On the last days of his term, George W. Bush slapped a 300 percent tax increase on the importation of Roquefort cheese that is produced in southern France using an old tradition. The possible reason: the European Union ban on the entry of US beef with hormones. This situation, now dubbed as ‘Bush’s War on Roquefort’ adds up on the list of wars for which Bush is known to be fond of.
The outgoing Bush administration defended their stance by saying that Roquefort is just one of many luxury goods that have been affected by this tax increase, such as French truffles, Italian sparkling water, Irish oatmeal, and fatty livers of ducks and geese. Roquefort, of course, suffers from the highest tax increase prompting the cheese producers to see a ban on the product.
The European Union defends its stance against importing US beef containing hormones, saying that it only wants to protect the people from health risks. The EU explains that “The 27 member states of the European Union have a common requirement: the safety of our food and conserving the diversity of our culinary heritage.”
In reality, the US accounts for only a little more than 2 percent of Roquefort imports. So, the current stand-off between blue-veined moldy cheeses and hormone-veined beef carcasses is really nothing more than a battle of words right now.
Via Washington Post
