November 7, 2007

CFIA to negotiate on new import requirements of US

Canadian Food Inspection Agency meat programme director, Bill Anderson, left for the US on Monday to negotiate on new requirements set by USDA on imported Canadian meat.

The added requirements on Canadian meat came after US regulators linked a bacteria-contaminated meat, which made 40 people sick, to the now-bankrupt Alberta meat packer.

Rancher's Beef Ltd. of Balzac, Alta., was linked to the outbreak of a dangerous strain of E. coli that resulted in  the second largest beef recall in US history.

US officials are expected to arrive in Canada this week to audit the Canadian food safety system with a focus on Rancher's.

Although the more stringent testing for salmonella, listeria monocytogenes and E. coli has not started, confusion has reigned over the Canadian meat processing industry.

Ottawa-based Canadian Meat Council said that many unknowns remained over the heightened requirements. Executive director Jim Laws said they sent shipments over the weekend but held the trucks back to wait for clarification on what the new rules mean.

US remains as Canada's top meat customer. Canadian Meat Council is hopeful that a US audit on the Canadian food safety system can avoid the very stringent testing requirements.