Alberta’s new meat inspection program has made progress, so much so that the province’s auditor general says any potential gaps in the system have now been significantly reduced.
The provincial auditor general’s report released on Oct. 12 shows Alberta Agriculture and Forestry and Alberta Health Services are working well collaboratively when doing inspections.
While Alberta Agriculture inspects processing facilities that sell meat within the province and Alberta Health inspects stores, both now have similar practices when inspecting businesses that process and sell meat, said auditor general Merwan Saher, following the release of the report.
Read Also
Agriculture ministers agree to AgriStability changes
federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
“What we’re reporting here is that these entities that are involved jointly in ensuring the safety of food managed to come together and understand what each is doing,” he said. “We’re satisfied there is no regulatory gap.”
In 2006, the auditor general found there could be gaps in the province’s food inspection program because health services and Alberta Agriculture weren’t working together.
There were cases where Alberta Agriculture officials determined that several mobile abattoirs were unsanitary, but failed to provide health inspectors with critical information, like the addresses of the unclean facilities, to mitigate the issue. As a result, the unsanitary facilities continued to operate.
As well, the agriculture and health departments did not share inspection data between them.
“There can be a gap where something falls through the cracks because one entity believes it’s doing enough to cover that hole,” Saher said.
However, he said this has im-proved. Both departments now work together and share inspection results to ensure issues are being dealt with, as well as report their findings online.
As well, the auditor general found Alberta Agriculture has been consistent in following its new inspection guidelines. Inspectors are now required to undertake up to three unannounced inspections instead of one and use inspection forms that are similar to those used by health services.
Alberta Agriculture has made progress in other areas.
Saher reported that Agriculture Financial Services Corp. (AFSC) executives have improved how they report expenses. Previously, three AFSC executives were suspended for unnecessary travel, rounds of golf and gifts of alcohol and theatre tickets on the taxpayers’ dime. The entire board was also dismissed following the revelations.
Eric Leonty, the assistant auditor general that oversees agriculture, said the AFSC appears to be heading in the right direction.
