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The IIIrd International Fair of Food Safety, Hygiene and Pest Control EuroHiPeCo 2008, the biggest branch event, has finished. The fair was necessary, good and successful – said Ewa Lech, Chief Veterinary Doctor.
The organisers would like to thank all visitors, exhibitors, companies and institutions. Next EuroHiPeCo will take place in 2010.

The Fair was initiated by Ewa Lech, Chief Veterinary Doctor, and Tadeusz Wojciechowski, President of Polish Pest Control Federation (PFPC). The Federation was the Fair organiser. During ceremonial Fair opening the branch challenges were discussed by: Tadeusz Jakubowski, President of Polish National Veterinary Chamber; Maria Laudańska – the Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Matters at Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; Jan Prandota, Counsellor of Agriculture and Fisheries Section of Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the European Union in Brussels and Prof. Stanisław Zięba from Food Management Council.
- The Fair is important, especially in times of increasing prices and difficulties of food market – emphasized Ewa Lech.
- And changes connected with giving up previous Union common agricultural policy – added Jan Parota.
Among others, visitors to the Fair were: Jerzy Chróścikowski, Chairman of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Committee at The Senate of the Republic of Poland, and euro-deputies Czesław Siekierski and Janusz Wojciechowski.

Exhibitors
The Fair was full of life form the Wednesday morning of 4th June to the Thursday evening of 5th June. Attention was paid to stands of Pestcontroller, Killgerm and Precyzja Bit. The last company was awarded a special prize for the best promotion. CID Lines, Brinkman, JohnsonDiversey and Killgerm also gained distinctions. Large space was arranged in the centre, where one could seat, negotiate, discuss branch matters or make an interview – which was a novelty in comparison to the previous editions.
- It was a really good idea – said Julian Pawlak, the President of The Polish Association of Juices Producers.
For producers
An important and widely discussed event was a conference organised on the 4th of June - 'Food safety in agricultural production – from field to fork’, which was dedicated for farmers. Among the conference Polish prestigious specialists and guests from European Union offices and organisations presented their views, opinions, legal acts and procedural solutions used in agricultural production.
- We have a bad functioning system of compensating for losses resulting from animal diseases – said Tadeusz Jakubowski, the President of Polish National Veterinary Chamber. Jakubowski indicated mutual relationship between food safety, hygiene and pest control, domains of the Fair. – There is no way to control salmonella among poultry efficiently without eliminating rodents being vectors transmitting the disease – said Jakubowski – similarly to the situation when bluetongue disease can’t be controlled without eliminating culicoides – he added.

From Europe and the USA
Luc Lengele, Chief Veterinary Doctor of Belgium, spoke on system compensating losses resulting from animal diseases. James Moynagh, financial director at DG SANCO European Commission spoke on solutions that have already been implemented.
- An important aspect is that money for animal diseases results control and compensations for those who lose on such control should be transferred in favour of interested parties quickly and within transparent rules – said Moynagh. Rita Kishore from US Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service shared American experience in this field during a conference.

For producers and traders
The second Fair conference 'How to understand food safety and quality in the times of strong market competition?' on the 5th of June was dedicated to producers. An argument took place between Małgorzata Niepokulczycka from Consumer Federation and Andrzej Gantner (Polish Federation of Food Industry (PFPZ)) as well as Marek Marzec (Polish Organisation of Trade and Distribution (POHiD)), which led to creative dispute:
- We are interested primarily in the highest quality for the lowest price as well as simple and full information about product. And such information is missing – demanded Niepokulczycka.
- That’s because information can be simple or full – responded Gartner – full details are eliminated during simplification, and full information becomes complicated.
- I can assure you that we, as producers, would move heaven and earth for consumers, and give them full information in any requested form, because success in our branch depends on meeting their expectations – said Marzec – the problem is that customers very often don’t want, even don’t wish to be acquainted with any information.
Hygiene and pest control
Specialized workshops and trainings were sacrificed to cleaning and pest control branches, which were connected with practical displays of equipment and procedures. JohnsonDiversey company prepared workshops on the 4th of June. Presentation of the newest technologies impressed training participants immensely, as well as workshops prepared by Polish Pest Control Federation (PFPC), considering practical and legal aspects of pest control activity.

Thanks
The organisers would like to thank to all visitors, exhibitors, companies and institutions. – Thanks for your help, for your presence – says Tadeusz Wojciechowski, the President of Polish Pest Control Federation (PFPC) – I invite you to the next EuroHiPeCo in 2010. We will organise the fair every two years – he adds.