US Using Codex Alimentarius to Force Europe to Allow Carcinogenic & Neurogenic Drug in Animal Feed

Ractopamine causes cancer in humans, and misery to the point of death for animals. Yet, Codex Alimentarius is pushing for its worldwide use, and the United States is behind the push.

by Heidi Stevenson

31 January 2011

Ractopamine is a drug used to increase muscle mass in animals and known to cause cancer and neurological disorders in humans. Nearly every country in the world has banned its use, with the glaring exceptions of the US, Canada, Australia, Mexico, Thailand, and Brazil. But the US wants to sell its tainted meat and poisonous drugs outside the country, so they are pressing Codex Alimentarius to take a stand in favor of ractopamine, which trade agreements will force down the throats of the rest of the world.

Europe's principled stand against the drug—and, believe it or not, China's—will end. The entire world will be subjected to pseudo-science that finds no problems with ractopamine, so that Big Pharma and Agribusiness can continue to ratchet up the profits.

Ractopamine

As documented in Drug Banned in China Used to Fatten Animals in U.S., ractopamine is given to pigs, cows, and turkeys during their last weeks of life because it forces their metabolism to make less fat and more meat. It's sold as Paylean when meant for pigs, as Optiflexx for cattle, and Tomax for turkeys.

Ractopamine is considered too dangerous for human consumption—and there is no question that residue from racotopamine remains in the meat that's eaten by humans. It results in misery for the animals, causing hyperactivity and stress. Many die—but apparently not enough to make the stuff unprofitable.

Agribusiness' Problem

Because most countries have representatives in Codex Alimentarius, they didn't initially approve ractopamine. — Yes, it's hard to believe that Codex took the right stand. But, when enough pressure is brought to bear—at least officially and when the evidence is irrefutable—even Codex doesn't always side with Big Pharma and Agribusiness. — So, the US has been putting pressure on Codex, and of course, it's bearing results.

Codex Alimentarius is a joint venture of two United Nations agencies, the misnamed World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Its function is to set rules that will be used among nations with trade agreements. The rules are enforced through trade treaties.

Though officially considered advisory, in reality the "guidelines" it sets up are implemented with stronger controls than most laws. Ultimately, Codex serves its corporate masters, but often, those masters work through governmental agencies, as in the case of ractopamine.

The US lobbied Codex for approval of ractopamine. Thew weren't successful at initial meetings, but they managed to get Codex to hold off on an opinion until European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed scientific information. EFSA found that the reports it was given were inadequate, so went to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) for its opinion. EMEA supported the reevaluation to allow a Codex standard for the maximum residue limits (MRL).

So, Codex managed to get cover to set a world-wide standard to allow ractopamine use in animal feed. They met in 2009 with the intention of setting the MRL—but China forestalled them by submitting new evidence that demonstrated ractopamine residue in feed animal muscles, liver, and kidneys, and high residue levels in lungs. So, Codex was forced to table the adoption of MRL standards.

Now, though, Codex is scheduled to meet again on the issue. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which is pushing for ractopamine MRL standards, will be attending a meeting in Brussels, 10-11 February 2011, with a small group of counties. One wonders what sort of arm twisting will happen there. The USDA will be pushing hard for a solution—and, of course, the only solution they'd consider acceptable is the one that sets an MRL for ractopamine. After all, there's money to be made on the suffering of animals and the slow-developing cancers and neurological disorders that now plague us.

The Purpose of Codex Alimentarius

Codex Alimentarius' website states:

The main purposes of this Programme are protecting health of the consumers and ensuring fair trade practices in the food trade...

However, the health of consumers and ensuring fair trade are in conflict. In practice, the health of consumers takes a backseat to the moneyed interests of multinational corporations and "fair trade" is interpreted according to their desires. That leaves the people and the true representatives of their needs, small businesses, without protection.

Codex Alimentarius acts for the benefit of some of the most rapacious industries on earth. Ractopamine is a banned drug. It seriously harms health, offers no benefit to humans, and makes the lives of animals miserable. Yet, Codex isn't interested in banning it, but only in finding a maximum residue limit that doesn't cause too much obvious harm, so that multinational corporations can profit.

Obviously, Codex Alimentarius plays an insidious role in the oppression of people around the world.

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