A turning point for organic production

Organic production faces a situation conducive to market expansion.

Courtesy of Super Campo Magazine, December 2011
By Elina Moreno.

Organic production faces a situation conducive to market expansion. United States tightened its monitoring mechanisms and control of their food suppliers assuming the starting point is the implementation of Good Agricultural Practices and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. Is Argentina ready to meet these demands?

Food safety was the crucial issue of the Twelfth Meeting of Organización Internacional Agropecuaria (OIA), which was held on November 3 at the Hotel Circle Air Force Vicente Lopez.

"We are at a turning point since January 4 this year, the U.S. president signed the scope of the Food Safety Modernization Act", said at the opening Pedro Landa, director of OIA, company that is celebrating 20 years of experience.

As background, the EU launched in 2004 the Food Act and created a supranational body to implement it. Since then, assumes that all producing establishments and food processors comply with the precepts of Good Practice (BP). Similarly, the U.S. now assumes that the BP and therefore wants to meet up with even greater demands on food imports.

"U.S. inspected 600 food establishments in other countries next year and 1200 more in 2013", predicted Landa. He added that "the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) may order the removal of goods, even food may decline to minimal doubt".

The issue for Argentine organic sector is how to position themselves in this new scenario. "From our perspective the producers who are already headed in the certification of their processes have a great chance to consolidate and expand its ties with the U.S., for those who have nothing is a barrier to overcome because they have to start from scratch", said director of the OIA.

Source: www.elnuevoagro.com.ar