Food Traceability Report articles from September 2001

Food Traceability Report archives from September 2001

Bush administration seeks changes in EU traceability legislation.
September 1, 2001... Senior Bush administration leaders have warned European officials that the food biotechnology labeling and traceability legislation adopted by the European Commission in July risks a major trade dispute (see FTR, August 2001, Page 1). In...

Canadian panel proposes 5% biotech labeling threshold.(Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors and the Canadian General Standards Council)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... A Canadian food industry committee has recommended labeling for foods with 5% or more bioengineered ingredients. The Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors and the Canadian General Standards Council headed the drive to develop the...

Australian agency predicts dominance of biotech crops.(Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics)
September 1, 2001... Identity preservation will soon be needed to keep bioengineered crops free from contamination by non-biotech crops, rather than the other way around, according to an Australian government agency report. The Australian Bureau of...

Canada asked to ban biotech wheat.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... A coalition of farm and public interest organizations has asked Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien to prevent the introduction of bioengineered wheat in Canada until the government deals with a wide array of concerns. Farmers are...

Non-biotech corn gains in value-enhanced grain market.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2001... Certified non-biotech corn is gaining ground in the market for value-enhanced grain, according to a survey of farmers and elevator operators conducted by the U.S. Grains Council. Total production of value-enhanced corn (VEC), which...

Bulk vs. containers: the debate continues.
September 1, 2001... Is containerized shipping of grains and oilseeds an unstoppable trend that will make bulk transportation by railcar or barge a thing of the past? Not if you talk to James Stitzlein, market development manager for the Consolidated Grain...

U.S. feed industry urges mills to track prohibited proteins.(preventing spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... U.S. feed industry officials are urging mills that manufacture ruminant feed to ask their suppliers whether they use restricted protein products in their ingredients, supplements or premixes. The American Feed Industry Association says...

Facility Certification Institute seeks BSE-free animal feed.(bovine spongiform encephalopathy)(American Feed Industry Association certification program)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... The American Feed Industry Association has created a third-party certification program aimed at providing the U.S. beef industry with an additional layer of protection against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). To administer the program,...

South American exporters forced to implement livestock traceability.
September 1, 2001... Strict European Union requirements for livestock traceability are driving South America's leading livestock exporters to implement traceback programs. Uruguay recently implemented a nationwide traceability program using ear tags, and...

Canadian cattle identification program paying off early.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... A program that will eventually force all Canadian beef producers to tag their livestock has shown its worth in the first few months of operation, reports Julie Stitt, general manager of the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (see FTR, July...

Animal tracking firms form global strategic alliance.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Three leading companies in the animal identification and tracking business have announced a strategic technology alliance aimed at creating a global traceability standard for the beef industry. eMerge Interactive Inc., a technology and...

Traceability data collection tools must be rugged and simple.(AgInfoLink)
September 1, 2001... Data collection tools for traceability systems have to be rugged enough to work in the production agriculture environment, stresses Mark Armentrout, a founding partner of AgInfoLink Global Inc. based in Longmont, Colo. "You can't just...

European Commission defends biotech legislation.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... The European Commission has defended its recently adopted biotechnology traceability and labeling legislation despite reports that it could be challenged at the World Trade Organization. Beate Gminder, EC spokeswoman, told reporters in...

Traceability tops Codex Executive Committee agenda.(Codex Executive Committee )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Traceability will be a major agenda item when the Codex Executive Committee holds a special session Sept. 26-27 in Geneva, Switzerland. The full Codex Alimentarius Commission was expected to assign traceability responsibilities to one...

Chile moves toward mandatory biotech labeling.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Chile's Ministry of Health has notified the World Trade Organization of plans to require mandatory biotech food labeling with a 2% threshold for bioengineered substances. The main provisions specify that "any transgenic ingredients or...

Biotech food labeling has side effects, CSPI warns.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Labeling of bioengineered foods comes with side effects, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Reporting results from a survey it had commissioned, the Washington-based advocacy group said consumers often interpret...

Organic expansion in Latin America raises certification issues.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Expanding organic production in South America has increased demands for enforceable norms covering production and traceability. Most producers strive to comply with European Union traceability standards in order to access that lucrative...

Thailand seeks to enter global organic food market.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Thailand is training about 100 independent inspectors, with foreign assistance, to certify organic crops in an effort to break into the global organic foods market. Thai agriculture officials have created standards for organic crop...

GIPSA official urges international harmonization of test methods.(Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... International harmonization of biotech test methods should be a priority goal of regulators, says Steven Tanner, who heads the technical services division of USDA's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration. GIPSA is the U.S....

Overcoming traceability data management problems.
September 1, 2001... What would you do right now if you found that your company had produced contaminated product? How would you locate and isolate the suspect batches? How quickly could you do it? Would you be able to publicly demonstrate, within hours,...

Japan mulls biotech animal feed.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Japan mulls biotech animal feed. An advisory panel to Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has issued a report recommending that the government allow the sale of animal feed containing up to 1% unapproved bioengineered...

Victoria sets organic export target.(Australia)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Victoria sets organic export target. The Australian state of Victoria has announced a new five-year plan aimed at doubling Victoria's exports of organic produce to A$30 million per annum. Because of its temperate climate, Victoria specializes...

Brazil reverses stand on GM soybeans.(genetically modified crops)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Brazil reverses stand on GM soybeans. Brazil's Agriculture Ministry reversed its decision to approve marketing of Monsanto bioengineered soybeans, according to local newspapers. The financial daily Gazeta Mercantil reported that Agriculture...

UPCOMING EVENTS.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... September 9 -13 115th AOAC International Meeting and Exposition, Kansas City, Mo. Sponsor: AOAC International. www.aoac.org/meetings1/Kansas.htm. 800-379-2622 or 301-924-7077. September 11 Bringing Food to Market in the Age of...

Product authentication.(proprietary fingerprints)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Product authentication. Biocode Inc., based in Bethlehem, Pa., has developed technology for embedding proprietary fingerprints into almost any type of product including foods, spirits, agricultural and pharmaceutical products. Biocode's...

Supply chain certification.(GeneScan Europe AG)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
September 1, 2001... Supply chain certification. GeneScan Europe AG is a worldwide operating network of biotechnology companies focused on manufacturing and marketing biochips customized according to client specifications. Based in Germany, the firm's...

IP leasing solutions.(Agstar Financial Services)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
September 1, 2001... IP leasing solutions. AgStar, based in Mankato, Minn., offers leasing solutions for grain handlers and growers interested in establishing identity preserved grain storage and handling systems. One lease program is designed for producers with...

EU legislation threatens to cause major trade disruptions.(European Commission)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... The European Commission's biotech traceability and labeling proposals have the potential to create major disruptions in trade of finished food products between the United States and EU member states. Moreover, a template is now in place for...