Grainnet

AFIA President Newman Calls for Rigorous Import Safety Standards and Security Authority to be Returned to FDA and USDA

Rex A. Runyon 703/524-0810

Arlington, VA--AFIA President Joel Newman told representatives of President Bush’s Interagency Working Group on Import Safety on Oct. 2 that all countries exporting to the U.S. should meet the same rigorous and well-established feed safety standards as those faced by companies doing business in this country.

He also strongly advocated to both the Administration and Congress that security for feed and food should be returned to the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Newman expressed support for the Department of Health and Human Services’ efforts to conduct ministerial negotiations aimed at obtaining a memorandum of agreement between the U.S. and China.

AFIA had met previously this summer with HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt specifically to discuss Chinese imports and the significance of those imports on the feed industry.

Following the meeting with Secretary Leavitt, the interagency working group on Sept. 10 released a report outlining an approach to improve the safety of imports as well as to facilitate trade.

Entitled, “Protecting American Consumers Every Step of the Way: A strategic framework for continual improvement in import safety,” the document outlined a strategic framework based on prevention, intervention and rapid response when an issue occurs."

In his remarks on Oct. 2, Newman strongly recommended reallocating the primary feed and food security responsibilities to FDA and USDA as well as providing the necessary funding.

He said that doing so would allow the agencies to perform their duties more efficiently and successfully.

It would further ensure the best possible use of government expertise, while greatly reducing duplicative government services.

AFIA’s CEO also urged better cooperation among the federal government, state governments and industry.

“Collaboration between government agencies and concerned industry is essential to addressing the safety situations we are facing with vastly increasing imports.

"Working better together and coordinating our communications are two important keys in addressing these challenges overall,” he said.

Newman pointed to AFIA’s Safe Feed/Safe Food Certification Program as a good example of an industry-developed program that exceeds regulatory requirements for feed safety.

The independent, third-party auditing program addresses potential safety risks in every production phase in the feed industry chain.

“Programs like this can greatly contribute to the safety requirements essential in restoring confidence about imports and in assisting government with its obligation before the consuming public,” Newman offered.

He called for the review and official recognition of validated industry certification programs, like SF/SF, and suggested that an Executive Order should be issued to that effect.

“Third party certification programs require less oversight and represent a “win-win” situation for government, industry and the consumer.

AFIA will host a National Dialogue on Ingredient Import Safety on Nov. 28-29, 2007 in Chicago, IL.

AFIA has also developed a Feed Trace and Track Connectivity Program which is an electronic program for the transfer and storage of uniform product sales and receipt information for future traceability.

The program provides the feed industry with a unique, uniform and secure, cost-effective tool for compliance with governmental regulations.

For a copy of President Newman’s remarks before the Administration’s Interagency Working Group, information on the November National Dialogue or Trace and Track Program, contact AFIA, 2101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 916, Arlington, VA, 22201.

For more information, call 703-524-0810.