Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
United Evening News / Reporter Peng Xuan-Ya / Taipei Report
March 13, 2012, 3:56 PM
Domestic pig farmers have been found using the more toxic banned drug salbutamol (a type of lean meat powder). To ensure the safety of pork consumption for the public, the Council of Agriculture (COA) convened a meeting in the afternoon with local governments, meat auction markets, and pig farming associations to discuss countermeasures. Starting tomorrow (the 14th), pig farmers will be required to sign a "Declaration of Non-Use of Beta-Agonists in This Farm." Failure to comply will result in the meat being barred from market sales.
According to COA statistics, there are approximately 9,800 pig farms in Taiwan, raising a total of 6.26 million pigs. Hsu Kuei-sen, Director of the COA’s Animal Industry Department, stated that meat markets can process 24,000 to 25,000 pigs per day. Requiring farmers to sign a "pledge" is a more drastic measure by the government, but if farmers refuse to sign, the meat markets will absolutely not accept their pigs. Those who do not sign will have their names publicly listed to strengthen control.
Hsu Kuei-sen mentioned that farms with past records of drug violations or pigs with unusually attractive and muscular physiques will be specifically "targeted for inspection." If banned substances are detected, the farmers will face severe penalties to ensure consumer safety. Today, a meeting will be held with pig farming groups and local governments to discuss implementation details.
Hsu Kuei-sen explained that before pigs can be sold at markets, farmers must apply for shipment registration through agricultural associations, pig cooperatives, or cooperatives. However, a common criticism in the past was that by the time meat markets detected banned substances in a batch of pork, it had often already been consumed. Now, the COA is changing its approach by conducting inspections 3 to 7 days before farmers apply for sales, allowing problematic pork to be intercepted at the market in time.
Huang Kuo-ching, Deputy Director of the COA’s Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, reported that from March 8, inspections were conducted at 43 pig farms in Pingtung, collecting 185 hair samples and 190 blood samples. Two farms failed the tests, both repeat offenders, including one using the more toxic salbutamol. Additionally, out of 293 samples tested at 10 meat markets, one from Yunlin was found non-compliant. The farm owners will be penalized according to the law, and problematic farms will be placed under movement restrictions for two months until no toxins are detected in hair samples before being allowed to resume operations.
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ NATIONAL/ NATS4/ 6958779. shtml#ixzz1p0WWO2Q7
"Zero Lean Meat Powder" Pledge Required for Pig Sales
March 13, 2012, 3:56 PM
Domestic pig farmers have been found using the more toxic banned drug salbutamol (a type of lean meat powder). To ensure the safety of pork consumption for the public, the Council of Agriculture (COA) convened a meeting in the afternoon with local governments, meat auction markets, and pig farming associations to discuss countermeasures. Starting tomorrow (the 14th), pig farmers will be required to sign a "Declaration of Non-Use of Beta-Agonists in This Farm." Failure to comply will result in the meat being barred from market sales.
According to COA statistics, there are approximately 9,800 pig farms in Taiwan, raising a total of 6.26 million pigs. Hsu Kuei-sen, Director of the COA’s Animal Industry Department, stated that meat markets can process 24,000 to 25,000 pigs per day. Requiring farmers to sign a "pledge" is a more drastic measure by the government, but if farmers refuse to sign, the meat markets will absolutely not accept their pigs. Those who do not sign will have their names publicly listed to strengthen control.
Hsu Kuei-sen mentioned that farms with past records of drug violations or pigs with unusually attractive and muscular physiques will be specifically "targeted for inspection." If banned substances are detected, the farmers will face severe penalties to ensure consumer safety. Today, a meeting will be held with pig farming groups and local governments to discuss implementation details.
Hsu Kuei-sen explained that before pigs can be sold at markets, farmers must apply for shipment registration through agricultural associations, pig cooperatives, or cooperatives. However, a common criticism in the past was that by the time meat markets detected banned substances in a batch of pork, it had often already been consumed. Now, the COA is changing its approach by conducting inspections 3 to 7 days before farmers apply for sales, allowing problematic pork to be intercepted at the market in time.
Huang Kuo-ching, Deputy Director of the COA’s Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, reported that from March 8, inspections were conducted at 43 pig farms in Pingtung, collecting 185 hair samples and 190 blood samples. Two farms failed the tests, both repeat offenders, including one using the more toxic salbutamol. Additionally, out of 293 samples tested at 10 meat markets, one from Yunlin was found non-compliant. The farm owners will be penalized according to the law, and problematic farms will be placed under movement restrictions for two months until no toxins are detected in hair samples before being allowed to resume operations.
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ NATIONAL/ NATS4/ 6958779. shtml#ixzz1p0WWO2Q7