animalagriculture.org

Animal Health and International Trade Committee Report
April 8, 2003

Seminar Session:

• Number of attendees: 32

• Presentations:

• Regionalization and evaluation services 

• Dr. Anne Goodman, USDA, APHIS, VS

• Experiences with regionalization assessments

• Dr. Jim Watson, Mississippi State Veterinarian

• Dr. Richard Hull, Illinois State Veterinarian

• OIE update - current issues

• Dr. Michael David, USDA, APHIS, VS

• OIE working group on animal welfare

• Dr. Beth Lautner, National Pork Board

• Biosecurity in Food and Agriculture – FAO technical consultation

• Dr. Alfonso Torres, Cornell University

• Postweaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome – UK study tour

• Dr. Eric Neumann, National Pork Board  

• Discussion:

Good interactions with the audience

Business Session:

• Projects:

-          With regard to projects, we see an opportunity to try to coordinate OIE comments addressing avian influenza and the surveillance appendix. (Comment that the timetable is very short, like one week)

-           Topics identified for the next committee meeting include raising awareness of States of the proposed changes in designation of diseases by OIE that will impact state reporting requirements with regard to List A and B diseases

-           Review of conflicts between US regulations and OIE standards

-           Presentation on the 11 questions asked with regard to determining if a import requirement is science based

-           A and discussion of the concept of compartmentalizing vs. zoning or regionalization.

• Updating of mission statement / Purpose:

-           An amended purpose statement was prepared.

-           Significant question to ask the Board is if the committee should address international standards with regard to food safety, as well as noting that Codex and OIE are developing standards that either the Food Safety Committee or our committee should address. (The Board supported the notion that animal trade issues, regardless of being outside of the OIE should be better discussed at our Committee)

• Old Resolutions: (all Committee actions approved) 

-           #24. Eradication of FMD in South America: Discontinued, new resolution to replace it.

-           #25. Regionalization: Amended

-           #26. Electronic Certificate of Veterinary Inspection: Amended

-           #27. National Animal Health Reporting System (NAHRS): Reaffirmed

• New Resolutions:

-            Addressing Emerging Diseases in a Trade Environment (Approved) 

-            Collaboration in Eradication of FMD in South America (Arrived as amended)

In attendance:

NIAA Members