European Union-Parting Shot from Bush team.

EUROPEAN UNION.

PARTING SHOTS FROM BUSH TEAM.

The outgoing US administration, fired a parting shot or two in the European Union over the current trade tensions, relating to hormones in beef and chlorine washed poultry.

Days before the Bush administration steps down, they are again challenging the European Union on restrictions on poultry and beef imports.

The was a time when the US said jump, the world would reply how high, those days now are distant memories in the global meat industry. The United States USDA and FDA, have been proved to be sloppy at best on health and safety matters, in regard to meat processing.

Since being allowed back in to the market of South Korea after a 5 year ban. There have been 17 recorded health violations on meat exported, causing the ban to be re-imposed then lifted on two occasions.

Even Russia who are not the most hygienic players in the meat industry, have banned 26 different US beef plants in 2008.

The United States Trade Representative, Susan Schwab, claimed that the poultry from the USA was indeed safe, despite the use of chlorine in the carcass wash.

Veterinarians from the EU however rejected her claims.

In May of last year EU Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen, insisted that poultry from the USA not be rinsed in chlorinated water, a simple request. The USDA got on a high horse and refused. The use of chlorine is to make the poultry appear very white in effect a slight bleaching that has been done for 50 years but now outlawed in the European Union.

The dispute over growth hormones in cattle has been going on for 10 years. The US use growth hormones in cattle, yet send Olympic athletes to prison for doing the same, while in the European Union hormones in livestock, have been banned for 15 years.