AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY

1

• AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY

2
ADVANCEMENT IN AGRICULTURAL HEALTHIN THE
PREVIOUS 20 YEARS -EXCERPTS FROM IICA DOCUMENTS
PREPAREDOR RECEIVED IN 1980-
Mexico hopes to eliminate all mediterranean
fruit flies in their country this year We
should not try to go into those countries (Latin
America and the Caribbean) and do the job for
them, but help them to help themselves, so that
THEY can develop a solid animal health
program I see enormous potential provided
the member nations of the OAS have visionary
decision-making authorities who can see the
benefit to the economy of their nations
3
ADVANCEMENT IN AGRICULTURAL HEALTH IN THE
PREVIOUS 20 YEARS -EXCERPTS OF NEEDS IDENTIFIED
20 YEARS AGO-

• Adequate budget
• Stable infrastructure
• Sense of urgency
• National and international commitment
• Training technical people
• On-going program of surveillance
• Establish a system of information
• Career ladder incentives

4
TRADITIONAL FOCUS OF AGRICULTURAL HEALTH
5
TRADITIONAL FUNCTIONS OF AGRICULTURAL HEALTH
AGENT

• Disease/pest eradication
• Quarantine
• Emergency response

HOST
ENVIRONMENT
6
TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURAL HEALTH INSTITUTIONAL
CHARACTERISTICS

• Primary production
• Public sector driven
• Elimination of disease/pest
• Definable problems
• Specific skill sets
• Substantial technical cost

AG. PRODUCTION
7
TRENDS AFFECTING AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AND FOOD
SAFETY

• Increasing international travel and commerce.
• Expanding influence of consumers on production.
• Increasing competition.
• Declining influence of agriculture in forming
  policy.
• Potential disregard for scientifically based
  trade decisions.

8
WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AND FOOD
SAFETY IN TODAYS REALITY?
PRODUCTION
9
SCOPE OF AGRICULTURAL HEALTHAND FOOD SAFETY
10
PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL VALUE OF AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTION SUSCEPTIBLE TO PINK MEALYBUG
El Salvador
Guatemala
Panama
Colombia
Costa Rica
Honduras

0
10
20
30
40
50
Source Pink Mealybug in the Americas. IICA. 1998.
11
ADDITIONAL GRAIN NEEDED TO SATISFY NUTRITIONAL
REQUIREMENTS IN LATIN AMERICAN AND THE CARIBBEAN
Tons
Years
Therefore
Source USDA 1999. Food security assessment.
12
IT IS NECESSARY TO INCREASE BOTH INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL SUPPLIES
Tons
Tons
Therefore
Source USDA 1999. Food security assessment.
13
AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY HAVE TO
ACHIEVE A BALANCE

• To not put domestic production at risk.
• To address the increasing importation
  requirements.

In 1999 Miami Airport intercepted 14,000 pests.
Source USDA 2000.
14
A MARKET CAN BE LOST OVERNIGHT
United Kingdom February-March, 2001
Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak

• US366 million/month

SourceREUTERS/PA/News/Feb 4, 2001.
15
SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS
United Kingdom February-March, 2001
Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak

• 155,000 animals (bovines,
• swines and ovines)

SourcePROMED 2001.
16
UNDESIRED EFFECTS CAUSED BY A FOOD SAFETY CRISIS
Cyclosporiasis
Guatemala 1998-99
2,800 people sick
Canada and U.S.A. ban imports
Blackberry and raspberries
Other effects

• Strawberries from California lose market value.

• A new sanitary norm quick frozen raspberries
  from Chile

Source Promed, CDC, EID and FSNet, 1999.
17
AGENTS ASSOCIATED WITH FOODBORNE DISEASES
U.S.A., 1990-97 86,058 sick people
Source CDC. BMN.
18
COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH DEATH AND FOODBORNE DISEASES
3,241 cases/100,000 people US 462 per case
Source CDC. BMN.
19
AGRICULTURAL HEALTH IS NOT PREPARED TO FACE
RE-EMERGING ZOONOSIS
In 22/34 countries of Latin America and the
Caribbean
Tuberculosis

Milk Aerosols
Milk Aerosols Food Water
Source Zoonotic Tuberculosis in Developing
Countries. EID - CDC.
20
LOSSES DUE TO TUBERCULOSIS
30 million deaths in the world from 1990-99
Argentina suffers US63 million in losses annually
Source Zoonotic Tuberculosis in Developing
Countries. EID - CDC
21
AGRICULTURAL HEALTH IS NOT PREPARED TO FACE
EMERGING ZOONOSIS
Nipah Virus
In Malasia, 1999-2000
Saliva
Urine Faeces
Source Promed.
22
LOSSES DUE TO NIPAH VIRUS
In Malasia, 1999-2000

• 83 people died in four months
• gt900,000 swines slaughtered
• Cost US400 million

Source Promed.
23
TRADE AND TOURISM CHALLENGE AGRICULTURAL AND
PUBLIC HEALTH
West Nile Virus
New York, 1999
19 human cases 4 dead
4,324 bird cases 57 equine cases
Source Promed
24
A ZOONOSIS CLOSES DISNEY WORLD
Orlando 1997
Equine Encephalitis
Source Promed 1997.
25
FOOD SAFETY IS CRITICAL IN MAKING DECISIONS ON
WHERE TO TRAVEL
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention Travelers Advisory
Food and waterborne diseases are the 1 cause of
illness in travelers. Travelers diarrhea can be
caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites, which
are found throughout the region and can
contaminate food or water. Infections may cause
diarrhea and vomiting (E. coli, Salmonella,
cholera, and parasites), fever (typhoid fever and
toxoplasmosis), or liver damage (hepatitis). Make
sure your food and drinking water are safe.
Source CDC.
26
INTENSIVE SWINE PRODUCTION DECREASES TOURISM
In North Carolina it is estimated that tourism
loses US 2 billion annually

• 2,400 farms produce
• 52,000 tons of waste daily

Source North Carolina Department of
Environmental and Natural Resouces.
27
INTENSIVE SWINE PRODUCTION DECREASES TOURISM
Tourism generates 250,000 jobs US 10.1 billion
Hogs generate 8,000 jobs US 1.9 billion
Source North Carolina Department of
Environmental and Natural Resouces.
28
INTENSIVE SWINE PRODUCTION CONTAMINATES
SUPERFICIAL AND SUBTERRANEAN AQUIFERS
In North Carolina 25 of the lagoons have
leakages.
Source North Carolina Department of
Environmental and Natural Resouces.
29
INTENSIVE SWINE PRODUCTION CONTAMINATES THE
ENVIRONMENT
The bad odors decreases property values in
Virginia by 20.
Source Environmental Interest Organization.
30
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION CAN ENTER AT ANY POINT IN
THE AGRIFOOD CHAIN

• Volcanic eruptions
• Wildfires
• Smelting
• Manufacture of pesticides, herbicides and paper

Dioxin
gt Industry gt Market gt Consumer
Source OMS, Rachels Hazardous Waste News 269,
Promed.
31
DIRECT EFFECTS ON THE AGRIFOOD CHAIN
Dioxin
In Belgium, 1999
Supplier gt
gt
gt Market gt

• Europe suspends imports
• Belgium loses US1,500 million

Source of contamination 97.5 meat and dairy
products
Source OMS, Rachels Hazardous Waste News 269,
Promed.
32
AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM
CHARACTERISTICS

• PAST
• Production
• Public sector
• Diseases/pests
• Eradication
• National system

• PRESENT
• Food chain
• Articulation public/public
• public/private
• Risk factors
• Determine and apply standards
• National system/regional

33
AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM
CHARACTERISTICS

• PRESENT
• Risk management
• Institutional investment
• Systems confidence
• Multidisciplinary approach

• PAST
• Definable problems
• Large technical cost
• Inspection of the product
• Specific skill sets

34
RELATIVE ADVANCEMENT OF AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AND
FOOD SAFETY SYSTEMS
TOTAL
REGULATORY
TECHNOLOGICAL
INSTITUTIONAL
SourceIICA.
35
SUMMARY

• The world of agricultural health is far different
  than before.
• Agricultural health and food safety institutions
  must adopt a much broader focus.
• Support organizations (IDB, IICA) must retool to
  be effective.

36
THE MULTIPLES ROLES OF AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AND
FOOD SAFETY (AHFS)

• PHASE I

• Preparation of White Paper to articulate the
  expanded vision of AHFS.
• Design and implementation of a program of action.

• PHASE II