“…No food from either company should be allowed entry to American Samoa as an edible product until standards are elevated to those mandated by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulations.”
That’s the conclusion of a report by the US certified veterinarian, Dr. Barbara Kahl, after an inspection of Samoa’s commercial egg farms, Ah Liki’s and Sunshine Pacific Farms in October last year.
Dr. Kahl and Aileen Solaita, head of the Environmental Health Division of the Department of Health, inspected both farms during the time the Samoa talks were held in Apia last year.
On October 17, 2022, in an email addressed to the Director of Health-Motusa Tuileama Nua, Director of Agriculture-Solia Mutini, Lt. Governor-Talauega Eleasalo Ale and Aileen Solaita, the veterinarian wrote, “I find in my unofficial evaluation that neither producer should be allowed to send food to American Samoa.”
1. The Samoan government has not filed as an exporter to the U.S. through FDA or FSIS. This is MANDATORY before any food can be shipped here for commercial use or in larger quantities of personal use.
2. Neither facility met FDA or Food Safety and Inspection Service standards, as written in Federal Code.
3. Food borne illness is highly likely in any product from Ah Liki.
4. Food borne illness is likely in some eggs from Sunshine Pacific.
5. Sunshine Pacific produce harvest or packaging was not witnessed. I cannot comment on pathogens acquired via harvesting or packaging.
“In any event, no food from either company should be allowed entry to American Samoa as an edible product until standards are elevated to those mandated by the USDA and FDA regulations.”
Director of Agriculture-Solia Mutini has seen a series of questions we’ve sent him about the pallet of eggs from Sunshine Farms, but has yet to respond.
Meanwhile, a story in the Samoa Observer carries a letter from the Samoa Consul General in American Samoa, Fata Brian Kaio, which refutes a story originating from our news website, “Talanei” that USDA has ordered that the pallet of eggs be destroyed.
Our story was quoted by Radio Polynesia in Samoa.
In his January 30, 2023, letter, Fata writes that he received a number of inquiries regarding the news item on Radio Polynesia “claiming that a shipment of eggs by Sunshine Farm, from Samoa last week was declared contaminated by border authorities and destroyed.”
He said, “I called on the Acting Director of the Department of Agriculture Mr. Mamea Siauini Taala for clarification and the following was confirmed:
1. The news is unfounded and untrue;
2. Last week’s shipment was released to all clients that made orders. No shipment was withheld or destroyed due to contamination;
3. To date, no complaints were ever received by DOA from retailers/buyers since the commencement of import of eggs from Samoa after the Atoa o Samoa, October 2022;
4. DOA is aware of plans by Sunshine Farm to temporarily pause export given the need to replenish large volumes of stock as it continues demand pick up after COVID-19. The Ah Liki Farm is one of the two certified exporters to Pago Pago but have not commenced export for the same reason.
He goes on to say that Samoa News visited his office on the same matter and he’s shared with their reporter the same response, which is the official advice from DOA.
Followers of Talanei can read for themselves our reports about the pallet of eggs to ascertain the accuracy of what the Consul General stated in his letter about what we reported.
We can report that vet, Dr. Kah, has been in communication with the USDA concerning the egg imports from Samoa.
Our questions to the Director of Agriculture Mutini, who’s traveling with Governor Lemanu and most recently seen at a gathering with Samoan soldiers in Fort Bragg, seek an explanation on the Dept. of Agriculture’s role in the importation of eggs from Samoa.
DOA was the consignee for the questioned pallet of eggs and there are appearances that it distributes the eggs locally. We’ve checked with the Dept. of Commerce and there’s no business license issued to Sunshine Farms or the owner, Frankie’s.
When asked for his input, Director of Health-Motusa Tuileama Nua said that a meeting with Customs and the Attorney General’s Office would discuss the egg imports, and he supports the report by Dr. Kahl.
