~ HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD...? New madness ?? ~

[seedcorn]

I was the biggest concern they had

They obviously had no problems, if you were their largest concern......

There are "heavy metals" and there are "heavy metals". Which ones they are, at what concentrations, etc are very important facts that need to be known before anyone can comment on anything w/any intelligence.

I hate reporting as they only tell about 1/5 of the story to sensationalize what ever it is they want. Prime example was housing for summer months for workers. Local newspaper went in, took pictures of premises after 2 months on the job, places were a shambles. Lead story was how vegetable companies mistreated their labor force. When they answered the charges w/pictures/documentations that the housing was brand new before the labor moved in. Story was dropped and no follow up to explain who did the damage--very small retractions on back page--go figure.

 

[vfem]

Smithfield in NC has had over 300 migrant illegal workers arrested through 2008. Those people worked with no benefits, and some under the minimum wage with no over time pay.

So are you saying ag is the only ones that hire migrant illegal workers? You skipped past the point that they were caught. How many industries (people) are employed every day that aren't caught? Obviously Smithfield (not a fan of them) were looking for them as they had them arrested (300 over how many years, your quote is THROUGH 2008).

Do you ask to see citizenship cards of everyone you hire to do a job? Or to see birth certificates of everyone that you do business with? Ag is just an easy scape goat. Everyone gets overtime pay, benefits are there unless you are part time, try again. So you think it's better to buy imported meats from slave labor countries that don't even try to live up to standards? I agree that family run lockers are better than smithfield lockers which are vastly superior (no comparison really) to imported meats.

Non-farmers owning "shares" in dairies/farms were stopped by the IRS, tax loopholes for the rich. Nothing to do w/USDA.

The point was, the company was never pushed or asked to change their policy!

You're problem is you the wrong words to explain your views, leaving out full points, and you ask the wrong questions... like the one's that don't matter. You make everything sounds like 1/2 faults or one part of an industry or nation is more at fault then another. The usa is equally at fault for what we do here. So I will not feel 'at ease' buying USA made products. There are no stable guarentees what we buy from here is safe or made to be. You make it sounds as if we all bought US everything, there would be no worries about the bad stuff.

 

[seedcorn]

You make it sounds as if we all bought US everything, there would be no worries about the bad stuff.

Where was this stated or implied by me? There are always worries. The most regulated industry (pharms) create more problems than any other industry but they also do the most good (consider all the cancer patients that are alive because of the pharm industry).

What I've been typing is simple. Slave labor countries use heavy amounts of chems that are illegal in USA, use labor that have no environmental concerns, & of course the concept of OSHA/labor laws is lost on them. USA ag products compared to slave labor ag products is infinitely safer and environmentally more friendly. Yet, we the American public, continue to support them and rail against our own. Remember the fresh tomato problems--came from slave labor countries NOT THE USA.

Ag is a easy target as we evolve from slave labor, old, environmentally unfriendly practices, & profits--yes, we want the same things our city brothern have. Ag is an evolving industry, not static.

leaving out full points

What point? I've tried to address every point that had an obvious answer & agreed on the points that make sense (don't want mercury spread anywhere in USA as it is highly lethal). Some points were way to vague to express an intelligent reply to (see answer to heavy metals).

 

[seedcorn]

The point was, the company was never pushed or asked to change their policy!

& U no this how? So should every company/employer be mandated to see citizenship papers before hiring anyone or just spanish (illegal--try racial profiling)? Again, large employer of non-skilled labor is an easy target.

Whereas ANYTHING made in 3rd world countries we KNOW are made w/slave labor, no doubts. Yet, several have defended them while railing against USA companies, go figure.

 

[Rosalind]

So should every company/employer be mandated to see citizenship papers before hiring anyone

YES! I get flippin' tired of small business owners complaining that it's SOOOOO HAAAAAARD to make sure a social security number is valid, to run a $25 background check on interviewees, to ask for ID of new hires, and they should be given a pass because they are Small Business Owners, or Simple Farmers, etc. etc. excuse of the day.

DH is a small business owner. Part of his job is collecting ID from clients to make sure they are old enough to get a tattoo. Many many times, folks here illegally will proudly show him a passport that is either a) obviously fake b) clearly not theirs or c) with an expired visa stamp. DH is an immigrant himself, and had to bust his butt to get here the legal way--took years of applications, re-applications, interviews, certificates from various magistrates to show that he had a business and could support himself. He does not take kindly to folks who don't see fit to do the same.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

Seedcorn said: "Slave labor countries use heavy amounts of chems that are illegal in USA, use labor that have no environmental concerns, & of course the concept of OSHA/labor laws is lost on them. USA ag products compared to slave labor ag products is infinitely safer and environmentally more friendly. Yet, we the American public, continue to support them and rail against our own. Remember the fresh tomato problems--came from slave labor countries NOT THE USA."
---------------------

Are you trying to be obtuse? Being illegal does not stop these chemical companys from SELLING these deadly products overseas because they cannot use them here.....who is at fault here? These same companies that give "these chemicals are safe" speech... all the while...selling to desperate people and they sell this death cheap.

There is are also serious labor problems here in the USA. Take Florida. People are kept lockup and treated like slaves there and the officals there turn a blind eye. How many times do you need to see that on 60-minutes? People locked up, not paid and kept in unimaginable conditions.

These companies are psychopath in behaviour.

Quote:

" The psychopath is one of the most fascinating and distressing problems of human experience. For the most part, a psychopath never remains attached to anyone or anything. They live a "predatory" lifestyle. They feel little or no regret, and little or no remorse - except when they are caught. They need relationships, but see people as obstacles to overcome and be eliminated. If not, they see people in terms of how they can be used. They use people for stimulation, to build their self-esteem and they invariably value people in terms of their material value (money, property, etc..). A psychopath can have high verbal intelligence, but they typically lack "emotional intelligence". They can be expert in manipulating others by playing to their emotions. There is a shallow quality to the emotional aspect of their stories (i.e., how they felt, why they felt that way, or how others may have felt and why). The lack of emotional intelligence is the first good sign you may be dealing with a psychopath. A history of criminal behavior in which they do not seem to learn from their experience, but merely think about ways to not get caught is the second best sign."

Sound familiar? :/

 

[vfem]

The point was, the company was never pushed or asked to change their policy!

& U no this how? So should every company/employer be mandated to see citizenship papers before hiring anyone or just spanish (illegal--try racial profiling)? Again, large employer of non-skilled labor is an easy target.

Whereas ANYTHING made in 3rd world countries we KNOW are made w/slave labor, no doubts. Yet, several have defended them while railing against USA companies, go figure.

You are demanding an awful lot of valid points from people WITH proof to follow. So far you have not provided one link for the validity of your opinions or your comments. I would appreciate if you went back and did so like everyone else who has thus far.

A majority of my points can be found by watching Food, Inc. Pick up the movie and actually watch some... they talk to real people, farmers, politicians and even companies like we are talking about.

I've read several of the links everyone's been posting to the articles thus far, and I am seeing their points and yet you seem to be either misreading or denying what is written.

I'm not going to bother arguing with someone who refuses to look out the window when I say its raining and you say its snow!

 

[seedcorn]

Take Florida. People are kept lockup and treated like slaves there and the officals there turn a blind eye. How many times do you need to see that on 60-minutes? People locked up, not paid and kept in unimaginable conditions.

You say this is going on and law enforcement agency is doing nothing? 60 Minutes reports it and the law does nothing? People in Florida are locked up, unpaid...............funny, I have family in Florida, didn't realize this was so widespread in business in Florida, must be Disney. No wonder my family never came back north, they are being held hostage as slave labor...

Interesting that Johnson & Johnson just had a major security break w/their drugs from slave labor countries & not drugs made in USA.........go figure.

For those citing Food, Inc; when it starts out w/corn is inedible, no need to go any further for all conclusions based on an untruth is pure trash. Watch any cooking show, watch the chiefs go gaga over polenta--which is ground field corn, nothing more, nothing less.

 

[seedcorn]

To Hattie. I apologize as in last 10 posts has varied from your original post.

People need to know more about what is food, where it is coming from, how it is produced. To get people to eat better, they need to see the need. Schools, laws, etc will never stop people from doing what they want to do. Sad state we've gotten into.

Reason I garden; altho my family loves to eat what comes from garden but so far, fail to see the healthiness of it or the quality of it (altho that may be a side issue of my cooking )

 

[Hattie the Hen]

To Hattie. I apologize as in last 10 posts has varied from your original post.

People need to know more about what is food, where it is coming from, how it is produced. To get people to eat better, they need to see the need. Schools, laws, etc will never stop people from doing what they want to do. Sad state we've gotten into.

Reason I garden; altho my family loves to eat what comes from garden but so far, fail to see the healthiness of it or the quality of it (altho that may be a side issue of my cooking )

Hmmmmmm....!?

Conversations often wander -- part of their charm I think......!!!

I think that this whole discussion is actually part of one huge, world-wide problem that needs to be tackled before greedy companies kill off or maim everything & nearly everyone who don't remove themselves from the system. I am an old lady who has watched the world deteriorate around me & listened to people defend the rights of big business to rule our lives in their right to amass fortunes on the backs of the masses. I don't approve & I want it stopped......for the sake of our children , grandchildren & ONWARDS. I am not against progress, I don't just want to turn the clock back. I know the social history of our nations -- I have studied it for years & lived a lot of it in the last 70. In the past there were a lot of places to seek refuge in; to live the life you believed in. Unfortunately there are VERY FEW LEFT where governments/or big organisations with expensive, clever lawyers don't reach.

So don't apologise to me -- it doesn't help anyone! We need to talk; to discuss how we feel & to reach a few more people as we keep airing our viewpoints. This is why I start these threads -- because I want to listen to other people's views -- to find out how others feel, often in other countries than my own.

Hattie