APEC Workshop to Promote Uniform International Science-based Standards to Facilitate Trade in Agricultural Commodities
The development and implementation of international standards with a focus on plant and animal health will be the subject of an APEC workshop taking place at Fort Collins, Colorado, until October 22.
The workshop is being organized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) and Australia's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry (DAFF), co-shepherds of the ATCWG's Animal and Plant Quarantine and Pest Management Working Group. It is hosted by the USDA/APHIS Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health.
The workshop will provide over 50 animal and plant health specialists from Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, and Vietnam with an opportunity to learn how international standards are developed and adopted in both the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).
"The development of a common set of accepted international science-based standards is essential for promoting agricultural trade within the APEC community," said USDA Deputy Under Secretary, Dr. Chuck Lambert.
"Increasing awareness and understanding within the APEC region of the OIE and IPPC and their respective standard setting processes will help ensure that member economies use a common set of criteria to promulgate animal and plant health regulations."
Two current international standards are being used as case studies for the workshop: (1) OIE's recently amended Avian Influenza (AI) standard and (2) IPPC's standard on wood packing material (WPM) commonly referred to as ISPM 15. Regulatory issues associated with AI and WPM are both high priorities for many APEC economies. The ATCWG's contribution to addressing these priorities will be an interactive roundtable discussion led by government officials from the United States, Australia, China, and Malaysia. Industry representatives from the U.S. and Australia are also participants.
The U.S.A. Poultry and Egg Export Council and Timber Products Inspection, Inc., have organized field activities to observe first hand the application of international standards guiding safeguards in poultry production and solid wood packing materials. Other participants will include the Australian company Tanda International Pty Ltd. and Colorado State University, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.