Ottawa – The US Department of Agriculture recently released the report of its October-November 2012 audit of Canada’s meat inspection system. It confirms that the Canadian meat inspection system is effective and equivalent to the US inspection system. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, similar findings were observed during a recent Canadian audit of US meat facilities. The Canadian findings will be published in the coming days.
The USDA report shows that 99.95 per cent of meat and poultry products exported to the US met American import requirements. During the US audit no Canadian facilities were “de-listed” and the former XL Foods Establishment 38 was “re-listed” following the audit as eligible to export to the USA. A recent 2013 audit of the Canadian meat inspection system by the Korean Government also relisted establishment 38 and five other Canadian beef establishments and successfully renewed its systems approval for pork exports to Korea. Mexico, Russia, Honduras and Costa Rica all audited and approved the Canadian system in 2013.
Canada regularly audits and is audited by its trading partners. These routine audits help maintain confidence in Canada’s meat inspection system and that of its trading partners. In 2012 Canada exported over $4.4 billion of beef and pork to some 125 different countries around the world.
Canada’s meat industry remains committed to achieving the highest levels of food safety. Since the US audit of late 2012 there have been:
• Enhanced controls on E. coli and increased frequency of E. coli testing.
• Enhanced Government inspection oversight activities with new inspection teams visiting meat processing facilities across Canada.
• New mandatory labelling of mechanically tenderized beef.
• Release of the Report of the Independent Expert Advisory Panel on the XL Foods Inc. Beef Recall and adoption of the recommendations.
• Royal Assent in the Parliament of Canada of the new Safe Food for Canadians Act.
Source: Canadian Meat Council
