Traceability – Potentials and Issues –
Traceability – Potentials and Issues – 2009/07/15
Good Day, (le français suit)
Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) would like to keep you informed of traceability news from around the globe. We hope you will find this material current, of interest and applicable. We welcome your feedback.
Canada: FPT Ministers of Agriculture Take Action to Strengthen Sector: *Ministers committed to move forward on a comprehensive national traceability system for livestock and poultry, which is critical for managing animal health and food safety issues, as well as expanding market access and driving efficiencies. They agreed that a mandatory comprehensive national system for livestock will be in place by 2011 and that implementation will be supported by national funding and regulatory framework (*with the exception of Saskatchewan). http://www.agr.gc.ca/cb/index_e.php?s1=n&s2=2009&page=n90710a
Canada: $20 Million Invested in Livestock Traceability: The Harper Government is investing $20 million to build a vital link in the traceability chain that tracks Canadian livestock from the grocery store back to the original farm gate. The funds will be directed towards the new Livestock Auction Traceability Initiative and will come from the $500 million Agricultural Flexibility Fund. http://www.agr.gc.ca/cb/index_e.php?s1=n&s2=2009&page=n90710
Canada: CCA Has Mixed Response to FPT Ministers’ Meeting: CCA President, Brad Wileman, states that the CCA is pleased that $20 million will be invested into the new Livestock Traceability Initiative, but is concerned that the announcement disregards the principles established by producers for tracing cattle. There are other obstacles to overcome before implementing a verifiable, efficient and cost effective national program for traceability. http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2009/13/c5689.html
Canada: National Cattle Feeders’ Association is pleased with governments’ commitment to a comprehensive national traceability system for livestock and poultry: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2009/10/c5574.html
Canada: Canadian farmers are sceptical that a $20 million federal investment announcement to track livestock from grocery stores around the world back to Canadian farms will help beleaguered producers. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090711/canada_livestock_090711/20090711?hub=Canada
Canada: Traceability Matters: The Portage Daily Graphic reports that Canada is lacking in the ability to trace all foods from farm to fork. Developed and developing countries are further ahead of us in establishing traceability programs. http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1645071
Canada: Alberta Successfully Advocates for National Livestock Traceability System: Following two days of federal-provincial-territorial meetings in Ontario, agriculture ministers have committed to implement a mandatory comprehensive national traceability system for livestock and poultry by 2011. http://alberta.ca/acn/200907/2644866030549-DBAC-A977-883113351C4C9E40.html
US: US Government Outlines Stricter Food Safety Measures: The Obama administration has said it will propose new regulations to strengthen the US food safety system. The FDA will issue guidance to the food industry about its role within the next three months. http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Legislation/Government-outlines-stricter-food-safety-measures/?c=9Rm5bLCDn6yOtQyZQGgMDw%3D%3D&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%2BDaily
US: Horse Micro-Chipping Experts Trot Out Benefits: Micro-chipping horses for identification purposes continues to catch on, even while controversy churns over the NAIS intended to improve livestock traceability. http://www.agjournalonline.com/homepage/x135747753/Horse-micro-chipping-experts-trot-out-benefits
US: Agricultural and Food Traceability Conference: The Agricultural and Food Traceability Conference took place on June 9-10, 2009 in Des Moines, Iowa and was a solutions-based conference that focused on state-of-the-art traceability of bulk commodity goods. http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/traceability/home.html
US: S.425: Food Safety and Tracking Improvement Act: A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the establishment of a traceability system for food, to amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Act, the Egg Products Inspection Act, and the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to provide for improved public health and food safety through enhanced enforcement, and for other purposes. http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-425
US: S.425: The proposed legislation would require, “a traceability system… for all stages of manufacturing, processing, packaging and distribution of food. Electronic records identifying each prior sale, purchase, or trade of the food and its ingredients, and establishing that the food and its ingredients were grown, prepared, handled, manufactured, processed, distributed, shipped, warehoused, imported, and conveyed under conditions that ensure the safety of the food. The records should include and electronic statement with the date of, and the names and addresses of all parties to, each prior sale, purchase, or trade, and any other information as appropriate.” http://www.examiner.com/x-13840-FDA-Policy-Examiner~y2009m6d22-S-425-Food-Safety-and-Tracking-Improvement-Act
India: Seafood Exporters in a Fix Over EU Traceability Law: Legislation by the EU insisting that all imported seafood be traceable back to the sources has caused troubles for Indian exporters and authorities. Exporters are concerned that non-compliance of the law will stop all seafood exports to the EU from January 1, 2010. http://www.financialexpress.com/news/seafood-exporters-in-a-fix-over-eu-traceability-law/488410/
South Korea: Beef Traceability Applies to Imports: South Korea intends to impose a beef tracing system on imported beef on December 21, 2010. The requirements for imported beef were postponed until 2010 to allow the domestic system time to work out its own startup problems. http://www.agriculture.com/ag/futuresource/FutureSourceStoryIndex.jhtml?storyId=159100127
Brazil’s Development Bank to Require Beef-Tracking System to Avoid Illegal Amazon Deforestation: The system will be used to trace the origins of beef back to the ranch where it was produced in order to qualify for loans. http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0701-amazon.html
Jamaica: “Mark of the Beef” – Government Mulls Over Tracking Devices for Animals: The Jamaican Government is to spend $29 million on the technology as it develops an animal identification system aimed at reducing farm theft. http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090709/news/news7.html
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