Pig farmers protest against opening to toxic beef; livestock farmers pelt agriculture council with eggs
Editor's note:The government quickly announced a conditional lifting of the ban on ractopamine. Today (3/8), pig farmers headed north to protest, with the following demands: 1. Require zero detection of ractopamine in imported meat; 2. Implement total volume management at 6 million pigs 3. When pig prices fall, activate the 95 mechanism to cull sows and piglets 4. Expand the agricultural budget 5. Do not invite scholars to hold meetings before the Legislative Yuan amends the law, to avoid each side offering its own interpretation. Reporter Lu Yirong filed a complete report from the scene. In addition, NewsMarket will publish on Monday a report by senior journalist Wang Wenhao on the actual situation of domestic implementation of food safety regulations.
Pleading for the industry: Pig farmers' association reaches preliminary consensus with the Council of Agriculture
The issue of American beef has caused panic among pig farmers, who fear that once beef containing ractopamine is allowed, pork will be liberalized as well, severely hitting Taiwan's pig farming industry. On the 8th, pig farmers from all over the country called for a protest in the north. Nearly 5,000 pig farmers from across Taiwan gathered in front of the Council of Agriculture, demanding that Minister Chen Baoji come out to talk with them. But because Chen Baoji was at the Legislative Yuan for questioning and could not come, the pig farmers were furious, charging the Council of Agriculture several times, even breaking through the barricades, and many people were arrested in the clashes.
Pig farmer Guo Wenjin from Miaoli said angrily that the government first said zero detection, then suddenly said 10 micrograms, which was simply deceiving the public. Because Taiwan had an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease more than a decade ago, pig farmers have been very self-disciplined ever since and would not use ractopamine. "This is not only for the industry, but also for public health. But today the government says it wants to open up, which makes us truly angry."
"Our own pig farmers' association has self-cleansing rules; once ractopamine is used, there is a heavy penalty." said Zhang Shengming, chairman of the Changhua Pig Farmers' Association. "Changhua's pork ranks third in the country. This is the result of our long-term efforts, but when the pig farmers' association has already worked so hard to maintain meat quality, the government instead asks everyone to lower quality."
"Using feed mixed with ractopamine can shorten the raising time for pigs and lower costs. Once imports are opened, it is likely to hit Taiwan's pig farming industry." said Wang Zongxian, a pig farmer from Yunlin. Now the price of a 100-jin pig has dropped from more than 7,000 to 5,600, so raising one means losing money on one. If lower-cost pigs are then imported, Taiwan's pig farmers simply will not survive.
As for the government's promise of "separation of beef and pork," Wang Zongxian said bluntly that it was simply a lie. Zhang Shengming also questioned how separation could be possible once imports were opened.
Although the public questioned that "separation of beef and pork" was only a slogan, on the 8th Economics Minister Shih Yen-shiang stressed during questioning at the Legislative Yuan that because there is currently no international standard for ractopamine residue levels, member states may set their own levels of protection and control measures based on scientific evidence, so "separation of beef and pork" would not violate WTO rules.
Shih Yen-shiang also said bluntly that because of the beef import issue, the "Taiwan-U.S. bilateral institutionalized consultation mechanism" (TIFA) meetings between Taiwan and the United States had been interrupted. "If the beef import problem can be solved, TIFA resistance will be reduced by more than half." He also stressed that he had not sacrificed the health of the people, because "there is currently no scientific evidence showing that ractopamine is harmful to the human body."
Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Baoji also stressed that ractopamine is still a banned drug and may not be detected under law, and the Department of Health would also strengthen inspection work. He also said that from the standpoint of the Council of Agriculture, ractopamine is safe and usable as a feed additive, and as for opening imports later, the Council of Agriculture would also do its best to provide guidance so that Taiwan beef and imported beef have market segmentation. He stressed that in recent days, because of the ractopamine news, Taiwan beef sales had actually grown, and opening imports would not necessarily hit the industry.
As for whether "separation of beef and pork" could be achieved, Chen Baoji also stressed, "During my term, I will definitely block it, and I also hope Taiwan's pork can always maintain quality and not use ractopamine." Pork prices had fallen badly, and he explained that this was because pork prices had been good in the previous two years, pig farmers increased production, and that brought prices down. "We have also constantly required pig farmers to do a good job of total volume control."
However, regarding the Economics Ministry's view that American beef had obstructed the TIFA process, Zhang Shengming retorted that the pig farmers' association had always supported the government joining any international organization and opening trade platforms with other countries. "But we refuse to let the government trade away the people's health and the industry. If we are to join, it should be achieved through diplomatic negotiations, and the industry should not be made to bear the blame for obstructing economic development."
Pig farmers also demanded that Chen Baoji come out and explain clearly to eliminate their doubts. But because Chen Baoji had gone to the Legislative Yuan for questioning and was not at the Council of Agriculture, the pig farmers angrily threw eggs at the Council of Agriculture. Afterwards, Xu Guisen, director of the Council of Agriculture's Department of Animal Husbandry, came out to meet the pig farmers and hoped the pig farmers' association would send representatives inside for consultations, but the pig farmers refused, insisting that Chen Baoji appear, and clashed with police a second time, even pushing over the barricades and rushing into the Council of Agriculture.
With the two sides at a standoff, Deputy Minister Wang Zhengteng finally came out and invited representatives of the pig farmers' association inside for consultations. After half an hour of talks, the Council of Agriculture made five commitments, including maintaining zero detection of ractopamine before the Legislative Yuan completes the legal amendment, and the Council of Agriculture arranging a budget to respond to future shocks to the livestock market, and the Council of Agriculture also said it would no longer hold advisory meetings. Pan Lianzhou, the spokesperson for this event, also stressed that although they were not satisfied with the talks, they could accept them, "but if KMT legislators do not support the legal amendment in the Legislative Yuan, the pig farming alliance will also protest at the KMT caucus."
As for whether they would change their stance and support opening up American beef containing ractopamine, Pan Lianzhou stressed that they absolutely opposed it to the end. Xu Guisen also stressed that although the Executive Yuan said it would open conditionally, it still had to pass the Legislative Yuan, and follow-up legal amendments would be left to the Legislative Yuan.
(This article is simultaneously published on the author's blog)
Oppose ractopamine! Pig farmers throw eggs at the Council of Agriculture
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