The federal government is trying to be flexible in setting rules required for the development of new packing plants, Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials told a parliamentary hearing last week.
In the face of a barrage of MP criticisms about excessive rules required to meet federal standards that allow product from the plant to be sold interprovincially or internationally, CFIA executive director Cameron Prince said Oct. 21 Ottawa is reviewing the rules as it tries to encourage new packing capacity.
“We constantly hear that there are things that are viewed as unreasonable,” he told MPs during an appearance before the House of Commons agriculture committee. “People talk about the paved parking lot. They talk about a drain has to be 21/2 inches when a two-inch drain would do. I think it’s fair to say some of those things do need review and we are actively doing that right now.”
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At the same time, Prince cautioned against changing rules too quickly because federally regulated plants now allow products to be exported.
“In terms of federally registered plants, we’re under tremendous scrutiny from trading partners,” he said. “The (United States Department of Agriculture) comes to visit us at least once a year and we have an obligation to ensure that those standards are met. Otherwise, we would jeopardize all of our international trade.”
Prince said it is a balancing act between encouraging new plant capacity and making sure potential importers are comfortable with the standards.
As part of its BSE recovery strategy, the federal government has announced an easier regulatory process and support for new processing plants.
However, Prince noted that years of federal-provincial debate to develop a national meat code still have not produced an agreement.
Committee chair Paul Steckle said the negotiation should be completed. Processed older cull cows will be for the domestic market, since international agreement is unlikely, and interprovincial trade is essential.
“I think we need to look at how we can find a way to move this beef interprovincially without having to meet international standards by CFIA,” said Steckle
“Yes, exactly,” replied Prince.
The negotiations on a national meat code to create a standard between allowing in-province sales only and international trade have been held up by resistance from some provinces over the need to increase standards for small abattoirs that now exist under provincial rules but would have to upgrade to meet national standards.
The CFIA has insisted that any new standard must be national, including all provinces, before it can be implemented.
