Identity-Preserved Systems: A Reference Handbook PDF

PREFACE

The idea for an identity-preserved (IP) handbook originated in the U.S. commodity grain trade. The first need was seen as an effort by grain and oilseed traders to protect their own place in world trade. The U.S. position and ability in world grain trade was being questioned. U.S. grain and oilseed trading industries saw the need to take a new initiative to protect their market share in world trade. Identity-preserved products were becoming much more prominent in these markets. An identity-preserved system would facilitate the segregation of shipments of grains or oilseeds that are distinguishable, by some morphological, physiological, or other characteristic, from other shipments.

Even though the current emphasis was centered on the genetically modified organism (GMO) issue, the long-term opportunities in identity-preserved products will develop from specialty grain and oilseed traits, whether perfected through conventional or transgenic breeding methods. The U.S. trade saw the opportunity (and probably a great need) to demonstrate the unified ability to provide identity-preserved crops to widespread markets.

The U.S. has a well-established niche marketing effort that has served specialty markets for many years. Even though this effort was well established it was fragmented rather than unified. Individual efforts have basically met the markets' needs. At this point in time, with tremendous growth in demand for identity-preserved products, there is increased opinion within the grain, oilseed, and specialty trade industries that the U.S. needs a unified and sophisticated identity-preserved program.

A proposal to develop identity-preserved guidelines, in the form of a user's handbook that could be used by various parties in the industries as they enter into new identity-preserved enterprises surfaced. The program would need to be flexible enough to allow the development of individual company programs within the overall framework of the broader program, yet demonstrate a unified U.S. effort. This unified program would help to make evident to buyers and consumers that the well-respected U.S. grain industry has the ability and means to deliver identity-preserved products, even in large quantities. Interest in a system that was not government based, but which may utilize the services of government grain inspection agencies, seems to prevail.

The U.S. grain and oilseed trade is rapidly changing from commodity-based trade to value-enhanced crops that require some system of separation from their commodity counterparts and verification methods to assure that this segregation is accurate. With the availability of crops with specific value-enhanced traits it is becoming important to maintain those traits from the grower to the end user manufacturer and ultimately the consumer. As the U.S. grain and oilseed production and trade infrastructure moves into this specialized area, it is becoming apparent that a system of preserving the identity of these crops from farm to market must be implemented which producers all the way to overseas buyers understand.

This program will be based on systems used in the seed and niche crop industries that have been in place for many years. These systems are well understood by these specialty industries but have not been used within the commodity grain and oilseed industries. As the rapidly expanding production of specialized crops moves from the small niche markets into trade where commodity people and facilities will be utilized, it is becoming important that these entities become aware of systems that will be demanded by end users to assure them of values within the value-chain.

It is essential to develop a system of identity-preserved verification, which will allow the U.S. seed, specialty crop, and grain and oilseed industries to easily provide products, which can be identified with a paper trail verifying identity, product quality, and special characteristics. The handbook should be very "user-friendly" for not only parties involved in IP trade but also people not directly involved in trade but who have concerns for product integrity as affected by identity preservation.

The handbook will describe an overall IP system, which may be utilized in ways that will meet the particular needs of parties involved in specific trade agreements. The system can be adapted to work with "in-house" documentation, third-party verification, or third-party system accreditation. The handbook will discuss the background of IP systems originating in the seed industry, the basics of a total IP system, and the potential electronic transfer of data and documents.

IP is rapidly becoming of major importance in world trade of agricultural crops that are enhanced genetically, grown under specific conditions, or have specific characteristics, which must be identified and maintained from the seed planted to the delivery of the crop to the end user. This proposal is an effort to unify the U.S. position in IP crops, to outline the protocol for IP systems, and to provide a handbook that may be used by various parties in the value-chain of this production and marketing effort. As the project evolved it became much more centered on providing a reference for the development and utilization of IP systems rather than the protection of U.S. trading efforts.

The concept of this handbook began to emerge in 1999 as the grain trade and niche market industries recognized the changing atmosphere of world trade in agricultural products. The stratifications of these markets demonstrated the need for guidelines to product segregation and traceability. At first proposal the author, as a consultant, was approached to write an identity-preservation handbook for an individual company. Early in the negotiation of that proposed project the company determined that the industry was really dictating an industry-wide protocol that would be acceptable by traders around the world.

Approaches to commodity groups and other broad industry organizations pointed toward a very neutral party such as the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA) to provide auspices to the project. AOSCA is further identified in section 1.