US to hold seminars for Vietnamese meat inspectors

August 10, 2009

HCM CITY — The US’ Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will hold two week-long seminars for Vietnamese meat inspectors next month, Michael Riedel, Agricultural Attache at the American consulate in HCM City, told a conference last week.

One would be held in Ha Noi and the other in HCM City.

Also this [autumn], some Vietnamese food safety officials would go to the US to participate in FSIS’ training in HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) implementation, Riedel added.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA), under which the FSIS functions, is working with the Department of Animal Health in Ha Noi and the Division of Animal Health in HCM City to arrange the seminars.

"We work very hard to identify areas where Vietnamese and US organisations could work together to learn from each other," he said.

The USDA’s main task is to expand and maintain overseas markets for US agricultural exports.
It also produces reports like the annual grain report about Viet Nam and Food Retail Sector report for the benefit of American farmers and exporters.

"The HCM City office also covers Cambodia where we do many of the activities above, while also conducting some food aid programmes," Riedel said. — VNS