Thursday, July 23, 2009

New Food Standards Agency Chair

The Food Standards Agency today welcomes the announcement of the appointment of Lord Rooker as its new Chair by the Secretary of State for Health.

Lord Rooker, a former Minister at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), replaces the outgoing Chair Dame Deirdre Hutton and will take up his new duties on 27 July.

The press release is available here.

Lead Instructor Opening for OIE Course

The Institute for Food Laws & Regulations (IFLR) at Michigan State University is seeking a lead instructor for a course on the OIE and world animal health. This is a three credit course is taught completely over the Internet and is designed for those interested in the global animal health and its relationship to international trade in animals and animal products.

For more information on the opening, visit here.

Monday, July 20, 2009

The Unexplored Potential of Organic-Biotech Production

From the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service GAIN Report, The Unexplored Potential of Organic-Biotech Production:

“The organic movement rejects biotechnology as inherently contradictory to its fundamental goal of promoting environmental protection in agriculture. European organic promoters in particular stress respect for nature over yield maximization, campaigning for a return to traditional production methods and inputs. [1] In reality, the divide between organics and biotechnology is an artificial construction maintained by ideology rather than science. A governmental decision to change organic regulations to permit the use of biotechnology could have far-reaching policy implications for global agriculture. Allowing producers to gain organic certification for biotech crops could encourage the development of a new type of environmentally sustainable agricultural production with greater benefits for the consumer.”

The full report is available here.

Friday, July 17, 2009

US FDA chief seeks closer ties with EU for drug and food safety

Dr. Margaret Hamburg, the new Commissioner of the FDA, said the agency hopes to build closer ties with European Union counterparts. The plan coincides with a previous agreement between the U.S. and the EU to assign experts in their food and drug agencies to coordinate public health policies. Forbes/Associated Press