News Release
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Contact: Ben Richey |
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NIAA CEO Conveys U.S. Commitment to Implement
Animal Traceability System MONTREAL,
Quebec –Implementation is underway and the United States will have a
coordinated, national system for animal identification in place by the end
of the decade.
That was the message delivered by Glenn Slack, president and CEO of
the National Institute for Animal Agriculture, to an international
audience last week. Speaking
at a conference on traceability during SIAL, the largest international
food exhibition dedicated to the North American food distribution industry
held every other year in Montreal, Slack said that the U.S. Department of
Agriculture recently confirmed that 45 states have premises registration
capability in place and approximately 55,000 premises have been
registered.
“That’s a small percentage of premises, however significant
progress is evident when comparing these figures to a year earlier.” Slack
said that confidentiality concerns and funding are still being hammered
out, but predicted that such issues would be resolved by an industry that
is largely in consensus on the end goal and determined to ensure rapid
traceability of farm animals. Slack
added that the desire for traceability by food service and retail
companies, such as McDonald’s and Wal-Mart, makes a comprehensive
traceability system appear inevitable, thus highlighting the need for
on-farm identification programs to continue progress. Also
speaking at the conference, Daniel Chaisemartin, representing OIE – the
World Organization for Animal Health, said the push is on across the globe
to establish standardized systems for animal traceability.
“Identification and traceability are considered key tools in the
sphere of animal health, public health and trade.”
Chaisemartin
reported on results of a recent survey among OIE’s 167 member countries
and said an international working group is being formed this year.
He said that OIE will provide member countries with specialized
technical assistance to facilitate the design and implementation of animal
identification and traceability systems. Representatives
from France and Canada also discussed animal traceability at the
conference and industry and government officials from Quebec discussed
identity preservation in grains and processed vegetables. Some
14,000 individuals were expected to attend the exhibition, representing 80
countries.
They included processors, manufacturers, producers, wholesalers,
distributors, importers, exporters, brokers, hotel and restaurant
representatives, caterers, food service representatives, retailers and
members of the media. # NOTE TO MEDIA: Please find
Attached Photo GNS Suggested Photo Caption: NIAA
President and CEO Glenn Slack addresses an audience in Montreal, April 14,
on traceability and animal identification in the United States.
Montreal played host recently to SIAL, the International Food
Exhibition. |