Canada’s chicken and egg industries may be leading the pack when it comes to on-farm food safety.
Alberta Chicken Producers wants to link food safety programs to a grower’s sales license as a way of achieving total compliance.
Association president Lloyd Johnston said Alberta producers have until April 1, 2004, to be validated and certified.
“If you are not validated on April 1, then that licence would be withdrawn until such time as you got your facilities up to standard,” he said at the recent chicken producers annual meeting in Red Deer.
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Consumers expect safe food and retailers want audited, legitimate programs.
“We have an obligation to meet that goal,” he said.
The program provides a safety net for producers and processors who can quickly trace a product if there is a food recall. It helps find the source of the problem rather than forcing an examination of the entire industry.
“I think it is your insurance policy to make sure that you don’t end up with that responsibility on your shoulders if there is a crash,” Johnston said.
Food safety programs require more records on water and feed supply sources, animal drug use and disposal of dead animals. It may require upgrades to buildings and farmyards.
However, these requirements are not as imposing as losing markets.
Mike Dungate, general manager of Chicken Farmers of Canada, said the national group completed a technical review of its program last August and is ready to move forward in each province.
“The way that Alberta is doing it is our preferred option in making it a condition of marketing your chicken,” he said.
While participation remains voluntary for all programs, most are likely to join because processors aren’t likely to buy products if they are not certified.
