Foreign Imports

Farms abroad that import here should be held to the same standards as mentioned. Currently, hundreds of farms have been investigated abroad for neglecting animals, destroying air quality, and creating massive water pollution in many natural water systems, thus poisoning their communities (27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32).

Foreign farms are often regulated even less than those in the United States, with minimal or no oversight. The failures of agencies like the EPA and USDA aren’t just occasional lapses; they reflect a broader pattern of institutional negligence and political convenience (33). If we can’t adequately regulate our own agricultural system, it’s difficult to imagine how we’re ensuring that imports from countries with even weaker enforcement are safe, humane, or transparent. Believing that foreign products meet basic health and ethical standards is both unfounded and unsafe.

   Is it possible cartels are paying off inspectors in Mexico or Canada? We can’t ever know those questions, but we can pass national legislation to promote healthier farm products coming into our country at about $213 billion a year(34). This section is important because with the regulations of this bill, farmers may move out of the U.S. to abuse animals, for larger profits. It’s also important because it incentivizes factory farms abroad to stop intensive confinement and animal cruelty practices.

   This section in no way can prevent unhealthy food from getting shipped into our country, but it does create consequences for factory farms abroad who are found to abuse animals or transport poisonous food into our country. Also, by holding CAFO’s to a higher standard we drastically minimize the risk of another outbreak/pandemic (2).  Americans deserve the healthiest food that we can possibly give them, and that cannot happen when imports are coming from suffering and diseased animals.

 Section 7 Legislation

All imported meat, dairy, eggs, and other primary food products derived from farm animals must bear a clearly visible label stating: “Imported from Abroad.”

Any foreign farm that breaks our animal welfare standards or sends products with harmful antibiotics or growth hormones to the U.S. should be banned from exporting their animal products here. Violations can be confirmed by trusted agencies or animal welfare groups.