Packed in the US VS Made in the USA.

[Clarence Martin]

Been reading food labels recently and noticed on some containers it will say made in the USA and on some container, it will say Packed in the USA .

Is Packed in the USA just a sneaky way of saying it is imported from overseas ?

[Grant Wilkinson]

Yes. It tells you absolutely nothing about the origin of the product, other than it's not a product that is the produce or manufacture of the US. It's the same here in Canada.

[Myk Rian]

Well, they're sending chickens to China for processing. Then the Chinese send them back for packaging.
That's what this country has stooped so low for. It isn't just chickens either.

[Pat Barry]

Well, they're sending chickens to China for processing. Then the Chinese send them back for packaging.
That's what this country has stooped so low for. It isn't just chickens either.

What do you mean "this country has stooped so low for"? You sound as if you think chicken processing is a top tier job

[Myk Rian]

I stand by my words. If you don't mind even simple jobs going away, good for you.

[Mel Miller]

Well, they're sending chickens to China for processing. Then the Chinese send them back for packaging.
That's what this country has stooped so low for. It isn't just chickens either.

I hate to hear that. Doesn't give me any confidence in food safety or quality.

[Jon Nuckles]

I know this is wondering off the original topic, but I am curious. How can it make economic sense to raise chickens here, send them to China to process, then send them back here? Also, do they ship live chickens to China, feeding and caring for them on the boat? Or do they slaughter, clean and freeze them here and send them to China to cut into pieces? Where did you hear this story, Myk? I admit I am no expert, though I did work two summers at an Oscar Mayer hog plant during college. ;-)

[Myk Rian]

It was a Newsweek story. It hasn't happened yet, but Tyson Foods lobbied, and won approval for it. Strange indeed, but it could still happen even if it makes no sense. It is already being done with seafood.
http://www.newsweek.com/2014/10/10/curious-case-chinese-chicken-import-export-business-273699.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nancy-...b_4871733.html

[Dave Lehnert]

Guess it all depends what foods you are talking about. Pineapples would be purchased in bulk, delivered to the USA and packaged here. Not sure another way to word it on the package.

[John Coloccia]

Guess it all depends what foods you are talking about. Pineapples would be purchased in bulk, delivered to the USA and packaged here. Not sure another way to word it on the package.

"Imported"

[Jim Matthews]

It's an indication of how little it costs to send a container to China.
Most of the ships at Sea are empty, on that return leg.

I've been in a rendering and packing plant - it's brutal work.
We get to pick one of two choices for inexpensive food;
ship it to places with lower labor costs or import low wage labor.

Want it to change?
End the subsidies that make it profitable.

[Jon Nuckles]

Thanks for the link, Myk. Strange web of motivations going on there.

[Larry Edgerton]

I read an article on fish farms in foreign countries a bit ago. In Vietnan the workers lived over the fish farms and there was no septic system. Similar conditions in blocked off fiords in South America for Salmon.

Who knows what we are really eating, scary stuff.

[William Adams]

Actually, China has been trying very hard to prevent empty ships from docking.

This is just the latest method which takes advantage of the structures put in place trying to fill containers heading to China.

[Chuck Wintle]

I am very leery of foodstuffs coming from China since they do not have the same consideration for pollution and safety in food as in NA.