June 22, 2000

Mexico-U.S. Food Safety Research Conference

Seventy four representatives from organizations such as Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development of Mexico (SAGAR), Ministry of Health, University of Mexico, Research Center for Food and Development (CIAD), and other agricultural and research institute organizations participated in the First Mexico-U.S. Food Safety Research Conference held May 2-3, 2000 in Mexico City, Mexico. Senior scientists from FDA , the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and their counterparts from the National Institute of Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock Research (INIFAP) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development of Mexico (SAGAR) discussed the potential for developing collaborative, mutually beneficial research projects on produce safety. The conference objectives included:

• Sharing of information on federal research strategies, projects and programs;
• Exploring ways of strengthening federal bilateral research;
• Exploring how to facilitate joint projects among faculty at U.S. and Mexican Universities;
• Discussing the role of quasi-governmental entities in participating in bilateral research projects; and
• Identifying mechanisms for leveraging resources

As a result of the Conference, a process was developed to formulate and review workgroup proposals. The following tentative timeline has been established:

U.S. - Chile Seminar on Food Safety

Approximately 75 representatives from government, industry and academia attended a one-day seminar entitled "An Integrated Food Safety System; Processes and Partnerships" held on June 2, 2000 in Santiago, Chile. The seminar provided participants with background information on the U.S. National Food Safety Initiative implementation as a model for Chile.

A session, with key Chilean officials, discussing potential joint food safety projects was also included as part of the seminar.

FDA and the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN), in conjunction with the Government of Chile, held a training program on produce safety, emphasizing good agricultural practices (GAPs), on June 5 - June 9, 2000 for 50 representatives of the Chilean fresh produce industry, government and academia. The program was divided into three segments: 1) Setting Stage (Background on the Chilean Industry, trade and public health importance of food safety, Chilean legislative and regulatory framework); 2) establishing basic definitions (e.g. safety vs. quality) and pesticide registration and safety and 3) good agricultural practices.

The training program included tours of two fruit packing facilities and a clinic for agricultural workers (The clinics provide primary care, emergency care for agricultural accidents and intoxications, and training to agricultural workers.)

Regional Food Safety Meeting for Southeast Asia and the South Pacific Islands Planned

FDA, in conjunction with the Government of New Zealand, will conduct a regional conference entitled "Food Safety Initiatives Influencing Public Health and Trade" on August 15-16,2000 in Auckland, New Zealand.

The conference will provide information on key U.S. food safety initiatives to senior and mid-level representatives from industry, academia and government from New Zealand, Australia, the South Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia. Panel participants will also identify mechanisms by which information can be obtained from U.S. government federal agencies and describe the best routes for communicating questions and concerns to these agencies. Each panel will discuss the implications of their food safety topic for trade, emerging issues, information gaps, research needs, and industry education strategies.

For additional information, contact Camille Brewer on (202) 260-2314.

FDA will conduct dairy farm sanitation and milk safety training, emphasizing on-farm practices, on August 7-11, 2000 in San Salvador, El Salvador. Representatives of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Dominican Republic along with representatives from academia and industry are scheduled to participate. The training program will include discussions of the milk programs of each participating country, dairy farm animal health issues, drug use and residue avoidance, water supplies, milking facility sanitation and construction, control of insects and rodents on the farm and human waste disposal methods, sampling of milk at the farm level, milk cooling and transport, delivery of milk to the plant and administrative procedures (forms and records, enforcement, sampling standards and requirements. A dairy farm tour of local area farms has also been scheduled to provide information regarding practical experiences.

For additional information, contact Heinz Williams on (202) 260-1784.

Since 1984, Congress has made funds available for training agriculturalists from middle income countries, emerging markets, and emerging democracies. This training is referred to as the Cochran Fellowship Program. Training opportunities are designed for senior and mid-level specialists and administrators, from the public and private sectors, concerned with agricultural trade, agribusiness development, management, policy, marketing, and technology transfer. The program is designed to provide high quality training resulting in knowledge and skills that will (1) assist eligible countries to develop agricultural systems necessary to meet the food needs of their domestic populations and (2) strengthen and enhance trade linkages between eligible countries and agricultural interests in the United States.

FDA, working in collaboration with USDA's, Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), will provide training on good agricultural and good manufacturing practices for leaders of agriculture, health, business and government in Central America utilizing the Cochran Fellowship Program.

For additional information, contact Bernice Friedlander on (202) 260-8744.