The United States and Australia took steps to harmonize their agriculture and food markets today when the two countries officially recognized each other’s food safety systems as comparable.

This systems recognition between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources will help to ensure food safety and establish a framework for regulatory cooperation in a variety of areas that range from scientific collaboration to outbreak response, according to the FDA. The recognition will also reduce duplication, contradictory responses and oversight delays in both countries’ regulatory practices.

Milk and milk products regulated in the United States under the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance are not included in the scope of the agreement; however, cheese and other non-Grade “A” dairy products will benefit from increased continuity of food safety guidelines and regulations between the two countries.

This is the third time that the FDA has recognized a foreign food safety system as comparable; New Zealand was first in 2012 and Canada was recognized last year. A similar systems recognition process is underway between FDA and the European Commission.

For more information, contact John Allan, IDFA vice president of regulatory affairs and international standards, at jallan@idfa.org, or Beth Hughes, IDFA director of international affairs, at bhughes@idfa.org.