Recognizing the importance of lowering food costs and making the rural sector more efficient in the region, the US-ASEAN Business Council's Food and Agriculture Committee works to enhance the flow of information regarding agricultural issues affecting all parties along the entire range of the food value chain--farming, processing, distribution, and finally retailing. Following in the steps of our ASEAN counterparts, the main objective of the Committee will be to facilitate growth and development of the ASEAN agriculture/food processing sector so as to allow the countries to be competitive as they liberalize their market.

To learn more about the Council's Food & Agriculture Working Group, please contact:
Ira Sugita
Coordinator, Food & Agriculture Working Group
Regional Membership Services
isugita@usasean.org

Please contact Ira Sugita at isugita@usasean.org for upcoming Food & Agriculture Working Group event in the works.

more upcoming events

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The 9th ASEAN Task Force on Codex (ATFC)

Vientiane, Lao PDR
June 2-4, 2009

At the 31st Codex Alimentarius meeting in Geneva, August 2008, the Commission and its members – including ASEAN, have agreed to approve the Codex guidelines and standards for food safety in plants and animal biotech products. It is one of the issues that the F&A Committee has addressed since 2006, and as mentioned, we welcome the successful outcome of our recommendation at the Codex Alimentarius meeting and the 8th ATFC.

For more information on the meeting, please click here (Council members only).

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The 6th ASEAN Genetically Modified Food Testing Network (AGMFTN)

Jakarta, Indonesia
May 19-20, 2009

The AGMFTN is essentially a network among ASEAN member countries in matters relating to the detection techniques for Genetically Modified (GM) food. The objective of the network is mainly to facilitate ASEAN countries in the sharing and leveraging of each country’s resources and expertise in developing GM food testing capabilities. The creation of a network of GM food testing scientists will also facilitate the handling of technical issues in an open and transparent way as part of the regulatory framework. Established since 2004, Singapore has been designated as the lead country for the country initiative on the formation of the ASEAN GM food testing network.

Monsanto on behalf of the US-ASEAN Business Council’s F&A Committee made a presentation on “Some Considerations in Testing for GMOs”. Click here for more information.

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The 17th ASEAN Working Group on Livestock (ASWGL), Yogjakarta, May 5 – 8

Yogjakarta, Indonesia
May 5-7, 2009

The meeting was attended by delegates from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. Representative from the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) was also present. Aside from the US-ASEAN Business Council’s F&A Committee, other representatives from various organizations also attended the meeting, including the FAO, OIE, and the World Society for Protection of Animals.

The ASWLG’s objective is to achieve the establishment of ASEAN criteria on standards, including animal vaccine and regional accreditation scheme.  The aim is to facilitate food safety and international trade.  Another area of focus is on strengthening efforts of animal diseases control program among ASEAN member countries centering on key livestock diseases.  They also focus on reviewing the cooperation of activities / projects with other countries and international organizations.

Elanco on behalf of the US-ASEAN Business Council’s F&A Committee made two presentations at the ASWGL: Risk Analysis to Address Food Safety Concerns and Animal Health Production Registration. 

For more information on the meeting, click here (Council members only).

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