Why Traceability is important:
Traceability is important as it allows the localisation and tracing of animals to veterinary purposes leading to the effective control and eradication of animal diseases, as well as the traceability of food for public health reasons. Animal identification, which is one the main pillars to build up a traceability system, has been already introduced in the EU for several animal species including horses, pets, cattle, sheep and goat and pigs.
How tracing works:Traceability systems must be
able to identify where products have come from and where they are going
and to promptly provide this information to the competent authorities of
a country on request. Traceability works on the basis of the following
minimum elements: individual animal identification from birth until
harvest, animal movement records that trace animals as they are
transported and identify both the location of origin and destination of
the animal; animal records (document of the location of each animal's
death and the cause); and a central database that is able to store the
above-mentioned information as well as to quickly trace animals.
Consumer protection and food safety:One of the major aims of putting in place a system for traceability is to ensure consumer protection and food safety. The current system of traceability for bovine meat was introduced in the EU as a response to the BSE (mad cow disease) crisis in order to re-establish consumer confidence in beef and beef products through transparency and traceability.
The current system of bovine identification and traceability is perceived as being efficient by most of the stakeholders and answers to the actual policy objective of ensuring consumer protection and food safety but can be improved to reduce identification errors and to manage disease outbreak crises’ if and when they occur.
The European Commission and DG SANCO’s role:
To propose and to co-ordinate the set up of the process for establishing systems for animal identification and traceability, on the basis of consensus with the 27 EU member states and stakeholders. It also aims to avoid disparities between EU member states in relation to the implementation and enforcement by auditing the functioning of the competent authorities and the understanding of the animal identification and traceability rules. This will ensure an equal treatment of farmers/consumers throughout the EU and to avoid market and competition distortions.
The benefits for the farmer:
EID, if used in conjunction with e-reading may help to reduce identification errors and to reduce time for notifications. One of the main benefits is the reduction of the administrative burden which is due to the written notifications necessary for keepers (farmers and other stakeholders). Currently, all bovine notifications (births, deaths, animal movements) must be manually registered and converted into an electronic format on to a computer database. EID is an excellent tool for improving farm management and on-farm automation. Additional benefits will include prevention of disease and fraud and an improvement in genetic and crisis management.
The European Commission plans to present its proposal to EU member states during the first half of 2011. The date for implementation is not yet known but it will depend on the pace of progress of work in the Council and the European Parliament.
Source: newsroom - meattradenewsdaily.co.uk
Traceability is important as it allows the localisation and tracing of animals to veterinary purposes leading to the effective control and eradication of animal diseases, as well as the traceability of food for public health reasons. Animal identification, which is one the main pillars to build up a traceability system, has been already introduced in the EU for several animal species including horses, pets, cattle, sheep and goat and pigs.
How tracing works:Traceability systems must be
able to identify where products have come from and where they are going
and to promptly provide this information to the competent authorities of
a country on request. Traceability works on the basis of the following
minimum elements: individual animal identification from birth until
harvest, animal movement records that trace animals as they are
transported and identify both the location of origin and destination of
the animal; animal records (document of the location of each animal's
death and the cause); and a central database that is able to store the
above-mentioned information as well as to quickly trace animals.Consumer protection and food safety:One of the major aims of putting in place a system for traceability is to ensure consumer protection and food safety. The current system of traceability for bovine meat was introduced in the EU as a response to the BSE (mad cow disease) crisis in order to re-establish consumer confidence in beef and beef products through transparency and traceability.
The current system of bovine identification and traceability is perceived as being efficient by most of the stakeholders and answers to the actual policy objective of ensuring consumer protection and food safety but can be improved to reduce identification errors and to manage disease outbreak crises’ if and when they occur.
The European Commission and DG SANCO’s role:
To propose and to co-ordinate the set up of the process for establishing systems for animal identification and traceability, on the basis of consensus with the 27 EU member states and stakeholders. It also aims to avoid disparities between EU member states in relation to the implementation and enforcement by auditing the functioning of the competent authorities and the understanding of the animal identification and traceability rules. This will ensure an equal treatment of farmers/consumers throughout the EU and to avoid market and competition distortions.
The benefits for the farmer:
EID, if used in conjunction with e-reading may help to reduce identification errors and to reduce time for notifications. One of the main benefits is the reduction of the administrative burden which is due to the written notifications necessary for keepers (farmers and other stakeholders). Currently, all bovine notifications (births, deaths, animal movements) must be manually registered and converted into an electronic format on to a computer database. EID is an excellent tool for improving farm management and on-farm automation. Additional benefits will include prevention of disease and fraud and an improvement in genetic and crisis management.
The European Commission plans to present its proposal to EU member states during the first half of 2011. The date for implementation is not yet known but it will depend on the pace of progress of work in the Council and the European Parliament.
Source: newsroom - meattradenewsdaily.co.uk
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