The Congressional-Executive Commission on China announced that a hearing will be held on pet treats and processed chicken from China in Washington next week.

The hearing

The hearing will discuss the recent withdrawal of Petco and Petsmart’s decision to stop selling dog and cat treats made in China following the deaths of 1,000 dogs which have been linked to pet treats from China. The topic will include how chickens raised in the United States may now be shipped to China for processing before being sold in the United States. Researchers are concerned that there may be a connection between the domestic outbreak of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus with China.

The concerns

These developments have highlighted concerns over the effectiveness of China’s food safety regulation, the effectiveness of U.S. government regulation of imported foods from China, and the overall safety of such foods. Moreover, they raise questions about whether current labels are adequate in helping American consumers determine when foods or its constituent components come from China.

The speakers

A distinguished panel of experts have been selected to speak at the hearing, including Dr. Daniel L. Engeljohn of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Tracey Forfa, J.D., of the Center for Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Shaun Kennedy of the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota and Patty Lovera of Food & Water Watch.

The hearing will be webcast live at 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM on June 17.

The Commission

The Congressional-Executive Commission on China was created by Congress in October 2000 with the legislative mandate to monitor human rights and the development of the rule of law in China. The Commission’s Chairman, Senator Sherrod Brown has long fought to ensure that pet parents aren’t negatively affected by Chinese food and drug safety lapses. Following an increase in tainted pet treats from China connected to animal deaths and illnesses, Brown repeatedly urged the FDA to take quick action to protect consumers and pet owners.