Consumers are increasingly aware of farming practices, including animal welfare and product quality issues; on the other hand, markets are subject to stricter food quality standards that include elements of labeling and traceability. Moreover, meats and feeds markets have been severely affected by animal disease outbreaks. Under these circumstances, the common aim for farmers is to improve their income by means of fair and equitable conditions for production and trade. Farmers take a professional approach to commercial farming and consider ethical issues seriously and this is a message that consumers need to understand. Developing countries are facing several challenges in the livestock and feed sector. This includes meeting international standards for livestock and addressing the impact of import of meat products within domestic markets.

Established in 1963, the IFAP Group on Meats and Feeds adopted a World Meat Producers’ Charter in 1979. In October 1986, it held the first World Meats Producers’ Conference in Denver, USA. Since then the group is meeting regularly. Last meeting took place in Dublin (Ireland) in July 2009 and the next will be held in Alger in May 2010 during the IFAP World Farmers Congress.

Access and availability of markets, animal health, quality and traceability labeling and food safety are among the issues of importance to IFAP member organizations. In addition, the profitability of the sector and the influence of climatic change, droughts and fair trade are continuous issues being discussed within the group.

Since the 1970s, the international prices of commodities have declined and both farmers in developing countries as well as developed countries have suffered from that. However due to their high dependency on a limited number of commodities, the reduction of agricultural commodity prices in developing countries, particularly in African countries, is one of the biggest causes of poverty.

The main challenge for farmers is how to get a better price in international markets. This price collapse is generally characterised by an oversupply and therefore would imply long-term solutions to address supply-demand management, inherent price volatility, high degrees of market concentration and a development-friendly outcome to the Doha Round of negotiations at the WTO (in particular addressing tariff escalation and export subsidies issues). These responses could be efficient if only in the meantime at national level, diversification is promoted in most of commodities dependent countries.

Commodity issues have always been a central part of the work of IFAP, from its beginnings in 1946. IFAP supported the establishment of the International Wheat Agreement in 1948, and throughout the 1950’s up to the 1970’s a central part of IFAP’s advocacy work was to press for international commodity agreements. IFAP also pressed the GATT to include consultations and negotiations on commodities as early as 1969.

There are many commodity problems that are common to all producers, such as low international prices, commodity support programs, measures to empower farmers in the market, traceability, etc. IFAP therefore created a Commodities Conference with a plenary session that is linked to meetings of the IFAP Executive Committee every year (usually in May). The 1st IFAP Commodities Conference was held in the USA in 1995.

• Respond to the needs of IFAP’s members based on the recommendations made by the five commodities groups namely: Dairy products Grains and Oilseeds, Meats and feeds, Sugar, and Tropical commodities (cocoa, coffee and cotton), as well as other identified challenges in commodities markets.
  
• Ensure that farmers are fully involved in the on-going debates on long-term solutions of problems in the commodities markets. For that, IFAP would seek to strengthen its collaboration with specialised commodities organisations as well as international organisations (UNCTAD, Common Fund for Commodities…), research institutes and non-governmental organisations.
  
• Ensure that relevant information on commodities is available to all members and that it would serve as a platform for discussion and information sharing among members.