Bushmeat (including cane rat) seized in Newark

lyniebell, your posting of eating crow inspired me to post this:

CBP Agricultural Specialists Seize ‘Bushmeat’
CBP Agricultural Specialists in Newark Safeguard the Food Supply
05/07/2009

Newark, NJ — Late last month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists at Newark Liberty International Airport seized more than 19 pounds of bushmeat (antelope and cane rat) from a passenger arriving from Uganda via Amsterdam. The origin of the bushmeat is unknown.

In addition to the bushmeat, the passenger was carrying: forty passion fruits, six avocado, fifty two garden eggs and thirty nine green bananas. All of the items were ineligible to enter into the United States based on USDA and CDC regulations. The passenger failed to declare the agriculture items and was issued a $300 civil penalty. This marks the sixth seizure of bushmeat by CBP agriculture specialists in Newark this fiscal year. More than 41 pounds have been seized since October 2008.

Bushmeat is a meat that is commonly obtained from animals living in the forest or “bush” and is at times the only source of protein for underdeveloped nations in Africa. Some common animal types that are classified as bush meat are antelope, cane rats, bats and monkeys.


“CBP agriculture specialists play an important role at our borders by safeguarding the American people from prohibited agriculture products that pose a potential risk to human health and our agricultural resources,” stated Robert E. Perez, Director of Field Operations for CBP in New York.


The Center for Disease prohibits the importation of bushmeat due to the fact it may carry diseases that can be dangerous to humans. The methods used to prepare the meat such as smoking, drying or salting do not adequately kill the viruses that can cause harm to humans.


To learn more about restriction on the importation of agriculture products, please visit the CBP.gov Web site. ( Clearing CBP )


U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/05072009_6.xml

Oh my...that sounds gross! There has to be all kinds of potential health risks from eating that bush meat as well as crow.

And, I wonder what a "garden egg" is? The thing about the crow ad is this person is local and is advertising to come to your property and rid you of your excessive crows free and he'll clean up by taking the mess and the meat because he eats it. Then he puts that link in the ad which tells you how to dress a crow and many receipes for crow.

I thought it was a joke at first but now I don't think it was! Here is the ad:

I'm hoping to try my hand at crow hunting this summer. If you have problem crows that you'd like to get rid of, please contact me. Crow season in NC is every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday of each week from June 1 through the last day of February plus Labor Day. See: http://www.ncwildlife.org/pg02_Regs/2008_09_Migratory_Birds.pdf

I am a licensed hunter, am courteous, and will pick up after myself. I eat what I kill (see: http://crowbusters.com/recipes.htm ).

Thanks!


Also don't the Chinese use weird meat in their food or is that a joke too?