Long Beach, Ca. (November 7, 2002) – Traceability is rapidly becoming a key...
Long Beach, Ca. (November 7, 2002) – Traceability is rapidly becoming a key topic discussed worldwide, directors of the U.S. Meat Export Federation were told here today during their board of directors meeting.
Paul Clayton, USMEF vice president of export services, explained that traceability is the capability to identify a food product with its producer, and to track its changes from origin to sale. Two primary issues are at stake for U.S. exporters, Clayton noted; first is the significant market demand from consumers worldwide for improved meat traceability and, second, is how exporters can benefit from providing reliable traceability programs.
U.S. meat exporters can achieve several positive goals through greater voluntary traceability compliance, including: animal health controls, increased food safety management abilities, improved foreign country import requirement compliance, and greatly increased consumer confidence. U.S. producers who can meet the challenge of implementing reliable traceability systems are more likely to be able to successfully live up to increasing foreign import regulations, while creating favorable marketing impressions with consumers.
Research shows consumers are demanding assurances of food safety, especially after recent incidents like the Japanese meat mislabeling scandal. Such sharp drops in beef sales due to lost consumer confidence illustrate how high the stakes are, according to Clayton.
“A Japanese consumer study from May 2002 found that 78 percent of Japanese consumers do not trust food label information, and 92 percent read labels before making a purchase,” said Clayton. “Japan may mandate traceability soon. The supplier countries who adequately reassure overseas consumers about their products will gain the greatest market share very quickly.”
Clayton shared a “traceability comparison grid” to help USMEF members better understand key aspects and the level of detail of various programs being developed worldwide. Current implementation by producers from Australia and South America has improved traceability compliance and aided them in marketing food safety management systems and animal disease prevention.
Clayton cited information from Kansas State University which indicates that for consumers traceability is part of a protection package they expect when they purchase a product. Consumers expect harmful products to be removed from their food supply and expect that there will be identification and isolation of contaminated products.
U.S. traceability programs also should address the technical barriers to U.S. exports that other countries erect to offset the easing of tariff restrictions. Studies illustrate that technical import barriers and antidumping measures have increased 400-fold in the past 10 years. Traceability programs can help U.S. producers counteract these unfounded restrictions on their exports.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) requires traceability measures to be scientifically justified and equal to the same standards applied domestically in that particular country. U.S. meat industry input and compliance can help ensure international standardization becomes a key element in battling unfair trade restrictions.
Exports now account for nearly 13.4 percent of U.S. beef production and more than 9.9 percent of U.S. pork production on a wholesale weight basis.
The U.S. Meat Export Federation is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn, sorghum and soybean checkoff programs.
– USMEF –