7 March 2011: The sixth meeting of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM), the Governing Body of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), will include a scientific session on emerging issues, focusing on pest risks associated with grains and wood.

Gary Martin, President and Chief Executive Officer of the North American Export Grain Association, will present on risks emerging from current and future trends for trade in grain, oilseeds and other agricultural bulk commodities, including the role of plant quarantine authorities in addressing these risks. Frank Allen, Canadian Forest Service, will present on measures that eliminate pest risks associated with the mountain pine beetle in the transformation of harvested wood into wood products, including the use of biological information for the development of effective pest mitigation strategies. CPM 6 will be held 14-18 March, at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy. [IPPC Press Release]