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Politics : Liberalism: Do You Agree We've Had Enough of It? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John Carragher who wrote (67601)	6/30/2009 10:08:48 AM
From: Kenneth E. Phillipps	Respond to of 224729

The danger is that a federal health bill will pre-empt the states power to regulate. That is why no bill is preferable to a weak bill.

To: John Carragher who wrote (67601)	6/30/2009 10:21:21 PM
From: Hope Praytochange	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224729

By LAUREN ETTER and STEPHEN POWER China is expected to ban imports of U.S. chicken in coming days, a move likely to deliver a blow to the struggling American chicken industry and escalate trade tensions between the two nations. James H. Sumner, president of the Georgia-based USA Poultry & Egg Export Council, said he learned Tuesday from "several importers" in China that the U.S. wouldn't receive any import permits from the country's ministry of commerce starting July 1. Mr. Sumner said he has informed the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and that it is looking into the matter. There has been no official confirmation from the Chinese government. Representatives for the U.S. trade representative, the U.S. Agriculture Department and the Chinese Embassy in Washington declined to comment. Mr. Sumner says the potential ban appears to be tied to a provision in the most recent U.S. spending bill that prohibits the USDA from allowing Chinese chicken plants to send poultry products to the U.S. Lawmakers question whether China's chicken processing plants meet U.S. standards. A ban on U.S. chicken would be the latest example of food safety and trade colliding. In recent months the U.S. has been under pressure from lawmakers and trade groups to crack down on goods coming from China. China has responded with allegations of U.S. protectionism. The potential ban could be a big blow to the U.S. chicken industry, which has been struggling with high grain prices and a price-depressing oversupply of chicken. Exports had been a bright spot for the industry, and last year China surpassed Russia as the largest destination for U.S. chicken, according to the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council. "We have gone to great lengths over the past few years to explain to the Chinese that we are not behind this effort and that in fact we are opposed to any restrictive language," said Mr. Sumner, the council's president. "We think the decision should be based on sound science, but apparently we have not convinced everyone because now we are falling victim to their actions." U.S. chicken exporters will lose about $370 million over the next six months if China doesn't resume imports, Mr. Sumner said. A spokesman for Springdale, Ark.-based Tyson Foods Inc., a big exporter to China, said the company has "heard rumors" of a Chinese ban, but "we have not received formal confirmation." Food-safety advocates are holding their ground. China's potential ban on U.S. chicken is "unfortunate," says Tony Corbo, legislative representative at Food and Water Watch, a nonprofit consumer group based in Washington. But "this is really about public health."