IMS is postponing major events due to coronavirus fears
International Meat Secretariat (IMS) is postponing some of its major events initially scheduled for this month and the summer of 2020. At the end of March, IMS along with the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) were supposed to stage a conference on ASF in Paris. However, "stringent travel restrictions could be mandated by country authorities, with a strong possibility of quarantine requirements for conference participants' forced the organizers to move the event on an unspecified date.
"We will reschedule as soon the COVID-19 situation has improved, however, we cannot at this time predict when that will be (later this year). We regret any inconvenience this postponement has caused. We will inform you as soon as conditions permit rescheduling,", informed IMS on behalf of its President Guillaume Roué, and OIE Director General Monique Eloit.
The main meat industry's event, the World Meat Congress, is to be postponed for a year also. "As you know the COVID-19 situation, while improving in China, is worsening in many regions of the world. We have the duty to place public safety first. We fear that in the coming months more stringent travel restrictions could be mandated by country authorities, with strong possibility of quarantine requirements for conference participants either as they enter Mexico, or as they return to their home countries.
We have decided to reschedule sufficiently far in the future (June 2021) to allow time for the COVID-19 situation to be resolved. Of course, we cannot at this time predict when the COVID-19 crisis will be over", announced IMS in a statement.
For the meat industry, this is not the only blow suffered this year. Major events meant to promote meat products, enterprises, brands and to expand companies' presence in the global market have been canceled or postponed starting with FOODEX Japan, Alimentaria Barcelona, FOOD Expo Greece, SIAL China, etc.
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