tested that traces of the reproductive hormones estradiol, testosterone, and IGF-1 have passed through pastrization. These hormones are similar to human hormones acting similarly in our bodies, thus causing the potential to unbalanced hormones in our own bodies, and raising chances of certain cancers.
Moving on to Fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds; something that most consumers are not aware of is the pesticides and hebacides used on conventional produce. There are many banned pesticied and herbacides in the Untied States because of their direct correlation to Cancers and Illnesses. Did you know that these banned substances are sold to third world countries? Methyl bromide banned in the Northern hemisphere becasue of health effects on humans and the enviroment is sold to developing countries, and you guessed it, their produce is then sold back to the United States and Canada, and we consume hungrily. having at least the orgin of produce will help us make informed decisions. Before you decide to write off all third world produce, look at your own country's produce. There are still pesticides and herbicides that are destroying our water, land and changing our DNA structure. Why? PROFITS, PROFITS PROFITS! The only reason! If you can get your hands on a CD or a VHS tape titled "No More Grapes" Please watch. It is an eye opener as to what is going on in our own back yard!
Although reports from the US Food And Drug Administration state that pesticides used on fruits and vegetables have been reduced by 57% over the past several years, please, I implore you, educate yourself on this topic, what organic is, and what conventional produce to avoid.
Here are the top 10 conventional Fruits and Vegetables to avoid because they have the highest pesticide residue:
Strawberries, Bell Peppers, Spinach, Cherries, Mexican Cantaloupe, Celery, Apples, Apricots, Green Beans
This does not mean that you need to avoid these foods, what it means is to choose organic over conventional to ensure you are not consuming poisons.
Here are the Top ustainable fish to eat;
Artic Char, farmed
Catfish, US farmed
Clams, Muscles, Oysters, farmed
Halibut: Pacific
Lobster: Spiny, US
Polloc, Wild Alaskan
Slamon, Wild Alaska
Scallops, Bay, farmed
Sturgeon, cavia, farmed
Tilapia, US, farmed
Trout, Rainbow, farmed
Tuna, Albacore, US, Skipjack, troll/pole
Top 10 fish to AVOID:
Chilean Sea bass, Grouper, Monkfish, Orange Roughy, Salmon, Shark, Swordfish (imoprted), Tilefish (Gulf of Mexico/South Atlantic), Tuna (Bigeye/Yellowfin, imported/longline), Tuna, Bluefin (US Albacore and Yellowfin)
Eat organic, conscious, free grazing animal meat such as Bison, Cattle, Ostridge, Deer, Elk, ect.
Avoid conventional veal at all costs. I will not go into it here, but if you have no idea the cruelty these calves endure, please click here. I can not truly get into this fate as it makes me sick to my stomach, and I have not eaten veal since I learned about the cruel fate. Choose organic, or at the very least, cage free, free roaming chickens instead of conventional eggs. Chickens have their beaks cut off, and spend their entire life in cages so small that they can not stretch or stand errect.
I may have gotten off topic, but knowledge is power! Although the USDA has passed some useful laws, as usual, it only involves a portion of the food industry.
Educate yourself to make informed choices, after all you are worth it too!
References
New Food Labeling My Foxy.com
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5074846
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5074845
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5074845
http://www.consumersunion.org/pdf/CU-Cool-Tool.pdf
http://www.nodowners.org/
http://www.albionmonitor.com/9611a/bannedpesticides.html
http://foodluvin.com/2008/08/top-ten-sustainable-fish-choices-and-ten-to-avoid-eating
http://www.noveal.org/get_involved.htm
http://www.downbound.com/Veal_s/467.htm
Karen Langston 1-877-215-6824 Karen@iamworthit2.com http://www.iamworthit2.com/
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