Background and FAEA Program:  Worldwide, not all countries adopt or abide by Codex, OIE (World Organization for Animal Health), and IPPC (International Plant Protection Convention) standards.  In some cases, the standards are set without full knowledge and understanding of the science that supports or does not support them. In other cases, a country may adopt strict standards in order to protect domestic producers from competition with imported products.  In both cases, the consequences can negatively impact trade (imports) and limit or negate access to those markets for U.S. food and agricultural products, including meat, poultry, soybeans, feed grains, and dairy products.  Of course, this also can impact the use of inputs (e.g., vaccines, antibiotics, pesticides, feed additives, etc.) commonly recognized as safe for use in the production of animals and plants in the U.S.

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In those cases where a country establishes and enforces standards that are not science-based and/or trade-restrictive, FAEA works to educate the relevant authorities to influence changes through participation in committee meetings, workshops, seminars, and other venues so that they comply with internationally recognized standards and standards-setting bodies.  Our FAEA Codex Coordinator also gathers intelligence and reports on Codex issues of interest to FAEA through her network of contacts in the U.S. and internationally.  We use this information to intervene with education and other activities.  She also identifies foreign officials that support U.S. positions at relevant Codex committee meetings and makes arrangements for FAEA to sponsor their participation.  There are six Codex committees/task force of greatest interest to FAEA:

• Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (CCCF)

• Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA)

• Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH)

• Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR)

• Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF)

• Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (TFAMR)

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Results:  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most if not all Codex committee meetings scheduled for 2020 were postponed.  The FAEA Codex Coordinator is interacting with her contacts and submitting monthly reports that are posted on this website under “News”.

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Next Steps:  Nigeria – FAEA will sponsor one official from the Nigerian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to participate in the 25th session of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF) that will take place from 07/12/2021 to 07/16/2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. 

 

Africa and Asia - FAEA will sponsor up to four people from Africa and/or Asia to appropriate Codex committee meetings throughout 2021. We do not know at this time the specific committees or target markets.

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Updates: The FAO/WHO is accepting Codex Trust Fund Applications (Round 5) until December 15, 2020.  All information can be found at  FAO/WHO Codex Trust Fund