FDA Says 4,150 Pet Deaths Reported
Lots of tidbits from this FDA release. And finally, an acknowledgment from the FDA that more than 16 pets may be dead.
All vegetable protein from China is being detained. It includes the following: Wheat Gluten, Rice Gluten, Rice Protein, Rice Protein Concentrate, Corn Gluten, Corn Gluten Meal, Corn By-Products, Soy Protein, Soy Gluten, Proteins (includes amino acids and protein hydrosylates), Mung Bean Protein.
USA Today also reports on this news. Says “an import alert of this breadth is rare.”
Highlights below:
- 1,950 cats and 2,200 dogs reported dead.
- FDA does not know the scope of the problem.
- Original source of toxins still not known.
- Firms got around Chinese inspection by saying it wasn’t food.
- New standards for import use established.
Full release after the jump.
(Thanks mike)
IA #99-29, 4/27/07, IMPORT ALERT #99-29, “DETENTION WITHOUT PHYSICAL
EXAMINATION OF ALL VEGETABLE PROTEIN PRODUCTS FROM CHINA FOR ANIMAL OR HUMAN
FOOD USE DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF MELAMINE AND/OR MELAMINE ANALOGS”
TYPE OF ALERT: Detention Without Physical Examination (Countrywide)
(Note: This import alert represents the Agency’s current guidance to FDA field
personnel regarding the manufacturer(s) and/or products(s) at issue. It does
not create or confer any rights for or on any person, and does not operate to
bind FDA or the public).
PRODUCTS: Wheat Gluten
Rice Gluten
Rice Protein
Rice Protein Concentrate
Corn Gluten
Corn Gluten Meal
Corn By-Products
Soy Protein
Soy Gluten
Proteins (includes amino acids and protein hydrosylates)
Mung Bean Protein
PRODUCT 02G[][]08 - Soy Bean Meal/Powder/Gluten/Protein Isolate
CODES: 18E[][]03 Soy Protein Powder
02F[][]08 Wheat Gluten
02E[][]06 - Wheat Flour Gluten
71M[][]01 Wheat Gluten
02D[][]12 Rice Protein
02D[][]13 Rice Gluten
71I[][]03 Rice Protein
71G[][]02 - Corn Gluten
02B[][][][] Milled Rice Products
54[][][][][]- Amino acids and protein hydrosylates
PROBLEM: Poisonous or Deleterious Substance
Unfit For Food
Unsafe Food Additive
PAF: PES
COUNTRY: China (CN)
MANUFACTURER/SHIPPER: All
CHARGES: “The article is subject to refusal of admission pursuant to
section 801(a)(3) in that it appears to bear or contain a
poisonous or deleterious substance, which may render it
injurious to health [Adulteration, section 402(a)(1)]”
and/or
“The article is subject to refusal of admission pursuant to
section 801(a)(3) in that it appears to bear or contain a
food additive that is unsafe within the meaning of section
409 [Adulteration, section 402(a)(2)(C)(i)]”
and/or
“The article is subject to refusal of admission pursuant
to section 801(a)(3) in that it appears to be unfit for
food [Adulteration, 402(a)(3)]”
RECOMMENDING
OFFICE: Division of Import Operations and Policy, HFC-170
REASON FOR
ALERT: In recent weeks, there has been an outbreak of cat and dog deaths
and illness associated with pet food manufactured with vegetable
proteins contaminated with melamine and melamine related
compounds. In response to this outbreak, FDA has been conducting
an aggressive and intensive investigation. Pet food manufacturers
and others have recalled dog and cat food and other suspect
products and ingredients. This has been one of the largest pet
food recalls in history, a recall that continues to expand. Thus
far, 18 firms have recalled product, 17 Class I and 1 class II,
covering over 5,300 product lines. As of April 26, 2007, FDA had
received over 17,000 consumer complaints relating to this
outbreak, and those complaints included reports of approximately
1950 deaths of cats and 2200 deaths of dogs. The Agency is
working with federal, state, and local governments, academia, and
industry to assess the extent of the outbreak, better understand
how melamine and melamine related compounds contributed to the pet
deaths and illnesses, and to determine the underlying cause of the
contamination.
As of April 26, 2007, FDA had collected approximately 750 samples
of wheat gluten and products made with wheat gluten and, of those
tested thus far, 330 were positive for melamine and/or melamine
related compounds. FDA had also collected approximately 85
samples of rice protein concentrate and products made with rice
protein concentrate and, of those tested thus far, 27 were
positive for melamine and/or melamine related compounds. FDA’s
investigation has traced all of the positive samples as having
been imported from China.
Although FDA’s investigation is ongoing, the Agency has learned
the following about the outbreak and its association with
contaminated vegetable proteins from China:
1. For the vegetable proteins and finished products that have
been found to be contaminated, it is unknown who the actual
manufacturers are, how many manufacturers there are, or
where in China they may be located.
The samples of vegetable proteins that have tested positive
for the presence of melamine and melamine analogs have, thus
far, been traced to two Chinese firms, Xuzhou Anying
Biologic Technology Development Co. Ltd. and Binzhou Futian
Biology Technology Co. Ltd. Records relating to the
importation of these products indicate that these two firms
had manufactured the ingredients in question. There is
strong evidence, however, that these firms are not the
actual manufacturers. Moreover, despite many weeks of
investigation, it is still unknown who the actual
manufacturer or manufacturers of the contaminated products
imported from China are.
All of the contaminated wheat gluten has thus far been
traced to Xuzhou Anying. According to the General
Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and
Quarantine (AQSIQ) of the Chinese government, Xuzhou Anying
purchased its wheat gluten from 25 different manufacturers
and Xuzhou Anying may just be a supplier. Press statements
by Xuzhou Anying state that it did not manufacturer the
wheat gluten it had shipped to United States that has been
associated with the outbreak, but that it received that
wheat gluten from other sources not named in the press
statements.
Despite its investigation into the matter, FDA has been
unable to determine who, in fact, the actual manufacturer(s)
are.
2. The source of the contamination problem is currently unknown
and FDA has been unable to isolate the scope of the problem.
Melamine is a molecule that has a number of commercial and
industrial uses. Other than a few limited authorizations
for use in food contact materials for human food, melamine
has no approved use as an ingredient in human or animal food
in the United States. FDA is continuing its investigation
into how the melamine and melamine related compounds may
have gotten into the vegetable protein, and has asked the
Chinese government to help with this investigation.
In addition, FDA does not know how widespread the problem in
China might be. For example, FDA does not know which
regions of the country may or may not be impacted by the
problem, which firms are the major manufacturers and
exporters of vegetable proteins to the United States, where
these vegetable proteins are grown in China, and what
controls are currently in place to prevent against
contamination.
According to the Chinese government, Xuzhou Anying did not
declare the contaminated wheat gluten it shipped to the
United States as a raw material for feed or food. Rather,
according to the Chinese government, it was declared to them
as non-food product, meaning that it was not subject to
mandatory inspection by the Chinese government. In
addition, in a communication to the U.S. government, the
Chinese government has requested that FDA either request or
require that U.S. importers of plant protein products insist
on AQSIQ certification, based on AQSIQ testing, as part of
the import contract. According to a media report, China’s
Foreign Ministry issued a statement that the contaminated
vegetable protein managed to get past Chinese customs
without inspection because it had not been declared for use
in pet food. The news report said the contamination problem
has prompted China to step up inspections of plant-based
proteins and to list melamine as a banned substance for food
exports and domestic sales.
This information indicates that there are manufacturing
control issues that cannot be linked to specific sources in
China, but instead require country-wide monitoring.
3. On April 17, 2007, pet food manufacturers in South Africa
recalled dry cat and dog food due to formulation with a
contaminated corn gluten, a vegetable protein. FDA has
learned that the corn gluten was contaminated with melamine
and that the corn gluten had been imported from a third-
party supplier in China. According to news reports, the
contaminated pet food has been linked to the deaths of
approximately 30 dogs in South Africa.
GUIDANCE: Districts may detain without physical examination, all Vegetable
protein products from China.
Appropriate screening criteria have been set.
For questions or issues concerning science, science
policy, sample collection, analysis, preparation, or
analytical methodology, contact Mr. Thomas Savage, Division of
Field Science, at 301-827-1026.
If a firm, shipper or importer believes that their product
should not be subject to detention under this import
alert they should forward information supporting their
position to FDA at the following address:
Food and Drug Administration
Division of Import Operations and Policy (HFC-170)
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 12-36
Rockville, MD 20587
In order to adequately assess whether a manufacturer has the
appropriate controls and processes in place to ensure the quality
of the product being produced, the firm or shipper must provide
the following information:
1. Documentation showing that a minimum of five (5)
consecutive entries have been released by FDA based on
third party laboratory analyses using FDA recommended
methods and that all shipments did not contain the
presence of melamine and/or melamine analogs.
AND
2. Certificate, such as from AQSIQ, indicating that an
inspection of the manufacturer was conducted and
adequate controls are in place. Information should
also include:
a. Copy of the inspectional reports and compliance
status of the manufacturer.
b. If products were sampled during the course of the
inspection, test results indicating that the
products are free of melamine and/or melamine
analog.
All requests for removal (exemption) from DWPE will be forwarded
by DIOP to CVM (HFV-230) or CFSAN (HFS-606) for
evaluation depending on the intended final use in animal
or human food.
PRIORITIZATION
GUIDANCE: I
FOI: No purging required
KEYWORDS: Feed, pet food, human food, melamine, gluten, protein,
concentrate, rice, wheat, corn, soy, mung bean
PREPARED BY: Cathie Marshall, CVM, HFV-232, 240-276-9217
Salvatore Evola, CFSAN, HFS-606- 302-436-2164
Linda Wisniowski, DIOP, HFC-172, 301-443-6553
DATE LOADED
INTO FIARS: April 27, 2007
ATTACHMENT
Firms and products exempt from detention without physical examination
(Currently there are no firms listed in the attachment)
April 30th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
wow. finally.
April 30th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
I agree Donna. It’s about time.
April 30th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
This is what I wanted. I am so happy I could probably cry tears of joy for the first time in a very long time. Now, if the media will just report those FDA numbers too.
April 30th, 2007 at 11:09 pm
Well its a start. But I believe the numbers are a lot higher. I hope they update as things progress.
So why isn’t the TV news reporting this? Has anyone heard this update on TV?
April 30th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
I hope to h-e-doublehockeysticks this makes the news! It’s about time!
April 30th, 2007 at 11:15 pm
That number is still quite low and we’ll never know the true scope of the thing…BUT maybe it will make some folks sit up and take notice.
I wonder how they arrived at that number?
April 30th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
This is definitely progress. A more realistic reported pet death toll is what we’ve been working toward, for weeks. Still, to see it in writing and knowing this many (and so many more) real people and pets were affected is heartstopping. Rest in peace, little friends.
April 30th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
And look! Corn and soy made the list! About damn time.
April 30th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
I am very happy to see this, a little prgress at last :)
April 30th, 2007 at 11:22 pm
My local news station is doing an “investigative report” on the pet food recall. But they are just now reporting the story that the Menu foods CEO sold a considerable amount of stock just before the recall. That is old news….probably be another week or so before they get to this story, if at all.
April 30th, 2007 at 11:23 pm
I noticed it mentioned 17k consumer complaints - that’s significant - but I agree the death toll they list is low. I’m just glad they finally upped it from 16. SIXTEEN??? Sixteen was an insult to everyone suffering through this tragedy.
April 30th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
I just wrote to CNN that they need to take this story from the World page and put it front and center on their Home page.
I also mentioned that this is about more than pet food contamination. It’s about human food contamination since farm animals were fed pet food that was unusable. I also said that this is a story about the inability of the FDA to protect our food supply and that this is an indication about how vulnerable we are to a terrorist attack of our food supply.
I can only imagine what Al Qaeda is dreaming up after watching how the US has dealt with the pet food contamination.
April 30th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
Ichmo thank you for publishing the #’s and everyone who has tried to keep this alive. I have a sick dog and one who died. Right now the tears are running. Hopefully those who are gone are waiting for us at the “bridge”.
Katie
April 30th, 2007 at 11:32 pm
Sorry, I’m not even half satisfied.
There are holes in this so big you can ship tankers (full of gluten) through them. In the USA Today article it says: “The FDA said Thursday it is inspecting all incoming shipments of rice protein concentrate and wheat gluten from China.”
Question: Why are we ACCEPTING any shipments of grain from China? Until the Chinese gov’t. allows our inspectors in to check every one of the sources, all grains from China should be banned. Period.
Question:Where are these FDA inspectors coming from? We were told that financial cuts made adequate inspections impossible. Now we suddenly have enough to check all shipments?
This sounds suspiciously like typical spin to quiet us all down, as in “Now, don’t you worry your little heads about this. Big Daddy Government will take care of everything.”
April 30th, 2007 at 11:34 pm
mgm - I agree with you, we should not be accepting any food from China. It makes me furious to think that we are still purchasing any food at all from them.
April 30th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
I am crying so hard!
The numbers, well, I admit they should be higher in my opinion but by everything that ever was holy we have the OFFICIAL press release to wipe that “just 16 deaths” insult OUT forever.
The FDA* SAID* they were not going to count our pets.
April 30th, 2007 at 11:46 pm
Thanks Itchmo
April 30th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
Thank you so much Itchmo and to the folks at this forum that have kept us updated and informed!!
Ann H.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:03 am
Too little, too late in my humble opinion. The FDA already have proven themselves fools. They should not be allowing any food product from China into the United States, period. It makes me wonder if they are making a show of checking the proteins from China to divert attention from the fact that there is a history of spiking here in the U.S. as well?
May 1st, 2007 at 12:04 am
I am glad to see some truth here..I am sure too the number is low…who can know the scope of how many were affected all this time…BUT they counted….some to many counted…to me THAT COUNTS !!! 16 WAS AN INSULT but true numbers like my cats…..they got sick WELL before the recall and will never count to anyone but me
May 1st, 2007 at 12:06 am
I was just driving home from work. The news on the radio was that 60 some chicken farms had fed contaminated pet food in January so the chicken has already probably passed through the human food supply.
No mention of the new FDA dead pet count.
No mention of the item being shipped not even marked for pet food
No mention of all the proteins involved or any detention
Made it sound like they found a few more improper feedings but it is long over with. This is our talk radio in detroit which I believe carries ABC news
Nothing on Drudge who has lost interest
Thanks to itchmo for keeping up the news
Hydrosylates are all through processed and fast foods. Hydrolyzed corn, wheat and soy protein is the third ingredient in my Maruchan Ramen noodles
May 1st, 2007 at 12:08 am
We cannot completely stop trade with China. It’s just not gonna happen.
However, I would also consider that it takes quite a bit of time for a container ship to travel from China to the US. I also imagine there are more containers on said ship than just those with tainted rice, wheat, corn gluten, etc.
It’s hard to comprehend how difficult stopping these shipments really is.
But this latest move by the FDA is a step in the right direction. Finally. But I have to admit, it makes me really nervous about the entire human food supply.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:09 am
This is good news. These grains and “vegetable proteins” are presumably exported from China in big mercantile sea-going vessels. These dock in US ports, all of which would presumably have a customs office where the captain has to deliver a ship’s manifest cargo. If it is even seen that there is cargo from China, that vessel’s cargo will be inspected. Unless grains from China are smuggled somehow, I can’t see how contaminated Chinese grains and grain fragments can even make it into mainland USA. So, I must sya that the FDA move to “Detain” all grain imports from China is the next best thing to banning all imports from China altogether. This move will not only help protect us from melamine and other potential toxins, it will also put pressure on the Chinese (government, manufacturers, farmers and middle-men) to step up to world food and health standards if they wish to continue to trade with us and make money. I suspect that it won’t be the guilt over the deaths of American (and S. African) pets and livestock that will force whoever-spiked-the glutens to change; rather, it will be the threat or actual loss of revenue that will do the trick. Isn’t it Despicable?
May 1st, 2007 at 12:12 am
I’m tearing up too (this jumped on me while writing comprehensive letters to Patty Murray and Rick Durbin). At least this is a start.
Note to all - THIS IS NOT A PRESS RELEASE, IT IS NOT PUBLISHED ON THE FDA SITE AS A PRESS RELEASE. It is an Import Ban Order coauthored between the FDA/USDA.
I believe a lot more death numbers will be revealed (because there were more cat than dog deaths - however, they report more dog than cat deaths).
E. Hamilton - your efforts were not without merit.
If you believe that more should be banned in food imports - write your respective senators/congressmen (the list of ingredients being halted were in a letter I sent to Inslee on Apr. 19th - it really does matter).
May 1st, 2007 at 12:12 am
May I add how angry I am that pet food is being made specificallty to feed farm animals
From what I have read ag business is allowed to feed ’surplus’ or ’spillage’ of pet food to farm animals
Pet food meets a lower standard since obviously we dont eat our pets
But the quantities and scope show they are making huge amounts of ‘pet food’ specifically to feed farm animals and thus bypass the higher standards for animals we humans eat
In other words we may well be eating
1. dead pets
2. DOWNER COWS WHO MAY HAVE MAD COW
3. road kill
through our chicken and bacon!
Dirty scoundrels!
May 1st, 2007 at 12:14 am
Banfield animals hospitals.They cover 6% of the U.S. and are international.They estimated ill and deaths at 39,000 a week ago.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:15 am
It is being reported in USA today (as noted on the update to this story). Don’t worry boys and girls, it will get there.
EXPECT THE PRICE OF PET FOOD TO INCREASE (BOUT DANG TIME)!!
May 1st, 2007 at 12:15 am
I am sooo glad to see CNN reporting this that I am tearing up. I know it isn’t over, but still to have somewhat more accurate numbers out there, and to know that the news is beginning to get out to the public, gives me hope that something may be accomplished. Too late for so many beloved fuzzy friends, but hopefully in time to save others. Yes, I pray we will meet them again at the Rainbow Bridge. There is a long list of my precious little departed there.
And now I wonder if my last loss, my dear Tommy cat from sudden kidney failure a few months ago was due to contaminated food. He was a very special friend.
If we all can just find enough safe food to protect our little ones till the scare is over, but with all the garbage out there, I don’t see how it can be over soon, or when I will ever have any trust again.
We MUST NOT LET THIS JUST WITHER AWAY! We MUST keep a spotlight on it!!!
May 1st, 2007 at 12:19 am
On the 11 PM news tonight in NY, they did mention the chickens that were testing positive for melamine contamination that happened in FEBRUARY. They have not mentioned anything else… yet…
May 1st, 2007 at 12:27 am
So this is in the human supply now? I mean, not just the pig feed and chicken feed? It’s in off the shelf products that were made with human grade ingredients?
May 1st, 2007 at 12:37 am
Do you ever eat chicken or pork or bacon and eggs?
Who knows where it is?
Very scary
May 1st, 2007 at 12:38 am
Still want to whale on the FDA a bit?, like to take a vitamin without paying a doc for a script?, go here, read, then fill out the complaint.
The FDA has no business doing something like this proposed invasion of privacy in the first place, I doubt they are up to the job we have just forced them to start doing.
Besides, they need to know we are WATCHING!
http://www.commonvoice.com/article.asp?colid=7095
Direct link to form where you can complain that you don’t want them to do it, or say yahoo if you LIKE having the FDA tell you how to live, your choice.
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/.....AGENCY=FDA
May 1st, 2007 at 12:39 am
Can someone please tell me what CNN is reporting? Did they mention the new numbers? I have had it on CNN for a while now and have not seen anything mentioned.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:40 am
Sorry , my bad
here is a tiny url to the second direct link
http://tinyurl.com/35ftp7
May 1st, 2007 at 12:45 am
Sorry, E - that one probably won’t pass, and am not that concerned about it (this spot was for Pets - not other agendas).
May 1st, 2007 at 1:00 am
Wow!!! I know this is only a first step and there’s still a very long way to go, but I feel like something has finally been accomplished! All those hours on the phone, writing postcards, sending emails, etc… and FINALLY, someone’s actually doing something.
I feel great relief tonight.
May 1st, 2007 at 1:01 am
Just a little lite entertainment for the folks who want to hammer on the FDA some more. As I mentioned, in the first line of the post. I am aware that this is for pets. Duh.
And the issue in question might well sneak in under the radar, since the country is going to want to back the poor overworked FDA in whatever they want in some belated effort to make our food safe.
May 1st, 2007 at 1:08 am
E. The same thing crossed my mind when I read that article. The FDA can’t handle the load it has now and this will only make it worse. Well…if it can get any worse!
May 1st, 2007 at 1:14 am
1) Find the original on the FDA site
2) Beg or borrow a laptop
3) Screenshot the original
4) Go to your local grocer and find products with those ingredients, *human* food.
5) Gather up a good sample in your cart
6) Find the manager
7) Very politely show him the screenshot, and tell him that those ingredients may be contaminated and why is he still selling food with those ingredients?
8) When he says he’ll looks into it, thank him politely, tell him you and all your family/friends/churchmates won’t be buying products with those ingredients anymore, just because you don’t think they’re safe. You just want him to know, you *love* his store, and wouldn’t want them to run into trouble over it. Maybe he might want to talk to his corporate people over this, you know, just a thought….
9) Walk away.
When enough local managers tell enough corporate officers that the consumers are complaining, no matter how politely, that the food isn’t safe, the *human* food isn’t safe, then heads will start to roll. You watch.
May 1st, 2007 at 1:17 am
Wow… finally something more than “there might be something, but it’s probably nothing”.
It only took 8 weeks and a few thousand animals dead. OH… that and the threat of it getting into the human food supply.
Our federal tax dollars at work….at the benefit of big business.
May 1st, 2007 at 1:19 am
The more I think about it, the more I think the Wysong page should have its own entry on Itchmo. I mean, they care so much about our worries, the least we could do is give their page its own blog entry so more Itchmo readers are aware of all the effort they are putting in to quelling our fears.
*warning… sarcasm included in this post
May 1st, 2007 at 1:19 am
E. Hamilton Says: May 1st, 2007 at 12:38 am
You’re not the REAL EH - Go away, TROLL!!
May 1st, 2007 at 1:26 am
Mary, I am pretty sure that was the real EH.
May 1st, 2007 at 1:31 am
OK, If you say so. I just thought is was a strange post.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:36 am
I wish they would have included Whey, Dried Whey, Dried Whey protein concentrate too. It’s in Alot of orphaned animals Milk replacements :-(
And you can’t tell me THOSE products would slip under the Chinese suppliers and manufacturers radar.
I know there are Other similar ingredients that should be on the lists.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:48 am
I think ALOT of American Farmers should prepare ALOT more acreage/fields for Planting this spring and Fast!
There Will be Shortages I’m sure, of some things down the road, IF the FDA does it’s Job right. And That might be a Good signal that they ARE, doing their Job.
Prices will rise too :-(
Already have USA corn devoted to Ethanol…Ag feeds are already going Way up. Sigh.
Wish they’d use other Ag products for it like sugar beets and cane etc.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:27 am
Finally. I do believe that we all made a difference. I, too, am tearing up. Unfortunately our work is not over. We finally have the acknowledgement we wanted. But we have to keep pushing for real change. This is just the start.
I need more people to post their medical costs. So far I only have about a half dozen. I need a *lot* more than that to have credible and useful figures.
I also intend to keep up my letter-writing campaign. After shopping, I come home and send letters to the stores and the manufacturers telling them which products I would have bought but didn’t because they were made in China. Then I tell them which products I did buy instead because they were made in the USA. Then I thank them for the country of origin labeling which allows me to choose where I spend my dollars.
I think we have to let the companies know why we make our choices … and reward the ones that have policies we like.
If this whole thing is all about money, and I believe it is, then every one of our dollars counts.
I’m also writing to politicians too.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:03 am
The Buck Stops Here - Senator Patty Murray of WA State!
Our pets were poisoned thanks to unrestricted trade with China and now our human food supply is tainted, too. Who is the biggest promoter of free trade in our government? Senator Patty Murray of Washington state. Check it out on her own website. All that seems to matter to her is the huge amount of money free trade with China brings to the elite of Washington State. (Don’t blame most of us WA state residents: the money does not trickle down!) And don’t blame the average Chinese citizen, either. They are being poisoned, too, and their honest exporters’ websites had warnings about cheap, contaminated grain proteins as far back as 2005. The ethical Chinese business people are also being hurt by the criminals that have taken over our foreign trade system.
Here is a link to Senator Murray’s web page about her position on free trade:
http://murray.senate.gov/trade/trade-work.cfm
And here is her e-mail page so you can tell her how trade with China is currently impacting you:
http://murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm
Please let Senator Patty Murray know that we demand fair and safe trade!
May 1st, 2007 at 5:58 am
Okay now I am crying too, I am a little late Iknow but I went to bed last night pretty earlier compared you all. I have bags ontop of bags under my eyes from crying everytome I talk about this at work tryingto get the news out I well up, from all the anger and heartache I fee about this mess and how much I believein spreading hte news.
Anyway I am grateful the number is finally in the thousands and I still think the postcards are arriving today and tomorrow, fingers crossed. If I did it and I hardly ever do anything. I know alot more people than you think did. if they were able.
Time to go get ready for work.
PS any word yet on Kumpikat my kids have been on strait people food since Friday night after last relapse. I know they can go at least a week without cat food or at least Geisha did when she spent 2 weeks on baby food trying to recover from and URI.
May 1st, 2007 at 6:47 am
I think the number of dead is still low because 1) a lot of people were probably never able to get through to FDA and 2) a lot of people didn’t bother. I doubt that even as much as 25% of pet deaths are actually documented.
But we’re getting there. We just need to keep hammering at them.