1. Enhancing national veterinary services

2. The changes taking place in global food trade and the new trends in consumer preferences promote the formulation and application of food safety policies In the Americas there are ~$125 billion in agricultural exports and ~$85 billion in imports facilitated by either AHFS regulations, standards, norms or actions such as inspection There are >120 million visitors each year, each with potential to bring in diseases or pests The second largest export market for Latin America after the U.S. is trade between Latin American countries In the Americas there are almost 50,000 km of shared land borders that can be non-existent to diseases and pests Consumers are demanding better quality and safer foods that force markets and governments to increase AHFS regulations The private sector and consumers play an active role in determining market characteristics and in the development of standards Globalization increasing need for more AHFS regulations

3. 1995 1947 GATT 47 Primary Production Globalization and the expanded role of SPS standards WTO

4. Our challenges Agricultural health and food safety services SPS Agreement International norms and standards Emerging issues

5. Developing of AHFS services with the Performance, Vision and Strategy (PVS) instrument

6. PVS Instrument for National Veterinary Services Implemented in 13 countries (Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay – planned in Argentina) Adopted and adapted by OIE as a tool to evaluate national veterinary services

7. Key assumptions in the design of the PVS instrument Promotes an integrated national service – Extends beyond the traditional functions Straight forward process – Fosters dialogue and clarity of roles and responsibilities Incremental and measurable approach – Builds momentum and maintains focus Flexible application and cost – Dynamic instrument allowing feedback and improvement

8. Different levels of use for the PVS instrument  Ministerial level – Understand and promote their national services as part of a global environment  Directors of veterinary services – Benchmarking progress and prioritizing actions  Technical/professional staff – Defining new roles and enhancing cooperation with the private sector  Private sector – Participating, investing and strengthening their national veterinary services

9. Possible outcomes from the PVS instrument within the national services  Overall level of performance  Securing additional resources  Prioritize areas of highest importance and action  Increased dialogue, common language and direction  Reference point to measure progress over the time

10. Our challenges Agricultural health and food safety services SPS Agreement International norms and standards Emerging issues

11. Rapid and coordinated actions to respond to emergencies Emergency response in the short term Controlling the spread of disease in the medium term Enhancing and mantaining long-term health of animal, plant and human populations

12. Thank you