Gregory Beck, USAID’s Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia in Washington, D.C. met this week in Cagayan de Oro City with a group of Mindanao firms that will work with USAID’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program to acquire their Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification.
Mr. Beck congratulated the firms on their farsightedness and willingness to undergo the demanding certification process, which requires investments in time, manpower and funds, in order to put themselves at par with competitors in high-end domestic and global markets.
“In acquiring HACCP certification, you will be doing more than opening your doors to a much wider market and assuring brighter prospects for your firms,” said Mr. Beck. “You will also be assisting Mindanao’s economy to grow, as you employ more people, and help small farmers to increase their incomes.”
HACCP is a systematic preventive approach to food safety and quality which focuses on limiting potential physical, chemical and biological hazards at critical points during the processing phase of food production.
Beginning in 2009, the USAID/GEM Program has been assisting selected, promising Mindanao food processing firms to acquire HACCP certification, in line with the program’s goal of expanding the exports of selected high-value commodities grown by small-holder producers in the region.
USAID/GEM helps each company develop the systems and procedures needed for HACCP compliance, and arrange a certification by an internationally-recognized third-party certifying agency. For the latest updates PRESS CTR + D or visit Stock Market news Today
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