July 2, 2009

There are concerns that Canada's food safety regulations are failing both local consumers and producers, while benefitting meat imports.

Meat imports allegedly do not have to meet the same food safety standards that are required from Canadian producers and Provincial Meat processing plants.

Meat from Canadian producers that meets all food safety requirements but is processed at a Provincial plant is unavailable to most Canadian consumers, according to the latest revelation on food safety regulations presented at a meeting.

Larry Miller, the Chair of the Standing Committee on Food Safety, said it is hard to explain to consumers why food that is deemed safe for consumption in one province is not available to consumers in another province.

Tom Olson, Chair of the Bison Producers of Alberta, said many CFIA food safety regulations have nothing to do with food safety, citing the example of the requirement for a "paved parking lot" in order to meet Federal safety standards.

Adding further to the government food safety regulation controversy, was a recent press release from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that stated none of the 57 newly hired inspectors is dedicated to meat inspection, despite the recent deadly listeriosis crisis that Canada had gone through.