|
Canada's Meat Inspection Program
Approximately 95% of livestock
slaughter and meat processing occurs in establishments operating under
the high standard of the Canadian Meat Inspection Regulations. Only
these establishments are eligible to export meat products. To receive
the federal government meat inspection service approval, establishments
must meet strict requirements in terms of plant construction and
hygiene. This intensive control ensures the safest and highest standards
of meat hygiene. |
|
In order to achieve Canada's high level
of animal health, industry and government focuses on eradication of bovine
diseases having economic and public health significance to the consuming public
and the Canadian meat industry. The success in eradicating such diseases as
tuberculosis, foot and mouth disease, anthrax, and brucellosis are typical
examples of Canada's herd health progress.
Equally important as eradication is the
prevention of the entry of foreign animal diseases into Canada. Import controls
in place at airports, seaports, and all other border entry points protect the
Canadian domestic animal population to ensure a safe and wholesome beef supply.
The Canadian meat hygiene program also relies on the support of a very extensive
government research program and from diagnostic laboratories strategically
located across our country.
Canadian veterinarians and inspectors
strictly enforce the humane handling and slaughter of cattle. In addition to
strong regulations, the Canadian cattle industry developed a voluntary Code of
Practice to ensure that animals are treated with respect. This Code of Practice
defines the minimum standards of care for feeding, housing, transporting, and
overall handling of cattle. This is an important and unique aspect of cattle
production in Canada.
The
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
 The
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) safeguards
by enforcement of food safety and nutritional
quality regulations. The CFIA monitors all
establishments that export beef and beef products to
international markets and has the authority for
administration and enforcement of Canada’s Meat
Inspection Act under federal law. The Agency also
sets standards for animal health and carries out
related enforcement and inspection.
The
National Cattle Identification System is enforced by
the CFIA under the authority provided by Canadian
federal law. Each animal must have an ear tag
approved by the Canadian Cattle Identification
Agency (CCIA) and encoded with a unique
identification number when leaving the original
herd. Canada’s mandatory cattle identification
system utilizes radio frequency identification (RFID)
ear tags and an internet database to enable rapid
and accurate animal information.
To visit the CFIA website
click here
go to top
5
Residue Testing Program
Canada’s National Chemical Residue Monitoring
Program (NCRMP) tests samples of beef fat, muscle
tissue and internal organs for chemical residues.
Testing is performed for veterinary drugs as well as
other agricultural and industrial chemicals, Any
finding of chemical residues is evaluated to
determine if there is a violation of Canada’s
maximum residue limits which are enforced under the
Canadian Food and Drugs Act. In the very rare event
that a violation is found, an investigation is
conducted and further compliance testing is
conducted.
Cattle Feed Safety
System
Canada's enhanced feed ban (effective July 12, 2007)
bans specified risk material (SRM) from all animal
feed, pet food and fertilizer. Under the enhanced
feed ban, requirements are specified for anyone
handling, transporting or disposing of cattle
remains, including renderers; fertilizers, pet food
and feed manufacturers; waste management facilities;
and veterinarians. A CFIA permit is required to
transport and receive SRM in any form. As well,
livestock producers must no longer use any feed
products containing SRM. The regulations of the
enhance feed ban are mandatory and regulated by
Federal law. There is no part of these regulations
or program that is voluntary.
The
CFIA administers a national livestock feed program
to verify that livestock feeds are manufactured and
sold in accordance with the federal Feeds Act. This
program includes evaluation by Feed Section
personnel of products before sale and post-market
inspection and monitoring by CFIA field staff
located throughout Canada.
Animal Disease
Surveillance
The
CFIA Animal Disease Surveillance Unit work to detect
and respond to potentially emerging animal diseases.
Through the formation of a nationwide network, the
disease detection capabilities of Canada’s
veterinarians, provincial and university diagnostic
laboratories and the federal government are
combined. Canada communicates the results of its
surveillance for reportable diseases to the World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE). The exchange
of information is an important part of Canada’s
commitment to work with other nations to establish
the best approaches to protecting animal and human
health.
Systems
On the Farm
Protecting the Breeding Herd
The health of Canada’s breeding
herd is protected by controls on importation of
livestock genetics. The Animal Health and Production
Division of the CFIA determines if importation of
animals, embryos or semen will be permitted based on
a detailed assessment including a review of the
exporting country’s animal health status. Canada
maintains programs for point-of-entry inspection and
quarantine as well as foreign animal disease (FAD)
testing at the National Centre for Foreign Animal
Disease.
Identifying Calves
Calves are uniquely identified by
a Canadian Cattle Identification Agency ear tag. The
National Cattle Identification System enhances
Animal health by supporting the containment and
eradication of animal disease through its trace back
capabilities. Food safely for the consumer is also
enhance through the contribution of the ID system to
the health of the cattle on the farm.
Systems
At Slaughter
Canadian veterinarians and inspectors strictly
enforce the humane handling and slaughter of cattle.
In addition to strong regulations, the Canadian
cattle industry developed a voluntary Code of
Practice to ensure that animals are treated with
respect. This Code of Practice defines the minimum
standards of care for feeding, housing,
transporting, and overall handling of cattle. This
is an important and unique aspect of cattle
production in Canada.
Live
Animal Inspection
Under Canadian law, each animal
must undergo antemortem (before slaughter) screening
by trained operators to detect potential illness or
injury. CFIA personnel then conduct a further
antemortem inspection including a detailed
assessment of any animal showing evidence of disease
by a official veterinarian. Cattle not meeting
animal health requirements are clearly identified,
segregated from other cattle and completely excluded
from meat production.
Stunning Procedures
Healthy animals are stunned in a
humane manner using only methods approved by the
CFIA. Stunning techniques involving air injection or
pithing that could result in the contamination of
blood with neurological tissue are prohibited by
law.
Carcass Identification
Following the removal of the
hide, it s a requirement under the Health of Animals
Regulation that the animal ID tag be attached to the
carcass to maintain its unique identity. The head is
also tagged before separation from the carcass and
prepared for inspection by the CFIA
Inspection
Following postmortem inspection
of the head, the tongue and cheek meat are removed
from healthy animals and all specified risk
materials are disposed of in a container used
exclusively fo this purpose.
A postmortem inspection of the
thoracic and abdominal viscera including lungs,
heart, kidneys, liver and digestive tract is also
conducted by the CFIA following evisceration.
Approved offals are removed for chilling and packing
after removal of the distal ileum as required under
Canad’s BSE controls.
The carcass is split and a
careful inspection of the external and internal
surfaces of the split carcass is made by government
personnel.
Removal of the spinal cord gy an
approved method, such as the use of a high power
vacuum device, is required by law. Application of
the Meat Hygiene Legend to the carcass occurs only
after removal of the spinal cord and successful
completion of all post mortem inspection procedures.
Following trimming, the carcass
is subjected to one or more washing steps. Due to
its ability to effective reduce any bacteria on meat
surfaces, carcasses typically undergo a brief
exposure to steam or hot water.
Carcasses are then chilled and microbiological
testing can be used to verify the effectiveness of
the HACCP plan for cattle slaughter.
Systems
At the Meat Plant
Canada’s food safety systems for
meat plants are based on the
internationally-recognized Hazard Analysis and
Critical Control Point (HACCP) model. A complete
HACCP system is mandatory for all Canadian meat
plants exporting beef products and require both
prerequisite programs as well as HACCP plans.
HACCP plans function through the
use of critical control points (CCP’s) which are
monitored by specially trained employees to control
potential food safety risks. CCPs are determined by
conducting a comprehensive analysis of possible
biological, physical or chemical hazards associated
with each step in a process and all ingredients and
packaging. The effectiveness of the HACCP plan is
checked by verification procedures which utilize
laboratory tests or other procedures approve by the
CFIA.
All meat products must have a
HCCP plan and if a new meat item is produced it
cannot be marketed until a HACCP plan for that
production process is developed. Suppliers of meat
ingredients as well as cold storage and freezer
facilities must also have HACCP systems. To ensure
the HACCP system is functioning correctly, each
operation is required to undergo audits by the CFIA.
These audits include review of HACCP documentation
and records as well as on-site audits of monitoring
and verification procedures for CCPs.
BSE
Prevention and Control Systems
Canada’s BSE prevention and
control systems have been developed in in accordance
with the recommendations made by the World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE). The OIE
membership includes 167 countries who work together
to set standards for BSE control measures.
In Canada, federal law requires
the removal of all specified risk materials (SRMs)
from beef carcasses and prohibits the export and use
of SRMs in food for human consumption. Stunning
techniques involving air injection or pithing that
could result in the contamination of blood with
neurological tissue are prohibited by law. Controls
for advanced meat recovery systems have also been
implemented in accordance with OIE recommendations.
Canada’s National Cattle
Identification program supports the containment and
eradication of BSE through its trace back
capabilities. Canada is the first country in North
America to have this type of system. Canada controls
imports of animals from coutnries that have had BSE
cases and since 1990 has banned live cattle imports
from regions that have had BSE epidemics.
Canada enhanced its feed ban to
include all specified risk material (SRM) from all animal feed,
pet food and fertilizer.
Canada maintains an ongoing
targeted BSE surveillance program in accordance with
OIE standards and continues to develop scientific
expertise in testing methods. In July 2006, the
National Centre for Foreign
Animal Disease was designated as a Reference
Laboratory for BSE by the OIE. This is the first
laboratory to achieve this status in North America.
The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency
 The
Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) was formed in 1998 as a
national organization dedicated to the implementation of technologies and
services supporting Canada’s Cattle Identification System.
The Agency is led by
a Board of Directors made up of representatives from all sectors of the industry
including cow/calf operations, feedlots, auction markets, processing plants and
veterinarians.
The regulations which support the function of
the CCIA are part of Canadian Law under the Federal Health of Animals Act and
Regulation. Cattle identification programs are enforced under the authority of
the federal government by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Due to strong industry and government support
for its activities the CCIA has become a world leader in animal identification
and age verification. This leadership is maintained by ongoing consultation
with international markets to determine the needs of our valued partners.
To learn more about the Canadian Cattle Identification System
click here or visit the CCIA
website.
go to top
5
Industry
Food Safety Initiatives
 |
The Canadian Beef Industry is committed to
developing food safety systems from gate to
plate which incorporate the principles of
the Hazard Analysis and Critical Point (HACCP)
System. The HACCP system was
originally developed for NASA and has since
been recognized around the world for its
unique contribution to food safety.
Canadian law requires that requires that all
federally inspected meat processing
facilities (who are eligible to export)
develop HACCP systems for their beef product
lines. To view Canada's standards for HACCP
system development
click here. In addition the
Canadian Cattlemen's Association has
developed a comprehensive on-farm food
safety program which brings the HACCP
approach to the farm gate.
|
go to top
5
Food Safety Resources
Fact Sheets
developed by the Canadian Cattlemen's Association in Adobe PDF format
go to top
5
|
Links
Home
