Foreign Agriculture Service: Technical Assistance Programs in Serbia and Montenegro

Home

Embassy News

U.S. Citizen Services

Visas to the U.S.

U.S. Policy & Issues

Resources

Foreign Agriculture Service

FAS on Internet

News & Events

Doing Business with U.S.

Import Programs

Export Programs

Cooperators in Europe

Biotechnology

Trade Shows 2005-2006

Regulatory Information

Useful Contact Info

ICD

Technical Assistance Programs

Norman E. Borlaug Program

Faculty Exchange Program

Cochran Fellowship Program

Technical Assistance Programs in Serbia and Montenegro

The Office of Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade manages a wide range of technical assistance and capacity building programs in Serbia and Montenegro. These programs are designed to achieve three primary goals: 1) economic growth and job opportunities in the agricultural sector; 2) improve consumer health, food safety, and animal and plant health regulations to comply with international trade agreements, and; 3) expand U.S.-Serbia bilateral trade and investment and help Serbia's integration into the world market system. USDA program in Serbia and Montenegro includes the following:

1. Food Safety and Quality Program: The Food Safety Program for Serbia and Montenegro focuses on strengthening the regulatory systems for production and processing of meat, poultry and dairy products. The goal is to help facilitate the establishment of an integrated food safety system between the Ministries of Health and Agriculture, and incorporate standards that will help the region meet international safety and quality regulations.

2. Animal Health: USDA provides assistance to strengthen Serbia’s capacity in the veterinary services sector. Protecting the livestock sector from disease is necessary for protecting the economic stability of the country.

3. Market Information System: The USDA continues to provide assistance to develop a sustainable system for collecting, analyzing and disseminating high quality agricultural market information. The Market Information System (MIS) program provides farmers, policy makers and agribusiness with the pricing information they need to make rational production and marketing decisions to facilitate Serbia’s transition to a fully functioning market economy.

4. Agricultural Extension: The Agricultural Extension program continues to provide technical assistance to develop a sustainable extension service. USDA provide the Ministry of Agriculture’s extension offices with the necessary information and tools to reach out to farmers and provide educational and technical information that will assist farmers in responding to issues effecting farm management and production.

5. Biotechnology: USDA assists Serbia and Montenegro in implementing a biosafety system that will facilitate safe development and applications of agricultural biotechnology without impeding international agricultural trade. The Serbian Ministry of Agriculture and the National Biosafety Committee are using USDA’s assistance to strengthen Serbia’s decision-making process and implement a transparent, practical regulatory framework for biosafety of agricultural biotechnology.

6. Planting Seed System and Crop Protection: The planting seed program helps Serbia in strengthening its regulatory framework and promotes applications of beneficial technologies in the areas of planting seeds and crop protection. Within the seed system, regulatory issues include seed certification, phytosanitary (i.e., seed health) and plant variety protection programs. Through seminars, short courses, and scientific exchanges, ICD will continue to prepare participants to develop and adopt transparent, technically sound regulations and public-private partnerships necessary to enforce those regulations.

7. Agricultural Policy and WTO: Agricultural Trade Policy/WTO training program is designed to help Serbia continue to establish a trade regime that is consistent with the WTO and other international standards-setting bodies. Key areas of focus are: Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) issues; the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreements; the role of various entities (e.g., government, private sector, Parliament Congress) in agricultural trade policy development; the WTO accession process; international standard setting bodies (i.e., OIE, IPPC, and CODEX); and a forward look at the Doha Round.

Calendar of Technical Activities for Serbia and Montenegro 2006

DATE	ACTIVITY / EVENT	MANAGER / VISITOR	PROJECT DESCRIPTION
January 29-31, 2006	Animal Health Program	Manager Megan Schildgen/USDA Visitor Eldon Uhlenhopp/ISU and Megan Schildgen/USDA	Institute Visits - Assess the capacity of institutes in diagnosing of infectious diseases
January 29 - February 3, 2006	Marketing Information System - Economic Research Service	Manager Nancy Cochrane/ERS-USDA Visitor John Dunmore/ERS-USDA	Continuation of ERS training for Serbian counterpart; work on commodity reference books; evaluation of commodity PS&D sheets and expansion of commodity list; introduction to gross margins
February 5 - 8, 2006	Marketing Information System - AMIS in Montenegro	Manager Nancy Cochrane/ERS-USDA Visitor Nancy Cochrane/ERS-USDA	Visiting Montenegrin reporters and AMIS headquarters in Podgorica to produce first reports from green and livestock markets and initiate creation of AMIS web page.
February 1-2, 2006	Animal Health Program, Montenegro	Manager Megan Schildgen/USDA Visitor Eldon Uhlenhopp/ISU and Megan Schildgen/USDA Greg Philips Jon Leafstedt	Entrepreuership: Fee-based Services and Collaboration to Improve Product Quality and Safety. To build a foundation for future collaboration among industry and universities by conducting a conference that introduces the concept and benefits of technology transfer and consultancy.
February 5 - 8, 2006	Marketing Information System - STIPS in Serbia	Manager Nancy Cochrane/ERS-USDA Visitors Carol Meinders/USDA-AMS William Meyers/USDA-AMS Nancy Cochrane/ERS-USDA	Training "Marketing Information Systems in Grains, Oilseeds and Feedstuffs"; Serbian reporters will be trained how to provide weekly reports for these commreport
February 11 - 18, 2006	Agricultural Extension Project - Rural Development	Manager Veronica Priddy/USDA Host/University Michael Reed/University of Kentucky Visitor Suzana Djordjevic Milosevic/Serbian Ministy of Agriculture	USDA and Serbian Ministry of Agriculture initiated colaborative activity in the field of Rural Development in Serbia. Assistant Minister, Ms. Djordjevic Milosevic visits University of Kentucky to explore possibilities for further cooperation.
February 20-24, 2006	Food Safety Program	Manager Emel Jenkins/USDA Carolyn Sacramm/USDA Visitor Emel Jenkins/USDA Carolyn Sacramm/USDA Peter Slade/IIT Kateri Yunker	Workshop "ServSafe", American experts provide food safety trainig for food service personnel.This program is designed to create a heightened sense of awareness of food borne illness and prevention, and to develop a cadre of people who can continue the training.
February 25-28, 2006	Food Safety Program	Manager Emel Jenkins/USDA Carolyn Sacramm/USDA Visitor Emel Jenkins/USDA Carolyn Sacramm/USDA Peter Slade/IIT Kateri Yunker	Workshop "ServSafe", American experts provide food safety trainig for food service personnel.This program is designed to create a heightened sense of awareness of food borne illness and prevention, and to develop a cadre of people who can continue the training.
March 1-4, 2006	Grades and Standards	Manager Emel Jenkins/USDA Visitors Emel Jenkins/USDA Dorian LaFond/USDA/AMS	Introductory trip
March 5 - 10, 2006	Marketing Information System - AMIS in Montenegro	Manager Nancy Cochrane/ERS-USDA Visitors William Meyers/USDA-AMS James McCallister/USDA-AMS Nancy Cochrane/ERS-USDA	Training "Marketing Information Systems in Fruits, Vegetables and Livestock"; American trainers provide expanded education in reporting from green, wholesale and livestock open markets in Montenegro.
March 17 - 21, 2006	Agricultural Extension Project - Rural Development	Manager Veronica Priddy/USDA Visitors Michael Reed/UKY Ronald Hustedde/UKY Gwenda Adkins/UKY Veronica Priddy/USDA	USDA and Serbian Ministry of Agriculture will provide the first training session on "Rural Development in Serbia". 40 Serbian agricultural consultants from the public, NGO, and private sector will be trained on ways to increase economic development in their regions.
April 2 - 7, 2006	Agricultural Extension Project - Farm Management	Manager Veronica Priddy/USDA Visitors James Dunn/PSU Stanley McKee/PSU Gary Shepard/PSU Katya Caballero/USDA	Fourth training session for more than 40 Serbian participants is designed to provide practical exercises on farms. Participants will compete to create best business plans for chosen farmers.
April 3 - 5, 2006	Norman E. Borlaug Fellowship Program, Workshop Belgrade	Manager Phil Harlan ICD/USDA Abiola Adeyemi ICD/USDA Visitors Cathy Weir Pisano Jon Tolefson/ISU Mike McWhorther/TAMU Francine Jasper/Cornel	Participants will present their mentored research to academics and public on the NBF Program Workshop in Podgorica. Interview candidates for a new cycle of Norman E. Borlaug Fellowship Program
April 6 - 7, 2006	Norman E. Borlaug Fellowship Program, Workshop Podgorica	Manager Phil Harlan ICD/USDA Abiola Adeyemi ICD/USDA Visitors Cathy Weir Pisano Jon Tolefson/ISU Mike McWhorther/TAMU Francine Jasper/Cornell	Participants will present their mentored research to academics and public on the NBF Program Workshop in Podgorica. Interview candidates for a new cycle of Norman E. Borlaug Fellowship Program
April 3 - 7, 2006	Faculty Exchange Program	Manager Kirsty Morgan Nattor/USDA	Interview candidates for the new cycle of FEP
April 10 - May 13, 2006	Animal Health Program (in the States)	Manager Jeniffer Maurer/USDA Host in the US Eldon Uhlenhopp/ISU	Provide technical training that will result in validated capability of key staff to accurately and efficiently utilize state of the art diagnostic instrumentation and to train co-workers upon return. Training is provided for four scientist from Serbia and Montenegro.
April May 13 - 19, 2006	Animal Health Program (in the States)	Manager Jeniffer Maurer/USDA Host in the US USDA - NVSL	USDA's international effort to combat avian and pandemic influenza includes assistance to partner countries' animal health laboratories for accurate and timely confirmation of suspected highly pathogenic avian influenza cases. Trainig is provided in USDA/NVSL

Calendar of Technical Activities for Serbia and Montenegro 2005

DATE	ACTIVITY / EVENT	MANAGER / VISITOR	PROJECT DESCRIPTION
February 9 - 11, 2005	Biotechnology Program Workshop Banja Vrujci	Manager Micah Rosenblum/USDA Visitor Hector Quemada/WMU Scott Angle/MSU	USDA Workshop “management of GMO field trails and role and administration of internal institutional biosafety committees”
February 21 - 26, 2005	Faculty Exchange Program	Manager Amy Freitas/USDA	Interviews for the new cycle
March 7 - 11, 2005	Animal Health Program Institute Visits - Diagnostic Capacity for Trade	Manager Megan Schildgen/USDA Visitor Eldon Uhlenhopp/ISU	Assess the capability of institutes to meet their future roles
March 7 – 11, 2005	Marketing Information System – Livestock Reporting Sector	Manager Nancy Cochrane/ERS-USDA Visitor William Meyers/AMS	Development of Marketing Information system in livestock sector; evaluation of reporting and dissemination
April - , 2005	Biotechnology Program Workshop	Manager Micah Rosenblum/USDA Visitor Hector Quemada/WMU	Systematic approaches to biosafety testing, risk assessment and monitoring
April 1 - 9, 2005	Norman E. Borlaug Fellowship Program, Workshop	Commission – all visitors Clemen Gehlhar/USDA Jon Tolefson/ISU Mike McWhorther/TAMU Francine Jasper/Cornell	Participants will present their mentored research to academics and public. Interviews for a new cycle of Norman E. Borlaug Fellowship Program
April 4- 9, 2005	Seeds and Plant Protection Program - Corn Redness Syndrome Program	Manager Micah Rosenblum/USDA Hosts Margaret Redinbaugh/OSU Richard Pratt/OSU Roy Gingery/OSU	Two members of Serbian CRS scientist team will visit OSU - United States (Prof Dr. Aleksa Obradovic and Dr. Dragana Ignjatovic - Micic)
April 5 - 15, 2005	Agriculture Extension Service Project – Farm Management	Manager and visitor Veronica Priddy/USDA Coordinated with Jim Dunn and Louis Moore (PennState) Visitors Louis Moore/PSU Kenneth Bailey/PSU Andrew Martin, Stanley McKee, Gerald Grubb	First two sessions in Farm Management; one in north, other in south Serbia; training about farm planning, record keeping, assets valuation, income statement
April 18 – 22, 2005	Marketing Information System - Economic Research Service	Manager Nancy Cochrane /ERS-USDA Visitor Mildred Haley/ERS-USDA	Continuation of ERS training for Serbian counterpart; evaluation of commodity PS&D sheets and expansion of commodity list
May 15 – 28, 2005	MIS Evaluation Team	Manager Nancy Cochrane/ERS-USDA Visitors James McCallister/AMS William Meyers/AMS	MIS Evaluation Team will travel and visit Serbian reporters to review work in Serbian agricultural reporting centers
May 9 – 13, 2005	Biotechnology Program Workshop	Manager Micah Rosenblum/USDA Visitor Hector Quemada/WMU	Compliance and enforcement of biosafety regulations and guidelines
May 22 – 25, 2005	MIS Balkan Conference	Manager Nancy Cochrane /ERS-USDA Visitor Mildred Haley/ERS-USDA James McCallister/AMS William Meyers/AMS	Exchange of knowledge and experience between Marketing Information systems in Balkan region
May 26 – 27, 2005	Marketing Information System - Economic Research Service	Manager Nancy Cochrane /ERS-USDA Visitor Mildred Haley/ERS-USDA	Continuation of ERS training for Serbian counterpart; evaluation of commodity PS&D sheets and expansion of commodity list
May 25 – 26, 2005	Animal Health Program, Infrastructure and Capacity Building in Higher Education	Manager Megan Schildgen/USDA Visitor Eldon Uhlenhopp/ISU	Provide assistance and training to build infrastructure in faculties of agriculture and veterinary medicine
June 6 – 7, 2005	Animal Health Program Seminar on Equivalency in Trade of Livestock Meat and Meat Products	Manager Megan Schildgen/USDA Visitor Eldon Uhlenhopp/ISU	Assessment process for the regulations governing exports of livestock, meat, and meat products to the United States
June 8, 2005	Animal Health Program, Infrastructure and Capacity Building in Higher Education, follow up session	Manager Megan Schildgen/USDA Visitor Eldon Uhlenhopp/ISU	Provide assistance and training to build infrastructure in faculties of agriculture and veterinary medicine
June 9 –10, 2005	Animal Health Program, Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases	Manager Megan Schildgen/USDA Visitor Eldon Uhlenhopp/ISU	Increase in-country diagnostic capacity through presentation, demonstration, discussion, and hands-on completion of contemporary disease diagnostics
June 16 – 17, 2005	Animal Health Program, Strategic Communications: Gaining Stakeholder Buy-in (Montenegro)	Manager Megan Schildgen/USDA Visitor Eldon Uhlenhopp/ISU	Discuss significance of global communication. Demonstrate communication strategies practiced during national infectious disease crises.
June 20 – 22, 2005	Seeds and Plant Protection Program - Roundtable Seminar on Safe Management of Agricultural Pesticides + material for Diabrotica management	Manager Micah Rosenblum/USDA Visitors Jon Tollefson/ISU	Analyze pending Serbian legislation on agricultural pesticides; Options to locate and safely collect, handle and dispose of obsolete pesticides (and packaging)
June 23 – 25, 2005	Seeds and Plant Protection Program - Plum Pox Virus Management	Manager Micah Rosenblum/USDA Visitors Ralph Scorza/ARS Hector Quemada/WMU	First session about Plum Pox Virus Management and other diseases in orchards
June 27 – July 8, 2005	Food Safety Program Plant Auditing Training for Inspection service	Manager Emel Jenkins/USDA Visitors Erika Voogd Robert Childers Leigh-Ann Barnes Matthew Botos	In plant training on food safety standards (GMP, HACCP, etc) for Veterinary and Sanitary Inspection Service
July 5 – 15, 2005	Agriculture Extension Service Project - Farm Management II	Manager Veronica Priddy/USDA Visitors James Dunn/PSU Andrew Martin	Second round of sessions in Farm Management; one in North, other in South Serbia
July 18 – 22, 2005	Agriculture Extension Service Project - Conservation Tillage Systems	Manager Veronica Priddy/USDA Visitors Greg Roth/PSU Michael Peterson/CSU	To examine possibilities to set up field trials for conservation tillage systems in South Banat region of Vojvodina; U.S. trainers and their hosts from Pancevo Ag Institute will try to invoke American Ag machinery producers/representatives to find the best solutions
August 7 – 11, 2005	Seeds and Plant Protection Program - Corn Redness Syndrome Program	Manager Micah Rosenblum/USDA Visitors Margaret Redinbaugh/OSU Richard Pratt/OSU Roy Gingery/OSU	Serbian-American team of scientists will continue to work on determination of unknown corn pathogen in Vojvodina; field visits and laboratory activities are included
August 15 – 19, 2005	Biotechnology Program - Inspection Service Training Workshop	Manager Micah Rosenblum/USDA Visitor Hector Quemada/WMU	U.S. Study tour, biosafety training for field inspectors
September 5 – 15, 2005	Agriculture Extension Service Project - Farm Management III	Manager Veronica Priddy/USDA Visitors Jeffrey Hyde/AMS William Meyers/AMS	Third round of sessions in Farm Management; one in North, other in South Serbia;
September 12 – 18, 2005	Marketing Information System - Assessment Team visits to reporting stations	Manager Nancy Cochrane/ERS-USDA Visitors James McCallister/AMS William Meyers/AMS	Assessment of Marketing Information system development in Serbia;
September 19 – 28, 2005	Marketing Information System in Montenegro	Manager Manager Nancy Cochrane/ERS-USDA Visitors James McCallister/AMS William Meyers/AMS	First visit of MIS team to Montenegro with initiative to establish Marketing Information System in Montenegro; Meetings with Montenegrin MoA and Extension Service are foreseen, as well as visits to wholesale, green, and livestock markets.
September 20 –30, 2005	Marketing Information System - Economic Research Service	Manager Nancy Cochrane/ERS-USDA Visitor John Dunmore/ERS-USDA	Continuation of ERS training for Serbian counterpart; work on commodity reference books; evaluation of commodity PS&D sheets and expansion of commodity list
October 3 – 7, 2005	Seeds and Plant Protection Program - Potato Seed Production	Manager Micah Rosenblum/USDA Visitor University of Wisconsin	The U.S. potato seed production team will visit Serbia for a field observations and round-table meeting to focus upon certification and labeling, phytosanitary regulations and inspection, post-harvest handling, and marketing channels for potato seeds.
October 18 – 19, 2005	Animal Health Program, Entrepreneurship: Fee-based Services and Collaboration to Improve Product Quality and Safety	Manager Megan Schildgen/USDA Visitor Eldon Uhlenhopp/ISU	To build a foundation for future collaboration among industry and universities by conducting a conference that introduces the concept and benefits of technology transfer and consultancy.
November 1 - 13, 2005	Agriculture Extension Service Project - Fruit Management Workshops	Manager Veronica Priddy/USDA Visitor Mira Danilovich/MSU	The U.S. lecturer will provide comprehensive fruit management training to local extension officers and farmers. Workshop details are under discussion with USDA, Serbian MoA, Penn State and MSU.
November 21-25, 2005	Norman E. Borlaug Fellowship Program	Manager Phil Harlan	Announcement of the new cycle, visit to scientific institutions
November 28 – December 2, 2005	Faculty Exchange Program	Manager Ed Gerard and Kristy Morgan	Announcement of the new cycle, visit to scientific institutions