Following the annual meeting of its International Advisory Council (IAC) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Produce Marketing Association held an Invitational Food Safety Summit.

The event, which attracted 73 produce industry leaders, focused on three key topics and their impact on global produce markets. Brief presentations on bioterrorism regulations, country of origin labelling, and food safety/quality assurance programmes were followed by panel discussions by IAC members on how these issues affected produce trade in their markets and around the world.

“Rarely can one find the great diversity of experience, business sectors, and global markets that was represented by the panelists of this seminar,” said IAC chairman John Anderson of The Oppenheimer Group, Canada.

In addition to Anderson, the panel line-up included Esteban Bullrich, Fruitful Thinking, Argentina; Arturo Costabal, Unifrutti, Chile; Elio D’Antrassi, Bocchi Group, Italy; Jeff Jackson, Chiquita Brands Inc, US; Steve Junqueiro, Save Mart Supermarkets, US; Henry Neilson, The Dairy Farm Company Ltd, Hong Kong; Neil Oosthuizen, Capespan, South Africa; Andrew Sharp, Marks & Spencer Plc, UK; Pedro Sitjar, Jr, Cultivar, Spain; and Johan van Deventer, Freshmark (Pty) Ltd, South Africa.

PMA vice president of global business development Nancy Tucker gave the presentations and facilitated the panel discussions.

The impact of US food security regulations was of great interest to the Argentine exporters and operators in attendance. One panelist noted that since many operations in the Argentine produce industry had already developed traceability and food safety systems, they were able to easily comply with the US regulations.

Most have registered with the Food and Drug Administration and felt they could comply with the regulations for submitting prior notice of arrivals of shipments. Other panelists noted that it is important to recognise that some countries see these regulations as commercial barriers.

US country of origin labelling fueled discussion among the panelists, many of whom agreed that country of origin labelling should be a voluntary programme in order for it to be manageable and used as a marketing tool.

Challenges cited by the IAC members to the expected 100 per cent accuracy of labelling included the limitations of equipment currently used to label product, as well as the handling of produce items by consumers in supermarkets.

Regulations such as these may divert produce to other markets. One panelist theorised that if the cost to comply with such regulations is too high, producers will seek other markets.

Overall, the panelists agreed that the real need and the focus of industry efforts should be on traceability.

The proliferation of food safety programmes around the world was seen as a difficult challenge for producers who must conform to and be audited against multiple programmes for multiple buyers.

While harmonisation of these programs was desired, the panelists agreed that making this a reality would be extremely difficult due to the diversity of governmental and commercial demands.

Summit participants had an opportunity to network and talk more with the panelists and other participants during a reception and dinner after the Summit.

The event was sponsored by PMA member Moño Azul.