O.U.T.R.A.G.E. bus drivers picked up the Chinese dignitaries at the Des Moines airport when their plane landed at 4:55 a.m., then drove them immediately to the Double B pig farm just outside of Story City, Iowa. Phil and Janie Baker, Mike and Donna Osborn and Bobby Cowles had been up early preparing a scrumptious breakfast buffet of ham, bacon, sausage, eggs, fried potatoes, grits, and rice for their distinguished visitors. Shortly before the Chinese delegation had arrived, the Presidential Triumverate had landed in an O.U.T.R.A.G.E. plane; Colin Powell, John McCain and Barack Obama were on hand to greet the Chinese officials when they landed. By the time the bus convoy arrived at the pig farm, Bobby and Lovey had already prepared comfortable accommodations; the visitors had slept on the Chinese government plane and seemed to be refreshed, but - just in case they needed to nap or freshen up - everything was ready and available. Agricultural representatives from several rural provinces in China had come along, but city officials from major metropolitan areas also were part of the entourage. Phil Baker had prepared a stunning laser show for his guests, demonstrating the high technologies used in his state-of-the-art pig farm. The agenda included, after the breakfast and reception, a tour of the farm, Phil's presentation, a panel discussion of how both countries could work together on agriculture issues, and a 'questions-and-answers' hour - all packed into the first day of this important conference. As he pointed out repeatedly during his presentation, Phil Baker was concerned about how America and China would continue to supply much of the world's agricultural products if both countries continued to build more malls, parking lots, industrial parks, office buildings and government centers. "You can't eat asphalt or cement," Baker was fond of saying, "and without rich, fertile farmland, our people may not get enough to eat." It was an irony that such a conversation was taking place in what had been - for decades - the nation that supposedly had warehouses full of food surpluses. China, too, had more than adequate food - for the time being. But looking into the future provided bleak predictions as to how well those overstocks might last. The world was getting smaller, but its population was getting bigger. While everyone didn't have to indulge in all of the world's many indulgences, everyone did have to eat.
O.U.T.R.A.G.E. economists wanted to address one important issue: the influx of food being imported from China. Why, one was prone to ask, would a country like the United States, increase its massive trade imbalance by importing food that its own farmers already produce too much of? The answer, of course, was summed up in two words: corporate profits. WalMart, as well as many of the huge food conglomerates in the U.S.A., had forsaken American farmers in favor of cheaper commodities and packaged foods from China. The Chinese knew that less than 1/4-of-1 percent of the 10 million shipping containers entering the U.S. each year were inspected by an overworked and understaffed Food and Drug Administration. With China's relaxed regulatory processes, America was a prime dumping ground for foods that had not been inspected, foods that were filled with cancer-causing toxins and additives. But WalMart could buy this poisoned junk for far less and sell it at "low prices -everyday" to ignorant U.S. consumers who didn't realize they were eating "cheap" foreign imports grown and processed in countries where farmers, workers, and the environment were heavily exploited. This had to be controlled, Obama warned, "for the health and safety of our citizens".
Another issue that went hand-in-hand with the issues of dangerous food was that of Chinese unfair labor practices. John McCain noted that China now constitutes more than a quarter of the world's total labor force, much of which works in sweatshop conditions for virtually slave wages. "Of course," said McCain, "that's why so many American companies moved to China - cheap labor. But that has not resulted in substantially lower prices for American consumers; it has only boosted the already-fat salaries of these companies' chief executives. We are encouraging China to increase its minimum wage to provide its citizens with an honest income for an honest day's work. Our corporate entities are all but non-existent in the United States. This is the perfect time for China and the U.S.A. to join forces in trying to eliminate the exploitation of employees, and the continued abuse of our environment. We implore you to become partners in a global initiative to better our world for all people, not just the rich, the famous, or the powerful."
Chinese leaders sat in stony silence as they listened to the Presidential Triumverate outline its plans for "a world full of equality". But, as interpreters relayed the message, the consortium of delegates began taking visible interest. As it turned out, the discussions continued well into the night. Phil Baker's plans for a giant hog roast that evening evaporated as the group of about 150 representatives asked that dinner be brought in so they could eat and continue their dialogue. It seemed to be a breakthrough as Chinese and American officials bantered back-and-forth until well after midnight.