b'CAC Chairman Steve WearneBut this seemed to be the theme fordelegates into thinking that by express- their reservations. I must say that this this years Commission meeting: pushing a reservation to a standard, theyChairman is one of the most wickedly the envelope for advancing every harm- are truly opposing it, when they are not.masterful whom I have ever seen.ful standard under consideration, oftenThe correct answer to the Chairman forWhen finally given a chance to speak, while disregarding Codexs own estab- these delegates should have been, No,I said, among other things, We disagree lishedprocedures.Atonepoint,theMr. Chairman, we are steadfastly op- with Uruguay that making a reservation Chairman quite strangely stated, Thoseposed to this standard advancing. Saveis the only way to express disagreement who dont speak out [at this meeting]your reservation for the very final mo- with a standard, guideline, or code of support advancement. Note to Chair- ment when all is lost and the standard ispractice.Onecanopposeastandard man: No, they dont. They essentiallyactually adopted at Step 8! completely. To which the Chairman, abstainandtheirvoicesdontcount.This problem was highlighted bestto his credit, replied, Excellent point, It shouldnt take my legal expertise toin the emotionally charged atmosphereNHF. Unfortunately, NHFs comment point out that there could be any num- surrounding the debate on aflatoxin lev- was at the end of the debate and well ber of reasons why a member state hasels for various grains and cereal-basedaftersome40countrieshadalready not spoken out! food standards. Once again, the Chair- cavedintothepressureandmeekly The Chairman displayed his Machi- man very cleverly maneuvered some 40made their reservations. A lot of Af-avellian expertise in other ways as well.countries into simply expressing theirrican and other delegations were visibly He was especially adept at getting del- reservations to the standards insteadupset with the fact that they had been egates who opposed a standard fromof them taking a firm position opposingtricked.advancing to simply state their reser- the standards. I have never seen this be- To U.S. General George Patton, Jrs vations to it. This is a Codex positionfore in my 23 years of attending Codexwayofthought,Wheneveryoneis that essentially says, We dont acceptmeetings where 40 countries steadfastlythinking the same way, nobody is think-this standard for our country, but we areopposedtoaCodexstandardbeinging. Sadly, and too often at this meet-not opposed to it advancing in the Codexadoptedaresweptupinsteadintoaing, very few delegates struck a path 8-step process. It is easy to trick newtoothlesscategoryofjustexpressingdifferent from the mainstream thinking.H ealtHF reedomN ews /w iNter2022 9'