AnimalNet Dec. 9/03 -- II
New health
scare in Hong Kong as authorities confirm bird flu case
US anti-bioterrorism
rules expected to impact all who ship food south
'Traceability'
theme of successful 'Berliner Runde'
Spotlight on
pig health and welfare: New health guidelines for British pig industry
how to subscribe
New
health scare in Hong Kong as authorities confirm bird flu case
December 9, 2003
Agence France Presse English
HONG KONG - Hong Kong authorities were cited as warning the public over a
possible new health scare on Tuesday after a five-year-old boy was confirmed to
have caught bird flu, a strain of which has previously killed six people in the
territory.
Dr. Thomas Tsang of the Department of Health was cited as saying in a statement
that the boy had recovered from the H9N2 strain of the virus after falling ill
with a fever, cough and runny nose on November 25, adding, "This is an
isolated case and the source of infection is being investigated. Based on
previous experience, however, we will look especially into bird-to-human
transmission. This is the second time H9N2 viruses, an avian influenza virus,
are isolated from humans in Hong Kong. The last case was detected in 1999
involving two girls who also made full recovery after having flu-like
symptoms."
US
anti-bioterrorism rules expected to impact all who ship food south
December 9, 2003
Farmscape (Episode 1401)
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says every Canadian planning to send a food
product or live food animal into the US should be aware of new anti-bioterrorism
regulations. The new US Bioterrorism Preparedness Act is scheduled to take
effect Friday. Although farms are exempt from regulations requiring food
processing facilities that export products to the US to be registered with the
US FDA, farms will be affected by the prior notification regulation. CFIA
International Affairs Representative Sharon Flack says virtually all food
products, including live animals, are covered.
Clip-Sharon Flack-Canadian Food Inspection Agency
As far as prior notice goes, everybody who might be shipping food into the
United States and even through the United States will be affected by this new
rule. The only people who aren't affected are those people who are shipping
products which are under the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States
Department of Agriculture. This amounts to three types of products which are
processed meat products, processed poultry and processed egg products. All other
food and feed going into the States must be prior notified. Although live
animals are partially covered by USDA, in a sense of animal health requirements,
they are also covered by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
Therefor they will have to submit prior notice of the shipment of live animals.
Even if those live animals are not destined for the United States but are just
traveling through the United States, prior notice must be supplied.
Flack says, while prior notice primarily affects commercial shipments, it also
affects individuals who might be shipping food products as gifts or for some
other personal use. She says, if the food accompanies the individual, there's no
problem but, if it enters the US through the mail system, prior notice is
required. For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.
*Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council
'Traceability'
theme of successful 'Berliner Runde'
December 5, 2003
Meat News
http://www.meatnews.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Article&artNum=6591
Dutch Meat Board organises round table discussion on traceability and new
regulations.
Traceability in pig meat was the subject of top level discussions in Berlin
recently between German and Dutch meat industry experts.
The discussions, organised by the Dutch Meat Board, were part of the fourth
'Berliner Runde'.
One year before EU Regulation 178/2002 (the “General Food Law”) comes into
effect, this subject is a very topical one and prompted a very lively debate
among the various participants.
A reliable system of traceability can chiefly be regarded as an important tool
for ensuring active consumer protection and for limiting damage in the event of
a crisis.
The traceability requirements in the General Food Law are very broadly worded at
the moment, the Dutch Meat Board said.<
"To prevent unfair competition, these really need to be defined in more
detail," said the Board.
"Businesses can then base their own systems on these requirements. People
taking part in the discussion session felt that efforts in this area should
concentrate on establishing maximum time spans and batch sizes.
"To ensure that the tracing system functions effectively, however, the most
important factors are that businesses should work with reliable suppliers and
that they are able to easily find out about the origin of ingredients used,
should the occasion arise. In the case of slaughterhouses, for instance, this
means that they should know where the animals received for slaughter come from.
"This is guaranteed in the Dutch pig industry, as all pigs are fitted with
a metal ear tag bearing the holding number and a serial number shortly before
being dispatched to the slaughterhouse." The annual Berliner Runde,
together with the International Round Table Conference, is one of the
initiatives of the Dutch meat industry to promote an on-going dialogue with
buyers and retailers. Events like these enable the Dutch industry to respond to
changing market demands.
Spotlight
on pig health and welfare: New health guidelines for British pig industry
December 8, 2003
Meat News
http://www.meatnews.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Article&artNum=6595
The British pig industry has announced a new Pig Health and Welfare Strategy.
The strategy, drawn up by the British Pig Executive (BPEX), the NPA, PVS and MLC
in response to Government moves on the subject, was launched at an industry
conference last week.
It incorporates nine priorities for action including scientific and technical
targets designed to allow prevailing animal health problems to be quantified,
controlled, eradicated or avoided, together with organisational targets.
The strategy will be the subject of a major consultation to make sure it meets
the industry's needs and a key element will be the establishment of the Pig
Health and Welfare Council next year.
BPEX Chairman Stewart Houston said: "It is estimated that pig disease costs
British pig producers at least £50 million a year.
"Improving the health of pigs will benefit customers through better quality
meat and meat products. It will benefit producers and processors by saving costs
and improving competitiveness.
"It will benefit the pigs through improved welfare and it will benefit the
country as a whole in helping achieve Government policy of a sustainable rural
economy."
Animal Health and Welfare Minister Ben Bradshaw said: "The Animal Health
and Welfare Strategy represents an important step towards a more comprehensive
and strategic approach to animal health and welfare.
"I am very encouraged that the pig sector is so quickly off the mark with
its own strategy and know that Government looks forward to working with the
industry over the coming years to implement this far-sighted strategy."
Web posted: December 8, 2003
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