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Feed industry undertakes harmonisation quest  

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March 31, 2005 - Feed industry representatives from the top four feed manufacturing countries - the USA, EU, China and Brazil - have accepted appointments to a new technical committee that addresses greater regulatory harmonisation in feed and feeding programmes and practices, established by the International Feed Industry Federation.  

“ This new Technical Committee has as its chair the president of the American Feed Industry Association Joel Newman. He is supported by the presidents of FEFAC, the China Feed Industry Association and Sindiracoes of Brazil, ” says Roger Gilbert Secretary General of IFIF.  

The Technical Committee on Regulatory Harmonisation incorporates the Federation ' s Certification and Harmonisation Sub-Committee.  

This is the first of three permanent committees the IFIF Board of Directors has established in collaboration with FAO and Codex Alimentarius initiatives. The other two are: A Technical Committee on Feed Ingredient Approvals and a Technical Committee on Industry and Public Relations.  

“ IFIF is seeking nominations from its members to serve on all three committees. Nominees can be from national associations, from our corporate membership or from our feed-related member organisations who volunteer their time. Much of the work involved will be consultative and carried out electronically with full face-to-face meetings taking place once a year per committee, ” says Mr Gilbert.  

The Technical Committee on Regulatory Harmonisation will make recommendations to the IFIF Board regarding the harmonisation or equivalency of individual countries or region ' s regulatory schemes, as they apply to the Codex Alimentarius ' Code of Animal Feeding Practices, he adds.  

The Technical Committee on Feed Ingredient Approvals will address topics such as definitions, labelling and approval processes of feed ingredients. This Committee will consider the difference between countries with a positive list of feed ingredients and those without. It will also attempt to harmonise the labelling necessary for international trade and registration of feed ingredients.  

The Technical Committee on Industry and Public Relations will look at the way the industry presents itself to global bodies, governments and consumers. It will consider how industry can be more communicative and open in addressing such highly charged issues as Avian Flu, BSE, genetically modified ingredients and other issues affecting the worldwide feed industry and consumers confidence in the animal protein supply.   

Technical Committee appointments are prestigious positions. They are available only to IFIF members and receive high-level visibility. IFIF plans to adopt a ‘ rotation process ' for its Technical Committee members in time to encourage wider participation and ideas. In the short-term establishing committees under the IFIF name is the most important objective.   

Other committees within the IFIF include: Latin American Association Development Sub-Committee which is chaired by Francisco Valdes of HiFos in Mexico and Mario Cutait of Sindiracoes in Brazil; Feed Expert Council chaired by Jed Harms of Kemin in the USA with assistance from Dave Cieslak of Cargill and Leth Nielsen of the World Renderers Organisation in Denmark. Brent Shonka of Mosaic Feeds is the chair of IFIF ' s F4 Feed Summit Committee, an event which takes place in Hanjing, China from June 1-5, 2006.  

In other developments, IFIF has appointed Nicky Barnes as its new Communications Manager. Mrs Barnes, who has worked with the IFIF for more than seven years, takes up with new position with immediate effect. She can be contacted at:  

“ There is growing awareness of IFIF and the work we are doing. To support these efforts we need to communicate in a more timely manner with the industry globally and Mrs Barnes will help us achieve that objective, ” adds Mr Gilbert.  

Caption (picture available from ):

Nicky Barnes, appointed IFIF ' s new Communications Manager  
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Note to Editors:
For additional information please contact:
Roger Gilbert
Secretary General - IFIF
Tel: +44 1242 267702  or Email: