Int'l Poultry Council gains OIE recognition

Recently, IPC First Vice President Tage Lysgaard of Denmark and OIE Director General Bernard Vallat signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation that recognises the IPC as a legitimate international organisation in the eyes of the OIE.

Under the memorandum, the OIE will look to the IPC for input on global animal health issues.

The signing of the agreement provides a framework for cooperation between the IPC and the OIE on poultry health and disease issues of common interest.

"The agreement and MOU means that the IPC is obliged to keep the OIE informed on its activities," said Lysgaard. "In turn, the IPC will be invited to participate in the OIE's general meetings to give reports on what we're doing."

Jim Sumner, president of the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council, who also serves as president of the IPC, said that official recognition by the OIE is a major step forward for the organisation.

"Having the support of an organisation with the status of the OIE not only helps give the IPC a more meaningful purpose to its members, but is also the logical stepping stone to recognition by Codex and other organisations as a bona fide organisation that represents the international poultry community."

"We have a major role to play with the international organisations," said Lysgaard. "Our members produce a commodity that is wanted and needed in all parts of the world without limitation. Poultry is the most efficient feed converter, and the mission of FAO, for example, is feeding the people of the world. We hope to obtain recognition by FAO, Codex and the WTO later this year."