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Animal
Health and International Trade Committee Report The
Animal Health and International Trade Committee met on Wednesday April 6,
2005 from 8:00 AM to 11:45 AM, during the NIAA 2005 Annual Meeting in St.
Paul Minnesota, with 31 people present.
Dr. Alfonso Torres served as the Chair and Dr. Bob Kahrs served as
the Vice-Chair. Mission:
Identify current problems with national and international trade by
cross-disciplinary discussions between, government, academia, and industry
and recommend solutions through novel application of information,
communication, and technology. The
following speakers presented relevant information pertaining to animal
health and international trade. I.
Dr. Alfonso Torres, Committee Chairman and Associate Dean for
Public Policy at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine
presented a paper entitled “Update on OIE issues”.
He reviewed the key upcoming changes in the World Organization for
Animal Health (OIE) code chapters, including: disease lists and
notification requirements; the new proposed changes in the code chapter
for BSE, avian influenza, bluetongue and classical swine fever; and the
revised definition of “compartmentalization”, “establishment” and
“enterprise”. II.
Dr. T.J Myers, co-Director, National Animal Health Programs, United
States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Services, Veterinary services, presented a paper entitled “Avian
influenza update”. He reviewed the national and international aspects of
avian influenza and commented on the impact of the new OIE code for avian
influenza in trade and disease control. He also presented to the Committee
a good review of the situation at the Live Bird Markets and the increased
participation of the National Poultry Improvement Program (NPIP) in the
surveillance for avian influenza. III.
Dr. Jay Mitchell, Trade Director for Europe and the Middle East
Region, Trade Support Team, United States Department of Agriculture,
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, International Programs,
presented a paper entitled “General approach to trade negotiations”.
He discussed in general the approach taken by APHIS, other USDA units, and
other US Government agencies in trade negotiations in relation to sanitary
issues on the international trade of animals and animal products. He
illustrated these activities by focusing primarily on the events related
to trade embargoes resulting from the recent outbreaks of avian influenza.
He emphasized that of all the tools available to regain and expand markets
for animal products, of the most effective ones are the OIE codes. IV.
Dr. Alfonso Torres presented a paper on “Update on Hemispheric
Eradication of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD)”. He reviewed the progress
of the Interamerican Group for the Eradication of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (GIEFA)
in the development of an Action Plan to accomplish the goal of eradication
of FMD from the Americas by the year 2009 as defined in the Hemispheric
Plan for the Eradication of FMD (PHEFA).
V.
Dr. Robert Kahrs, Co-Chair of the Committee presented the
paper:”AAVMC Global Initiatives in Veterinary Education:Impact on World
Trade” . He reported on the Association of American Veterinary Medical
Colleges (AAVMC) initiatives in cooperation with the US Army Veterinary
Corps, the AVMA, and a growing list of cooperating organizations on
efforts to veterinary education in developing countries. These actions
will improve livestock health infrastructures, expedite international
trade, and sew the seeds of
world peace by supporting human-animal bonding and reducing starvation. Old
Business: New
Business:
General
discussion: Committee
Session adjourned at 11:45 AM |