Farmers may use animal by-products in feed again

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Independent

Farmers may use animal by-products in feed again
The European Union is keen to reintroduce practices banned on farms since the 'mad cow' scandal broke
By Susie Mesure
Sunday, 22 May 2011

Controversial practices for the feeding of livestock not seen since the days before mad cow disease rocked the nation could be reintroduced after a change of heart in Brussels.

MEPs will vote this week on whether to lift the ban on feeding animal by-products to pigs, chickens and farmed fish. They have been urged to back the move by an influential EU committee, which called in a recent draft report for the feed ban to be revised.

The document, from the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, stops short of altering the status quo on cattle feed, pointing out that because cows are vegetarian they should not be fed so-called "processed animal proteins" (PAP). The same goes for sheep.

The potential U-turn comes as concerns escalate about how the world will continue to feed itself against a backdrop of rapidly inflating food prices and a soaring population. At the moment, animal feed producers import vast quantities of soya from countries in South America, grown on land that could otherwise be used to feed people living there. Demand for soya-based animal feed is also fuelling the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.



Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/farmers-may-use-animal-byproducts-in-feed-again-2287441.html

[ElsewheresDaughter]

1. of course the Rapture didn't happen so now they have to kill them all instead

[aquart]

2. Well, there's a bad idea.

[Historic NY]

3. Wonderful even more people will not be able to donate blood.

[dixiegrrrrl]

15. Can you explain that a bit more for me, pls? I am totally unaware of that issue.

:hi:

[KewlKat]

16. You can read about it at the Redcross link below

Travel outside US - If they are going to lift the ban, then it would seem the red cross would have to exclude more donors as they already have below.

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements/eligibility-criteria-alphabetical-listing#arc5

[otohara]

4. Gross

I am surprised by this ... Prince Charles HELP

[robinlynne]

5. The soy in Brasil is not going away, whether or not they use animal by-products.

That land will never be cultivated in any way other than a monoculture. All of Brasil is planted that way. Monoculture is one of the many reasons for poverty. people in rural areas, instead of growing food for themselves, grow one product. They sell it for peanuts, and buy food for themselves at a very high cost.

[Scottybeamer70]

6. just one more reason

I'm a vegetarian!!

[avaistheone1]

9. Me too.

:toast:

[Javaman]

14. Not me. I just don't eat factory farm beef. that stuff is poison.

I get mine from a local farmer who raises his own feed and pasture raises all his steers.

[Boudica the Lyoness]

7. Just when I think people can't get any stupider

I haven't eaten meat since 1974.

[flvegan]

8. Concerns about how the world will feed itself? Simple.

Eat less meat. The conversion of plant food calories into meat food calories is simply stupid, and in time unsustainable.

[glinda]

13. They are growing meat in petri dishes now though....

[sce56]

10. I left Germany in 1983 and to this day I can not give blood due to Mad Cow!

[eppur_se_muova]

11. Well, no one's died *recently*, so it must be OK.

When I say "no one", I mean "not too many".

[plumbob]

12. Yes, and NONE of the "right" people at all!

Simplicity itself! When only peons pay, it's all okay!