US gives $100,000 aid on food, animal and plant health standards

“This contribution builds on the US commitment to help developing nations adopt science-based animal and plant health and food safety standards that are so critical to trade,” said US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns.

The donation is for the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), a programme set up for the purpose jointly by the World Trade Organization, the World Health Organization, the World Bank, the World Organization for Animal Health, and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

“This latest contribution from the US sets the scene for what should be another good year for the Standards and Trade Development Facility,” said WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy. “As members contemplate lower trade barriers in agricultural and food products, we hear more concerns about meeting standards. It is worth repeating that in order to make use of market opening opportunities, developing countries also need to be able to meet the demands of importing countries’ rules on food safety, or animal or plant health. Keeping up with new SPS standards in export markets is a challenge for everyone, but particularly for developing and least developed countries. By assisting them implement SPS measures, programmes like the Standards and Trade Development Facility have a direct impact on these countries’ capacity to export.”

With this contribution, the United States has become the 9th WTO member to give funds to the Standards and Trade Development Facility. Since its inception in 2002, the STDF has received over 6 million Swiss Francs in donations (over $4.7 million). With these funds, these STDF has built a portfolio of 15 projects and is financing a further 16 project-preparation grants. Project-preparation grants aim to turn good ideas into projects and are a key way of ensuring the target is met for 40% of STDF resources to be spent on least-developed countries. In 2006, three funding cycles are planned. Closing dates for applications and further information on how to apply can be found on the STDF website.