Chinese dairy farmers bear brunt of scandal’s wrath
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Chinese dairy farmers, the lowest on the milk production totem pole, used to be able to milk their cows at home. Now they have to travel, sometimes miles, to the nearest milk collection station with their cows because of safety requirements. It’s a change that follows international public criticism and anxiety over a milk contamination crisis that has killed four babies and sickened 54,000 others --- considered the worst Chinese food safety crisis in decades.
The Times’ John Gilonna offers a glimpse into how the farmers are dealing with the mess:
Moving to stem the scandal, Chinese officials now require producers to track raw-milk purchases back to the farmers. Monitors have also been sent to larger farms.Officials announced standards for allowable levels of melamine in milk and other food and have encouraged whistle-blowers to report violations.
The milk contamination led China’s food safety chief to resign, and other officials have lost their jobs. In tiny Panzhuangzi, a dozen villagers gathered recently to rue the new collection rules. Plummeting demand has forced some farmers to feed the unwanted milk to other animals and sell their dairy cows. All because of melamine -- san ju qing an -- a chemical they’d never heard of until the scandal. The new rules have created an unlikely rush hour in this enclave of 400 families, as farmers hit the road twice a day with their prized cows. Pandemonium rules, the skittish, 1,200-pound animals bolting from passing cars and motorcycles and often dragging their helpless wards into the adjacent cornfields. For days, Gao, 58, walked with a limp after being kicked by a terrified cow. But what hurts more, he says, is being considered a criminal by consumers in his own country.
-- Francisco Vara-Orta