Anyone else heard or Fake News?

[gtr]

I remember close to 15 years ago when we were living in Amsterdam that there was a television program about the lives of cows in the EU. They're born in one country, shipped to another for a month or two and then again and again, all throughout Europe, each time the farms getting subsidies from their country's government. In a few years, they might have eaten at grass in over a dozen countries and traveled 1000s of kilometers (Euromiles). Then they were shipped to Morocco to be butchered and packaged, and then shipped back to supermarkets in the EU. I can't remember how many times the subsidies covered the cost of the meat in the end. In any case, for some reason, the OP reminded me of that.

Going from country to country sampling the local grass - sounds like touring with a rock band. :rockon:

 

[guero_gordo]

My boar bristle shaving brush is made in Italy, but anyone that wants to shave a boar so I don't have to is OK with me, or a badger for that matter

 

[Baychilla]

I remember close to 15 years ago when we were living in Amsterdam that there was a television program about the lives of cows in the EU. They're born in one country, shipped to another for a month or two and then again and again, all throughout Europe, each time the farms getting subsidies from their country's government. In a few years, they might have eaten at grass in over a dozen countries and traveled 1000s of kilometers (Euromiles). Then they were shipped to Morocco to be butchered and packaged, and then shipped back to supermarkets in the EU. I can't remember how many times the subsidies covered the cost of the meat in the end. In any case, for some reason, the OP reminded me of that.

That sounds like some of the beef sold in the US. Raised in Hawaii, finished in Canada then sent to the US for consumption. Or fruits/vegetables grown/picked in California, shipped to Mexico for packaging then shipped back up to the state for sale.:wacko:

 

[guero_gordo]

https://www.agriculture.com/markets...ing-drives-record-us-pork-exports-in-november

 

[SmokeRingsMatter]

Who knew that almost of our antibiotics are from china ? I hope that this corona virus problem amplifies how dependent we are on foreign countries. How did we get there ? America first ? How many more jobs could be created by requiring everything be made or processed in the U.S..... Canada ..... Thanks for the post and awareness.

So many jobs are lost in the US because of this, and also machines. The problem is, it would cost more to be made in USA, and people want cheap, because mostly, we can't afford made in USA, which is partly due to lack of jobs due to things being made in other countries, or by machines.



I hate that i have to buy cheap Aussie grass fed beef tenderloin for $5.99/lb, but i can't afford Prime grade raised in the USA $30/lb beef tenderloin.


Should i just accept that i can only afford to eat cheap cuts raised in the US beef?

 

[marubozo]

There's a lot of exaggerated info about the Smithfield/China thing that's been floating around for a while now. Some is true, like how China bought them and so on.

Smithfield is one of my main suppliers at the restaurant. In fact, since opening I've purchased over half a million dollars of Smithfield pork, both pre and post-China. If the quality wasn't still there, I wouldn't still be buying it.

But what China has done with Smithfield is make it harder and harder to source locally. They are importing a lot of our US pork for their own consumption, and it puts a strain on local food distributors. In fact, January 1st they increased their mandatory purchase minimums for our local distributors, and some had to simply stop carrying it because they don't have the warehouse space to hold their new minimum purchase requirements. And those that can still meet these requirements have had to increase prices.

Because of this I've already had to source new pork shoulder. And I've been told that rib tips are also next to probably go because so much is being allocated to China instead of here. And the past few months I've had to go weeks where my smithfield products simply just didn't make it on the truck even though it was ordered because Smithfield just didn't fulfill their order.

So, read all you want on the internets, but this is what's happening here in the real world with Smithfield.

 

[Baychilla]

There's a lot of exaggerated info about the Smithfield/China thing that's been floating around for a while now. Some is true, like how China bought them and so on.

Smithfield is one of my main suppliers at the restaurant. In fact, since opening I've purchased over half a million dollars of Smithfield pork, both pre and post-China. If the quality wasn't still there, I wouldn't still be buying it.

But what China has done with Smithfield is make it harder and harder to source locally. They are importing a lot of our US pork for their own consumption, and it puts a strain on local food distributors. In fact, January 1st they increased their mandatory purchase minimums for our local distributors, and some had to simply stop carrying it because they don't have the warehouse space to hold their new minimum purchase requirements. And those that can still meet these requirements have had to increase prices.

Because of this I've already had to source new pork shoulder. And I've been told that rib tips are also next to probably go because so much is being allocated to China instead of here. And the past few months I've had to go weeks where my smithfield products simply just didn't make it on the truck even though it was ordered because Smithfield just didn't fulfill their order.

So, read all you want on the internets, but this is what's happening here in the real world with Smithfield.

I've always wondered what would happen if all the foreign owned ranches/farms decided to export everything grown/raised in the US rather than selling it here.

 

[4ever3]

If you really want to be pissed read "Real Food, Fake Food" by Larry Olmstead.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=real+food+fake+food&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss

The FDA and USDA should all be fired.

Just picked this up on your recommendation, 1 chapter in and I’m thinking WHAT!?!

 

[Mike in Roseville]

The honey has been an issue for a while. Those in the industry refer to the cheap Chinese honey as "funny honey." It's actually honey cut with other types of syrups/sugars.


As for seafood and meat, my Korean friend told me a long time ago: "If it says any country other than China on it, the quality and QC is probably good."

 

[Giantswede]

Dude, I think you need to change your handle. I didn’t get a very “Happy” vibe from your post!