January 3, 2011

US FDA removes ADM Canada crusher from restricted list

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has dropped Archer Daniels Midland's rapeseed crushing plant in Windsor, Ontario from its list of factories that are under import restrictions on salmonella concerns.

The FDA removed the Windsor plant from its posted import-alert list, which flags plants for concerns about salmonella bacteria in animal feed, according to an update on the regulator's website December 28.

Plants on the list are under restrictions that allow US inspectors to detain shipments without physically examining them.

Canada's rapeseed meal exports to the US, its top export market, fell 35% on-year to 1.1 million tonnes in 2009-10 when as many as seven major Canadian plants faced restrictions.

Canada is the world's top exporter of rapeseed, which is crushed mainly for its oil. Rapeseed meal, a byproduct of crushing, depends largely on demand from US dairy farmers.

Salmonella can cause food-borne illness in humans. However, rapeseed meal is shipped to the US for use in livestock feed.

FDA restrictions remain in place against an ADM rapeseed plants in Lloydminster, Alberta, and one owned by Viterra Inc. in Manitoba, according to the FDA.