IDF Blog

Important outcomes from Codex meeting on nutrition and foods for special diets

By Laurence Rycken, IDF Science and Standards Manager

On 24-29 November 2019, the 41st session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses was held in Dusseldorf, Germany. The meeting aimed to study specific nutritional problems and advise on general nutrition issues; to draft general provisions concerning the nutritional aspects of all foods; to develop standards and guidelines for foods for special dietary uses, and to debate provisions on nutritional aspects proposed for inclusion in Codex standards, guidelines and related texts. As in previous…

Sharing knowledge in dairy welfare

By Louise Winblad, Växa Sverige

Animal welfare is increasing in importance in agricultural systems in many countries around the world. As the 13th edition of the IDF Animal Health Report is released, Louise Winblad of Växa Sverige reflects on why information on animal welfare should be communicated globally, and shares details on some of the case studies included in the latest issue. The latest edition of IDF’s Animal Health Report is dedicated to animal welfare, an important and complex topic where the level of acceptance…

Dairy: nourishing a growing world population sustainably

By Caroline Emond, IDF Director General

This year’s COP25, which launches in Madrid this week, will be the start of a crucial period for the environment. COP25 is the final COP before we enter the defining year of 2020, when many nations must submit new climate action plans. With climate change forecasts suggesting we must alter various aspects of modern life to minimise damage to the planet, discussions about diet, the foods we produce, and how we produce them to meet the needs of a…

Major progress on food safety guidance achieved at Codex

By Claus Heggum, Head of the IDF delegation to CCFH

The Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) was held 4-8 November 2019 in Cleveland (US). Two major pieces of work were completed during this session: The Proposed Draft Code of Practice on Food Allergen Management for Food Business Operators CCFH agreed to send it to the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) for adoption at step 8 (publication). Once the Codex Committee on Food Labelling completes its work on precautionary allergen labelling, CCFH will consider whether this document needs revision. …

Shaping the sector for a sustainable future

By Dr Judith Bryans, IDF President

One of the main benefits of the IDF World Dairy Summit is the opportunity it presents to bring the sector together to discuss what the future holds for dairy, and how we, as representatives of the sector can help to shape it. I firmly believe that if we as a dairy sector have a bold ambition for ourselves and we work collaboratively, we can overcome the challenges that are currently facing our sector and have a bright and optimistic future….

Coordinated action needed on mastitis

By Dr Jaap Boes, Manager, Animal Health and Welfare, Livestock Innovation, SEGES, Danish Agriculture & Food Council

Healthy and productive dairy animals are vital to the provision of a safe, sufficient and nutritious food supply at a time of a rapidly increasing global population. Mastitis causes decreased productivity as well as food loss due to discarded milk. Coordinated action is essential if the dairy sector is to achieve optimal management of this disorder, which is so important to maintaining and increasing sustainable milk production globally. To explore the global issue of mastitis in livestock, one of the…

Dairy animals and their role in a sustainable food system

By Caroline Emond, IDF Director General

Over the past few months, discussions on how to develop sustainable food systems have been in the spotlight, and was one of the key topics at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi which I had the pleasure to attend. Nourishing (not only feeding with empty food) an increasing world population with an efficient use of the available resources is the challenge that we must address collectively. I am convinced, like many others, that the only way to meet that…

World Food Safety Day: Food Safety, everyone’s business

By Claus Heggum, representative for food safety on the IDF Science and Programme Coordination Committee, and Aurélie Dubois, IDF Science and Standards Programme Manager

IDF welcomes the first World Food Safety Day, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2018, which will be celebrated on 7 June 2019 under the theme “Food Safety, everyone’s business.” It is indeed everyone’s business! Without food safety, there is no food security. In a world where the food supply chain has become more complex, any adverse food safety incident could have a catastrophic impact on public health, trade and the economy. From the farm to…

IDF contributes its expertise on standards for methods of analysis for dairy products to Codex

By Aurélie Dubois-Lozier – IDF Science and Standards Programme Manager

What is the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS)? The CCMAS is one of the horizontal Codex Committees that addresses Methods of Analysis and Sampling across all food commodities. This Committee has for a main role to consider, amend, if necessary, and endorse, as appropriate, methods of analysis and sampling proposed by Codex (Commodity) Committees, to specify Reference Methods of Analysis and Sampling appropriate to Codex Standards, to serve as a coordinating body for Codex…

Family farming in a rapidly changing world

By Andrew Hoggard, Dairy Farmer and Farmer representative on IDF SPCC Science and Coordination Committee

Introducing the UN Decade of Family Farming On 20 December 2017, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution by which it declared 2019-2028 to be the Decade of Family Farming. FAO and IFAD actively supported the campaign and have been called upon to co-lead the implementation of the Decade in cooperation with a broad range of partners. What does this mean for family farms? The UN Decade of Family Farming aims to shed new light on what it…