Proposed new federal regulations governing the use of distillers grain will be costly, onerous and go way beyond what is called for, says the president of Canada’s first integrated ethanol plant.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said its new draft policy was created with input from all stakeholders.
That is a stretch, according to Brad Wildeman, president of Poundmaker Agventures Ltd., a small ethanol plant in Lanigan, Sask.
“They would have never had one face-to-face consultation with the industry group had I not intervened with the minister,” he said.
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Wildeman said there was little dialogue with biofuel representatives and it shows because the draft policy borders on unworkable.
“It is another case where they have just gone way, way over the deep end here.”
Annie Savoie, biotech co-ordinator with the CFIA’s animal feed division, said industry representatives were given ample opportunity to provide feedback at the face-to-face meeting in 2007, had until April 1 to provide a formal response to the draft policy and may have the opportunity for another meeting if their comments prove substantive enough.
The federal regulator has determined through inspections of ethanol plants that some of the ingredients used in the production of the biofuel have not been assessed for safety and will require regulatory approval.
Ingredients such as enzymes, micro-organisms, processing aids, antimicrobial drugs and mycotoxins originating from the starting grain material may concentrate in the distillers grain byproduct during manufacturing and be harmful to animals and the humans that eat the resulting meat, milk and eggs.
“If they haven’t undergone a proper assessment they may pose a risk,” said Savoie.
Poundmaker has been using distillers grains in its 28,500 head feedlot since 1991.
“Why, all of the sudden, are we getting all excited about this stuff?” said Wildeman.
One of his biggest concerns with the draft regulation is that it requires plants to conduct extensive testing for antimicrobial drugs, processing aids and mycotoxins.
“This is highly sensitive test work that is going to be very expensive. Maybe for a very large plant that may not be a significant thing. For me that’s a very big issue.”
Savoie said Health Canada has requested more data about the antimicrobial drugs used in the ethanol process and that mycotoxin testing is done on all types of feeds.
Wildeman is also concerned that some plant products used in ethanol fermentation may be subject to further regulation under the Plants with Novel Traits section of the Seeds Act or the novel foods portion of the Food and Drugs Act.
He said most enzymes, yeasts and fermentation aids used in ethanol production are developed in the U.S. He doesn’t think the companies that manufacture those products will be eager to jump through a bunch of regulatory hoops for a market that is three percent of the U.S. market.
“We’re going to be shut out of a lot of these new things being done,” he said.
Savoie said many of those enzymes and fermentation aids may already be approved under Canada’s domestic substance list. If they haven’t been, they will need to undergo an assessment.
“(Ethanol pants) just need to urge a supplier to get the products approved,” she said.
Wildeman said he has 17 years of performance data from the Lanigan feedlot that shows it is safe.
“We’re not feeding nuclear waste here,” he said.
