RE: Country of Origin Labeling

From: GregoryScher@ln.amedd.army.mil
Date: Thu Jun 17 2004 - 10:25:04 PDT

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    Stephen,
    The Berry Amendment (BA) is a little different (and relevant if you want to
    sell to the US Government). It treats seafood differently then all other
    foods.

    If a non-seafood food ingredients are from another country but processed in
    the US we can buy it (under the BA). But with Seafood it must be caught by
    a US flagged ship, landed in a US port, and processed in a US plant.

    Attached is a Military Food Flash Message addressing this (Unclassified of
    course). Para 6 addresses seafood.

    (See attached file: Buy American FF.doc)

    CW2 Greg Scher
    USA

                                                                               
                 "Stephen
                 Thompson"
                 <stephen.thompson To
                 3@verizon.net> <GregoryScher@ln.amedd.army.mil>,
                                           "'George Souza'"
                 06/17/2004 07:50 <george@endeavorseafood.com>
                 AM cc
                                           <owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu>, "'UC
                                           Davis Seafood List'"
                                           <seafood@ucdavis.edu>
                                                                       Subject
                                           RE: Country of Origin Labeling
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               

    Mr. Scher,

    Thank you for your comment.

    Regarding your particular scenario, we would have to consider if and
    where the fish was "substantially transformed". As we have come to
    understand it, the product will be of the country where the
    transformation takes place.

    Perhaps there is further comment from readers.

    Stephen

    Stephen Thompson
    Seafood Quality Systems, LLC
    A Division of Surefish, Seafood Quality Specialists, Inc.
    1659 Drift Rd.
    Westport, MA 02790-1623
    Tel: 508.636.0728
    Fax: 508.636.0729

    -----Original Message-----
    From: GregoryScher@ln.amedd.army.mil
    [mailto:GregoryScher@ln.amedd.army.mil]
    Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2004 2:39 PM
    To: George Souza
    Cc: owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu; 'UC Davis Seafood List'; 'Stephen
    Thompson'
    Subject: RE: Country of Origin Labeling

    This is a very interesting discussion. Country of origin has always
    been a difficult issue to determine for the Federal Government
    procurement/inspection offices and the new labeling will make my job a
    bit easier. As you may be aware the Federal government (military,
    school lunch program, prisons) are only allowed to by seafood from USA
    (Buy American Act, Berry Amendment). Our requirements go as far as to
    state they must be caught by a US Flagged vessel. Do the new labeling
    requirements address this? If wild fish is caught by a Vietnam Fishing
    Boat, transferred to a Cambodian tender and landed in China, would you
    name all three or is it a product of Vietnam because that is the flag on
    the ship that caught it?

    v/r

    Gregory R. Scher
    CW2, USA
    Food Safety & Hygiene
    Alaska District Veterinary Command
    (907)353-5546 Fax: 4854

                 "George Souza"

                 <george@endeavors

                 eafood.com>
    To
                 Sent by: "'Stephen Thompson'"

                 owner-seafood@ucd <stephen.thompson3@verizon.net>,

                 avis.edu "'UC Davis Seafood List'"

                                           <seafood@ucdavis.edu>

    cc
                 06/15/2004 09:36

                 AM
    Subject
                                           RE: Country of Origin Labeling





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