chicken raised and slaughtered in the U.S. to be exported to China for processing, and then shipped back to the U.S. and sold on grocery shelves here. Furthermore, the imported processed poultry will not require a country-of-origin label nor will U.S. inspectors be on site at processing plants in China before it is shipped to the United States for human consumption.
Food safety experts worry about the quality of chicken processed in a country notorious for avian influenza and food-borne illnesses. And they predict that China will eventually seek to broaden the export rules to allow chickens born and raised in China.
What’s the reason for this shipping back and forth? It’s like most things: M-O-N-E-Y.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics data estimates that American poultry processors are paid roughly $11 per hour on average. In China, reports have circulated that the country’s chicken workers can earn significantly less—$1 to 2 per hour—which casts doubt on Super’s economic feasibility assessment.
This process is already being used for U.S. seafood. According to the Seattle Times, domestically caught Pacific salmon and Dungeness crab are currently being processed in China and shipped back to the U.S., all in the name of saving a significant amount of money.
So what do we do now?
Well, we can honestly take a page out of the book from China. yes, China. When officials asked chefs and patrons what they were going to do now that these imported chicken wings were found to have coronavirus on them, they said that they would be more intentional about eating local.
So they would:
- Purposely look for locally grown foods
- Stay away from chain restaurants that may have more imported foods
- Be intentional about cooking food grown in their area
- Stay intent on researching where brands are processed and pre-cooked (if applicable)
All of these things combined can help to keep down the spread of COVID-19.