Food Traceability Report articles from November 2001

Food Traceability Report archives from November 2001

EU member states balk at endorsing biotech regime.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... European Union member states have given a generally favorable reception to biotech traceability and labeling proposals but refused to lift a three-year ban on approvals of new biotech products. At an Oct. 29 Environment Council meeting in...

Australian feed lots call for mandatory livestock identification.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The Australian Lot Feeders Association is calling for mandatory electronic identification of all 24 million cattle in the national herd under the National Livestock Identification Scheme. Initially, the association had asked only its own...

IP systems called critical to Canadian grain exports.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Systems of identity preservation production and marketing will be critical if Canada wishes to retain its overseas grain and oilseed export markets, according to two University of Saskatchewan researchers. "Canada's advantage in the grain...

Experts debate efficiency of Austrialian IP systems.(identity preservation)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Australia will have trouble selling its grain to the world unless it catches up with North Americans in identity preservation, according to Australian grain specialist Dennis Wise. However, another grain handling expert, Bob Grant,...

U.S. could profit from GM wheat despite customer losses.(genetically modified)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... If wheat producers in the United States decide to grow bioengineered Roundup Ready wheat, they could make money despite the loss of important foreign customers, according to a study by agricultural economists at the University of North...

InnovaSure gets a jump on IP corn products.(Illinois Cereal Mills Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Illinois Cereal Mills, a subsidiary of Cargill Inc., has launched an identity-preserved corn brand that offers a glimpse into the future of grain marketing. The InnovaSure brand combines a rigorous selection of corn hybrids, close...

Australian company considers labeling produce for traceability.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... An Australian produce company is researching the commercial feasibility of labeling fruit and vegetables so that they can be quality graded and traced through the supply chain. John Webster, managing director of Horticulture Australia...

U.S. Codex delegation urged to oppose mandatory GM labeling.(genetically modified foods)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The Grocery Manufacturers of America has urged the United States delegation to the Codex Committee on Food Labeling to oppose any draft standard aimed at mandatory labeling of bioengineered foods. Responding to opposition from the United...

Mandatory biotech labeling bill defeated in Canada.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Legislators in Canada's House of Commons have defeated a bill that would have required mandatory labeling of bioengineered food. The measure, by Liberal MP Charles Caccia, failed Oct. 17 on a 126-91 vote. It would have required all foods...

Uruguay establishes livestock traceability commission.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Uruguay established a livestock traceability commission last month in anticipation of the end of the European Union's ban on meat imports Nov. 1. Appointed by the agriculture ministry, the commission is made up of cattlemen, meat...

EU adopts new traceability and labeling rules for seafood.(European Union)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The European Commission has adopted new rules requiring more detailed labeling and production information about fisheries and aquaculture products. The new rules, which take effect Jan. 1, require producers to include the exact name,...

Canada traces deer and elk with chronic wasting disease.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The farmed deer and elk industry in Canada is tracing the movement of animals in an effort to end an outbreak of chronic wasting disease by the end of this year. CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy similar to mad cow disease. ...

British Columbia salmon fishery seeks environmental label.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Following the lead of the Alaskan fishing industry, the British Columbia Salmon Marketing Council has applied for certification of its five fisheries by the Marine Stewardship Council. Certification means the fishery is carried on in a...

South America expands scope of organic farming operations.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... South American countries are expanding the scope of their organic farming operations. Ecuador, the world's leading exporter of bananas, is rapidly increasing production of organic fruit and vegetables. The number of certified organic...

France creates new 'Agence Bio' to promote organic agriculture.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... French officials have announced the creation of "Agence Bio," a government agency dedicated to the promotion of organic agriculture. Agence Bio will work with the National Federation of Biological Farmers of France and Bioconvergence and...

Saskatchewan organic farmers plan anti-biotech lawsuit.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... A group of organic farmers in Saskatchewan have laid the groundwork to sue food biotechnology companies, charging that biotech canola has damaged the market for the organic crop. The farmers have formed the Saskatchewan Organic...

Responsibilities for some Codex committees called 'fuzzy'.(Codex Alimentarius Commission)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The Codex Committee for General Principles has been asked to define the role of traceability in risk management, but the responsibilities of other Codex committees remain "a little fuzzy," according to a U.S. Codex official (see FTR, October,...

U.K. Food Standards Agency questions workability of proposals.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The UK Food Standards Agency has questioned the workability of European Commission traceability and labeling legislation now moving through the European Parliament and Council of Ministers. The FSA cited "real difficulties in fulfilling...

EC to resist labeling of meat from biotech-fed animals.(European Commission)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The European Commission will resist pressures to label meat and eggs from animals fed bioengineered feed, Tony Van der haegen, minister-counselor for agriculture, fisheries and consumer affairs in the EC's Washington delegation, said last...

UK trade associations announce new non-biotech rules.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Britain's major food manufacturing and retail trade associations have announced new standards for obtaining products made with non-bioengineered soy and corn. The Food and Drink Federation and the British Retail Consortium said the new...

Seed trade official urges agreement on GM thresholds.(geneticall modified products)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Governments must agree on policies to accommodate adventitious presence of transgenic material in seeds for non-biotech crops, says Mark Condon, vice president for international marketing of the American Seed Trade Association. ...

Traceability planned for sheep and goats.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Traceability planned for sheep and goats. The European Commission announced last month that it intends to adopt new measures to combat bovine spongiform encephalopathy in sheep and goats. The commission wants to require improved...

Japanese cattle traced.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Japanese cattle traced. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has quarantined 11 Alberta cattle while it investigates whether they pose a health risk to Canada's herds. The quarantined cattle are purebred Wagyu imported from Japan. They arrived...

Demand soars for non-biotech animal feed.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Demand soars for non-biotech animal feed. European demand for certified non-biotech animal feed soared this year after British supermarket chains agreed to pay premium prices in order to assure their customers that meat was raised without...

Irish worry about biotech foods.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Irish worry about biotech foods. A survey of Irish public attitudes toward food production conducted in August found consumers more worried about biotechnology than about mad cow disease. Four out of five people said they were eager for a...

Organic sunflower seeds flourish in Argentina.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Organic sunflower seeds flourish in Argentina. Organic sunflower seeds are generating healthy profits for farmers in Argentina. Certified growers have implemented quality control and traceability systems in accordance with European Union...

Brazil to implement cattle traceability.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Brazil to implement cattle traceability. Brazil's agriculture ministry has announced plans to appoint a commission charged with designing and implementing a livestock traceability program. Luis Carlos de Oliveira, secretary of agricultural...

Maintaining genetic purity and identity of seed.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The Minnesota Crop Improvement Association has issued the following guidelines on preserving the genetic purity and identity of field crop seed varieties. Certification is a limited generation system based on three seed classes,...

UPCOMING EVENTS.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... November 7-9 Bio Thailand 2001: From Research to Market, Bangkok, Thailand. Information: http://biothailand.biotec.or.th/exhibition.asp. 66-2 6425322-31. November 12-14 Bio-Europe 2001, 7th Annual International Partnering...

Canadian researchers seek DNA fingerprints of wheat varieties.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Researchers in Winnipeg are trying to create a process for determining the DNA fingerprints of various varieties of wheat to replace the existing visual determination system. Automated Quality Testing Inc., a not-for-profit creation of...

Iowa State issues warning on Roundup Ready corn tests.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Iowa State University is advising grain farmers and elevator operators to be cautious in using new test kits for rapid detection of Roundup Ready corn. Products made with Monsanto's Roundup Ready corn are not accepted by the European...

Traceability partnership announced.(John Deere and AgInfoLink Global Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Traceability partnership announced. John Deere and AgInfoLink Global Inc. have announced a strategic partnership to develop technologies for traceability systems in grains, livestock and other agricultural products. The companies said their...

Rapid biotech detection service.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Rapid biotech detection service. Investigen, based in Alameda, Calif., says it has introduced the fastest and least expensive DNA-based biotech testing service on the market. The firm says it can test for the presence of all 47 genetic...

Roundup Ready corn test.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Roundup Ready corn test. Strategic Diagnostics Inc., based in Newark, Del., has developed a protein-based strip test method for detection of Monsanto's NK603 Roundup Ready corn (see story Page 22). The method uses SDI's existing TraitCheck...

StarLink corn test.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... StarLink corn test. Neogen Corporation, based in Lansing, Mich., has released an inexpensive, simple and accurate test to detect StarLink corn. The Agri-Screen for Cry9C Strip Test is in a dipstick format and requires only water and 10...

Let's avoid a food fight with our customers.(international trade of transgenic crops)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Canadian inspectors have begun checking U.S. corn at the border for StarLink contamination, and the European Union is moving toward adoption of a traceability program for bioengineered crops and products. How should U.S. farmers react? ...