A&B establishes Food Safety Policy

Antigua and Barbuda has taken steps to establish an Agriculture, Health and Food Safety Policy, for the improvement of the country’s food safety systems.

World Food Safety is celebrated every year on June 7, since 2019 under the theme: Food Standards Saves Lives

In an address to mark the occasion, Agriculture Minister E.P Chet Greene said the policy will include measures for establishing participation in the work of Codex as part of the agriculture, health, and trade mandates. for actively augmenting.

“The development of stronger synergies between these sectors through the use and application of standards will be key for advancing the achievement of key sustainable development goals to include but not limited to Goal 2 – zero hunger, and Goal 12 – responsible production and consumption,” he said

Greene also used the opportunity to congratulate the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) on its 60th anniversary.

“The Codex Alimentarius Commission, which is the body responsible for proposing this special day of celebration of the many benefits of safe food, had its first meeting in 1963. Since then, the Commission has been exercising its mandate to develop standards, guidelines and codes of practice that contribute to the safety and quality of food, and fairness of international food trade,” he said

According to Greene, when these standards, guidelines and codes of practice are applied, consumers can trust the safety and quality of the food products they buy, and importers can trust that the food they ordered will be in accordance with suitable quality and safety specifications.

“As our colleagues in the Health sector also do their part to bring recognition to this important occasion to highlight and recognize the benefits of safe food we encourage all citizens and friends to increase their interactions with our agriculture, health and standards organisations and agencies to avail themselves of the information, resources and awareness activities, that can ultimately assist each individual to realise an improvement in food safety and general quality of life as a result”, he added.

The Road to the inaugural World Food Safety Day started with The Codex Alimentarius Commission at its 39th session, held in 2016, unanimously agreeing to promote a proposal to proclaim a World Food Safety Day on a permanent basis within the framework of the United Nations.

Greene recalls that after approval at the 40 FAO Conference in 2017, and the UN General Assembly October/November 2018, on 20 December 2018 the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 73/250 proclaiming a World Food Safety Day starting from 7th June 2019, as a time to celebrate the myriad benefits of safe food annually.