EDMONTON - Consumers have nothing to fear as Ottawa begins making meat-packing companies responsible for some parts of the food inspection system and considers reducing tests for mad cow disease, the president of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association says.

In fact, the association which represents 90,000 cattle producers hopes the Harper government moves quickly with the changes.

"We don't have a problem with what they are saying," CCA president Brad Wildeman said Thursday in an interview from the (U.S.) National Cattlemen's Beef Association convention in Denver.

"This does not change the risk to human health because removal of specified risk materials (SRM) in slaughterhouses removes the risk of transmission of the disease to humans. The removal of the specified risk materials from any feed source for any animal for any purpose also removes any risk of transmission to animals."

Some details of the confidential plan approved by Ottawa last fall were leaked to the media last week.

Freeman Libby of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Thursday that the federal government may change a program brought in during the mad cow crisis in 2003 that pays producers $75 to identify every head of cattle suspected of having bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

Since then Canada has brought in SRM removal rules and a feed ban that meet or exceed international animal health guidelines.

A more efficient testing protocol that would target only high-risk cattle is being considered, he said.

"The reimbursement payments for the animals being tested is presently still available but it is possible that this aspect of the program may be revised," Libby said from Ottawa.

"Regardless of the changes that are made as far as reimbursement, our surveillance program will continue to meet international trade obligations and verify that our BSE safeguards are effectively protecting the health of animals."

Libby said the CFIA has begun the process of making federally regulated meat plants take more responsibility for food safety.

Under the changes to be in effect by the fall, the food inspection agency would check paper work and conduct inspections to ensure that companies are complying with the rules, he said.

"The way we used to do it is that we would come in and do inspections and advise them what was wrong - 'You got problems here, you've got dirt here, get it cleaned up,"' he said, adding the changes will save money and allow the CFIA to target inspections to problem areas.

"Now they have to do the inspections and record those inspections. We verify by doing checks. It puts the accountability on the industry."

Wildeman said the Canadian Cattlemen's Association wants more details about the changes to food safety inspections but has no problem with the idea in principle.

Making the industry responsible for some aspects of food safety can work with proper monitoring and supervision by the CFIA, he said.

"This is about trying to remove unnecessary regulatory costs so we can compete," said Wildeman, who owns a feedlot near Lanigan, Sask.

"Our processing industry is in big trouble vis-a-vis costs with the U.S. This is a way of trying to get more efficiency in the system."

Last July, the federal government banned the use of spinal cords, cattle brains and other so-called specified risk material which may contain BSE from all animal feed, pet foods and fertilizer.

Starting next April, Washington plans to bring in less comprehensive and less expensive feed ban rules for American producers.

The Canadian Cattlemen's Association estimates the cost to Canadian producers of meeting the more stringent rules is worth millions of dollars per year to an industry already struggling from the high cost of cattle feed, labour and the soaring value of the loonie.

The association estimates producers have lost about $8 billion since May 2003 when BSE was discovered in an Alberta cow.

Since then there have been a total of 13 cases of mad cow disease discovered in Canada.

LIKE IT?  LET OTHERS KNOW

Thanks for participating!

Be the first to recommend - Sign in now


See what other people are recommending - Popular Stories