New Japanese Standards Raise Questions For Oregon Exporters (AUDIO)

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(SALEM) - Pacific Northwest food processors and the Oregon Department of Agriculture are working on a new program to help get products exported to Japan.

A complex set of regulations issued recently by the Japanese government could potentially make it more difficult to export food and agricultural products because of standards on chemical residues.

With Japan, the number one ag export market for Oregon, that's cause for concern, according to Katy Coba, director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture:

COBA: "There's a lot of nervousness amongst processors and producers about the potential now for sending product over, having it be tested, and rejected."

ODA and the Northwest Food Processors Association are proactively trying to develop something that will help local and regional companies.

COBA: "Another kind of a voluntary certification program, a tool available to processors,

if they wanted to take advantage of it, whereby ODA's Export Services Center would pre-certify these products to meet the Japanese standards, then move right through the process."

ODA's Export Service Program can test for a number of agricultural chemicals and was, the first U.S. lab to have pre-certification ability to test products to meet Japan's strict standards for food.

A proposal from ODA to test products over here first could be brought forward to the Japanese government this fall.

In Salem I’m Kevin Hays Reporting For Salem-News.com.