FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Grocery Manufacturers Association Applauds APEC Leaders for Launching the Partnership Training Institute Network for Food Safety
Contact:
Scott Openshaw, Director, Communications, 202-295-3957
Brian Kennedy, Director, Communications, 202-639-5994
November 24, 2008
(Lima, Peru) – The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) today applauded the Leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum for launching the APEC Partnership Training Institute Network for food safety (PTIN). The APEC PTIN represents a new and innovative initiative, designed to unite public and private sector representatives, as well as scientific experts, around a common purpose: improving food safety in the Asia Pacific region by increasing regulatory capacity.
“Food safety is a key concern for GMA and its member companies, and we are pleased to see that APEC has taken such a constructive and practical approach to the issue,” said GMA Senior Vice President and Chief Science and Regulatory Affairs Officer Robert E. Brackett, Ph.D. “The APEC PTIN is particularly welcome in light of the recent food safety incidents that have occurred in the region. This initiative, in helping build regulatory capacity in food safety, will help government, industry and other key stakeholders work together to better assure the safety of the food supply chain in the Asia Pacific.”
The APEC PTIN is critically important as concerns about food safety in the Asia Pacific region have risen sharply in recent months and years, a fact reinforced by the initiative’s high-level endorsement by APEC heads of government. This multi-year initiative will provide assistance to APEC Member Economies to improve regulator and manufacturer technical competence and understanding of food safety management, and thus will substantially improve food safety in the APEC community and beyond. In addition, the APEC PTIN aligns with GMA’s “Four Pillars” plan to improve the safety of food imports, an integrated approach with prevention as its centerpiece. Specifically, the new APEC project helps to fulfill Pillar Three, “Building the Capacity of Foreign Governments.”
The APEC PTIN is not intended to be an actual “bricks and mortar” facility, but instead will serve as a focal point for coordinating the many food safety training institutes across the Asia Pacific region. In this context, the APEC PTIN will design and implement various training programs every year, develop a core curriculum for food safety training for use across APEC, and assist APEC Member Economies in developing food safety strategies. The APEC PTIN will foster a unified and consistent approach to food safety capacity building and management, one that aligns with international best practices. In this way the initiative will directly address the recognized need to improve regulator and manufacturer technical competence and understanding of food safety management.
APEC is the premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region. The forum is comprised of 21 member economies, which account for a large percentage of global food exports, making the APEC PTIN a major success for global food safety. The 21 members of APEC are: Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; People's Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Philippines; Russia; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; United States; and Viet Nam.
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Based in Washington, D.C., the Grocery Manufacturers Association is the voice of more than 300 leading food, beverage and consumer product companies that sustain and enhance the quality of life for hundreds of millions of people in the United States and around the globe. Founded in 1908, GMA is an active, vocal advocate for its member companies and a trusted source of information about the industry and the products consumers rely on and enjoy every day. The association and its member companies are committed to meeting the needs of consumers through product innovation, responsible business practices and effective public policy solutions developed through a genuine partnership with policymakers and other stakeholders. In keeping with its founding principles, GMA helps its members produce safe products through a strong and ongoing commitment to scientific research, testing and evaluation and to providing consumers with the products, tools and information they need to achieve a healthy diet and an active lifestyle. The food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry in the United States generates sales of $2.1 trillion annually, employs 14 million workers and contributes $1 trillion in added value to the economy every year.
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