Richard Fritz, executive director of the Food and Agriculture Export Alliance (FAEA), is scheduled to speak at the U.S. Grains Council’s 50th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting, July 18-21.

Fritz’s relationship with the Council began approximately three and a half years ago with the founding of FAEA. Formed to capitalize on the strength of existing export organizations, FAEA works together with its five cooperators and foreign regulatory agencies to help facilitate international trade and improve food and feed safety by assisting nations to develop applicable regulatory requirements.

The five cooperators of FAEA include: the U.S. Dairy Export Council; the U.S. Poultry and Egg Export Council; the U.S. Meat Export Federation; the U.S. Soybean Export Council; and the Council.

“The five cooperators got together and decided to work on long-term issues related to market access, looking at the rules and regulations that countries are developing,� Fritz said. “They also are trying to help countries put in place rules and regulations that meet international obligations for trade.�

In his presentation at the Council’s upcoming meeting, Fritz said he plans to address three topics: the history of FAEA and why it exists; the countries it works in and the accomplishments in those countries; and the future – what FAEA hopes to accomplish in the years ahead.

“Issues that need to be addressed include opinions on feed additives and encouraging Vietnam to adapt its own plant health law based on an understanding of the U.S. system of production and residues and handling diseases in plants. FAEA, the Council and the other collaborators need to work on encouraging Vietnam to adopt a science-based feed safety regulatory system,� Fritz said.