If this wasn’t published in the Petfood Industry trade online magazine, I’d have a hard time believing this. In one month (February 2011) US pet food manufacturers imported over $21 million dollars of pet food ingredients (this dollar amount is assumed to include all pet foods, treats, chews and ingredients) from China.
To be exact, $21,875,696 (US dollars) worth of dog and cat food ingredients, dog and cat food, treats, and chews were imported into the United States from China during February 2011. That’s an increase of 4% over February 2010. (Import dollar amounts stated in the June 2011 Petfood Industry trade magazine.)
Over twenty-one million dollars in one month of pet food related imports from China…yet it seems that no one in the pet food industry is very willing to talk much about Chinese imports. Try calling or emailing several pet food manufacturers and ask them the country of origin of all ingredients. Many will just happen to forget to mention vitamins and minerals are sourced from China.
Over twenty-one million dollars in one month of pet food related imports from China…yet MSNBC.com reported (in 2007) that only “1.3 percent of imported fish, vegetables, fruit and other foods are inspected”.
The USDA researched the most common causes of FDA refusal of imported goods from China. The most common problems cited by FDA – “filth, unsafe additives, inadequate labeling, and lack of proper manufacturer registrations” as well as “potentially harmful veterinary drug residues in farm-raised fish and shrimp”.
If U.S. pet food manufacturers continue to import pet food ingredients, pet foods and/or treats from China – fine. However it should be required of each manufacturer to place a country of origin statement (warning) on the product packaging.
Will FDA or AAFCO ever consider requiring country of origin of ingredient statements on pet food and pet treat labels? I doubt it. History has shown us that regulatory authorities have a greater interest in protecting those in industry than consumers/petsumers.
What should you do? For every food, treat, or chew that you give your pet, call or email the manufacturer and ask them the country of origin of all ingredients in the food or treat; all ingredients including vitamins and minerals. If even one ingredient is sourced from China, you must then decide if that pet food or treat is worth the risk.
Not for my pets.
Thanks to several of you ‘out there’ for sending me the import information article!
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author, Buyer Beware
Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
PetsumerReport.com
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