U.S. and China Sign Historic Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Feed and Food Safety
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt and the Honorable Li, Minister of the General Administration of Quality, Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) China signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Dec 11, to enhance the quality of food and feed shipped to the U.S. from China. The six-month effort to reach the agreement is historic and will result in a legally binding set of commitments from China.
American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) President Joel Newman said “AFIA is delighted with this U.S./China agreement and pleased to have been a part of the discussions with FDA and HHS that emphasized the equal place of feed and food safety. We look forward to the implementation of the MOA and working with China in the crucial area of food/ feed safety.”
The MOA provides for a bilateral mechanism to ensure the safety of feed and food products shipped to the U.S. from China. Implementation will begin with a select set of products, including pet foods and wheat and rice gluten. Other items will be added later.
The highlights of the agreement include:
- Registration by Chinese firms exporting to the U.S. and annual inspection to insure the products meet FDA standards.
- AQSIQ will notify FDA of all firms that fail inspections or discontinue registration.
- AQSIQ will implement a tracing and tracking system from production of raw materials to export of finished product.
- AQSIQ will implement a statistical based sampling program of products for export.
- Certified Chinese products will be issued a certificate with a unique number that China will also supply to FDA.
- FDA will develop a system to notify China of non-registered products or those without certificates arriving at U.S. ports.
- Each country agrees to mutually notify the other within 48 hours of contamination incidents.
- FDA will be given greater access to Chinese facilities for inspection.
- An AQSIQ/FDA Working Group is established to implement this agreement.
MOA’s Fact Sheet: http://www.hhs.gov/news/facts/foodfeed.html.
For a copy of the entire agreement, click on the link at the bottom of the fact sheet or click here: http://globalhealth.gov/news/agreements/ia121107b.html.
[Source: AFIA]
