Dr. Peter Daszak's Testimony Before the Select Committee on the Coronavirus Pandemic

Background

On 1st May 2024, four years after the devastating SARS-CoV-2 outbreak that crippled the global economy and population, Dr. Peter Daszak, President of EcoHealth Alliance, was summoned to testify before the bipartisan House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. Daszak faced tough questioning from both Democrats and Republicans about the safety of EcoHealth’s research, his supervision of the Wuhan virology lab, and the delay in sharing information about risky gain-of-function research with federal officials. Reports submitted two years after the outbreak revealed that EcoHealth Alliance was involved in risky experiments in 2019 that increased the pathogenicity of a coronavirus in mice, a method known as gain-of-function research. While the US Government and Regulatory agencies are divided over the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, the narrative of a “zoonotic jump” has proven to be financially beneficial to promote.

USDA's New Regulations and the American Rescue Plan

Following a $300 million grant from the American Rescue Plan, the USDA began implementing new rules for mandatory tracking, tracing, and surveillance through the Animal Plant Health Investigation System (APHIS), using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) ear tags in cattle and bison. The USDA is also proposing a complete overhaul of its APHIS program, dropping “Plants” from its surveillance system to focus solely on “Animal Disease Surveillance,” in the new APHIS-15 proposal, created from the One Health approach.

The New Strategic Framework

The new Strategic Framework, released in February 2022, outlined the agency's plan to “advance surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging zoonotic diseases as directed by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan (ARP). Early detection and response to pathogens with zoonotic potential while still in animals is essential in limiting or preventing human outbreaks.”

RFID Ear Tags and the Meat Industry

The USDA's strict control over the certification program has led to a consolidation of meat processing facilities, with approximately 85 percent of the facilities in the US owned by four multinational conglomerates. The US has become a net importer of beef over the past three years, while US cattle inventories have hit a 50-year low. Despite the recent passage of a country-of-origin labeling requirement, US cattle required to have RFID ear tags are far outpaced by imported beef from countries like Brazil, which do not have similar regulatory burdens.

The Future of Data in Agriculture

The USDA has announced that it will no longer be providing a major cattle inventory report. The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) also announced it’s canceling all county estimates for crops and livestock starting this year, after enduring steep budget cuts from the most recent appropriations bills.

Local, Decentralized, KYC, TRUST

If the goal is truly to reduce the risks of human infection, the focus should be on restoring local, decentralized, and redundant supply chains. However, instead of working with states to rapidly approve more localized processing facilities, the USDA and the EPA are working to shut them down. Eventually, the RFID ear tags will be used as the sole means of tracking vaccinations, GHG emissions, and compliance—a system that has drawn criticisms due to its interoperability and parallels to digital ID, or vaccine passports.

Final Thoughts

The push for global food surveillance might seem like a new development, but it's a story as old as time. It's about compelled compliance and control, a story that begins with planning who has access to the marketplace, and ends only upon redistribution and further consolidation of resources. What are your thoughts on this matter? Do you agree with the steps taken by the USDA and the government, or do you think there are better ways to handle the situation? Share this article with your friends and let's start a conversation. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, every day at 6pm.