Application Guidebook (Version 3.0): Food Safety and Traceability Initiative (FSTI)

• by calling 1-888-479-3931
• or by email at growingforward@ontario.ca
  

• The Food Safety and Traceability (FSTI) is a 50 percent cost-share program for producers and food processors that supports projects to upgrade or implement food safety programs and traceability systems.

• Applicants can request a maximum of $15,000 for either food safety or traceability expenditures. There is a funding cap of $25,000 for a combination of food safety and traceability expenditures.

• Applicants are required to register and validate their premises by applying for a Premises Identification Number (free of cost). It is a program eligibility requirement that strengthens Ontario's agriculture and food processing sectors by supporting a strong agri-food traceability system.

• either non-federally registered or federally registered (e.g., apple growers, maple syrup or honey producers) and are directly involved in growing or producing agricultural crops including harvesting, sorting, grading, washing or packing product, or raising live animals intended for human consumption
• directly involved in the commingling, movement, or storage/warehousing of food products along the agri-food chain are eligible for traceability expenditures only

• non-federally registered and are directly involved in the modification, processing, or transformation of food products intended for human consumption
• federally registered and are directly involved in the modification, processing, or transformation of food products intended for human consumption are eligible for traceability expenditures only
• directly involved in the commingling, movement or storage/warehousing of food products along the agri-food chain are eligible for traceability expenditures only

• a Business Number (BN number). Eligible applicants entitled to receive money under the program who do not provide a BN number will be required to provide their Social Insurance Number (SIN) before payments can be issued.
  OR
• a Farm Business Registration (FBR) number or an Exemption Certificate
  OR
• First Nations applicant operating on reservation land may furnish a letter from the Indian Agriculture Program of Ontario (IAPO) verifying their business operation
  AND
• a Canadian bank account
• a validated Premises Identification Number. Successful applicants will be required to submit a copy of their Premises Identification Number Certificate no later than the Offer to Proceed return due date.
  Refer to page 19 for more details on Premises Identification Number. There is no cost to apply for the Premises Identification Number.

• by email to FSTI3.omafra@ontario.ca or
• by fax to (519) 826-3398
• in person or by mail to:
  Food Safety and Traceability Initiative
  Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
  1 Stone Road West, 4th Floor, Guelph, ON N1G 4Y2
• in person at the following regional offices: Ridgetown, London, Clinton, Stratford, Woodstock, Lindsay, Brighton, Kemptville, Alfred, Elora, Vineland, Simcoe and Verner
• or by contacting the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300

1. Business Information

2. Sector Information

• costs associated with the day-to-day operations of the business (e.g., ongoing employee salaries, disposable gloves, etc.)
  

1. Information Session

2. Proposed Project

3. Indicate when you plan to complete each Expenditure or Activity

4. Costs

• costs associated with the day-to-day operations of the business (e.g., ongoing employee salaries, disposable gloves, etc.) and the maintenance of an ongoing food safety program (e.g., recertification or audit costs

• for services or equipment purchases - invoices and proof of payment (i.e., copy of cancelled cheques, credit card statements, bank account statements, wire transfer documentation, or equivalent loan agreement documentation). Cash payments without supporting proof of payment will not be reimbursed.
• for staff costs - T4 slips or payroll records, details of tasks performed and number of hours spent working on the project
• for progress reports: a total of two reports (one interim and one final report) to indicate the progress of work on the project and describe how the project is being effectively implemented
• for facility records demonstrating implementation: facility records demonstrating the implementation of project expenditures or activities upon completion of the project. The specific facility records required for submission will be outlined in the Offer to Proceed. A list of examples of facility records documentation can be found in Schedule IV.

1. Proof of Certification, Audit or Verification

Only facilities certified, audited or verified under a Recognized Food Safety Program listed in Schedule I are eligible for funding under Project Option 2.

Attach a copy of the certificate or documentation issued by your certifying body or the third party auditor that confirms you are currently certified, audited or verified under a Recognized Food Safety Program (see Schedule I) to your application form. If your certificate or documentation expires before the end of the project you have to submit a current certificate with the final report.

If you do not have a certificate or documentation on hand you must contact your industry association or the certifying body to obtain a copy of the certificate or audit, or written proof that verifies you are currently following, and have been audited, under a Recognized Food Safety Program.

2. Proposed Project

List each of the proposed expenditures or activities and indicate how each expenditure or activity will improve food safety or traceability at your facility. OMAFRA will determine the eligibility of proposed expenditures or activities based on the descriptions provided. A list of proposed expenditures or activities can be found in Schedule III.

3. Indicate when you plan to complete each expenditure or activity

For each proposed expenditure or activity indicate whether you intend to purchase or complete:

• within 6 months of project approval
• within 12 months of project approval

If your application is successful, the completion dates you indicate on your application will be used by OMAFRA to determine deadline dates to be included in the Offer to Proceed. OMAFRA may contact applicants to request that these deadline dates be changed to ensure that the project progresses in a timely manner. Specific deadlines dates of an approved project will be set out in the Offer to Proceed. Failure to meet assigned deadline dates may result in withdrawal of FSTI funding, the forfeit of funds allocated to the approved project and the requirement that the applicant repay of all or part of funds received under FSTI.

4. Costs

Applicants can request a maximum of $15,000 for either food safety or traceability expenditures. There is a funding cap of $25,000 for a combination of food safety and traceability expenditures. Expected costs must be identified as either food safety or traceability expenditures. Refer to the Glossary of Terms on Page 2 for a definition of these expenditures. Food Safety Recall Program expenditures may be included as either food safety expenditures or traceability expenditures. Provide a single price, not a price range. If costs are not yet finalized, use your best estimate. Do not include taxes for which you could receive a refund.

OMAFRA will assess individual costs projected for each expenditure or activity line.

Add the proposed food safety costs (A) and the traceability costs (B) and enter these values in the Total Cost boxes. Multiply each total cost by 50 percent to determine the cost share funding. The cap for either A or B is $15,000 with a maximum amount of $25,000 for A plus B. Costs A plus B will be your total funding request.

Total cost-share funding for the project will be based directly on the total cost indicated in the application. Once this application has been submitted, the total cost of the project cannot be changed.

Proceed Directly to Part C

Part B - Project Option 3:

Improving Food Safety and/or Traceability

This option is for applicants who want to improve food safety or traceability by purchasing equipment, engaging in training opportunities or obtaining initial certification, audit or verification of a Recognized Food Safety Program.

Once your project has been approved, you will have a maximum of six months to complete it. The project deadline will be outlined in the Offer to Proceed and there is a final report.

Eligible expenditures or activities under Project Option 3 may include:

• equipment or software that supports a food safety program or a traceability system
• staff costs directly related to food safety or traceability education or training activities, including wages, travel, meals, and accommodation costs, in accordance with current provincial travel guidelines. (see Schedule II)
• minor structural modifications to accommodate the installation of equipment or infrastructure associated with a traceability system. (see Schedule III)
• scientific testing supporting the implementation of a food safety program
• initial certification, audit or verification of a Recognized Food Safety Program (see Schedule I)

  Applicants whose proposed project is accepted into the cost-share program will be required to submit documentation demonstrating that the project is complete and implemented.

  Successful applicants will be required to submit facility records documentation demonstrating that their project is complete and has successfully supported the implementation of a food safety program, individual food safety practices, or a working traceability system.
  

Documentation required to support implementation includes:

• for services or equipment purchases - invoices and proof of payment (i.e., copy of cancelled cheques, credit card statements, bank account statements, wire transfer documentation, or equivalent loan agreement documentation). Cash payments without supporting proof of payment will not be reimbursed.
• for staff costs - T4 slips or payroll records, details of tasks performed and number of hours spent working on the activity
• one final report to indicate the progress of work on the project and describe how the project is being effectively implemented
• for facility records demonstrating implementation: facility records demonstrating the implementation of project expenditures or activities upon completion of the project. The specific facility records required for submission will be outlined in the Offer to Proceed. A list of examples of facility records documentation can be found in Schedule IV.

OMAFRA reserves the right to request additional documentation to demonstrate sufficient implementation of the project.

Until the project is demonstrated to be implemented to the satisfaction of OMAFRA, there will be a holdback of 10 percent of the maximum approved project funding.

To complete this option, refer to page 6 of the Application Form.

1. Proposed Project

List each of the proposed expenditures or activities and indicate how each expenditure or activity will improve food safety or traceability at your facility. OMAFRA will determine the eligibility of each proposed expenditure or activity based on the description provided. A list of proposed expenditures or activities can be found in Schedule III.

2. Costs

Identify your expected costs as either food safety or traceability expenditures. Refer to the Glossary of Terms on page 2 for a definition of these expenditures. Provide a single price, not a price range. Use your best estimate of costs if they are not yet finalized. Do not include taxes for which you could receive a refund. OMAFRA will assess individual costs projected for each expenditure or activity line.

Add the proposed food safety costs (A) and the traceability costs (B) and enter these values in the Total Cost boxes. Multiply each total cost by 50 percent to determine the cost share funding. The maximum amount of funding for A plus B is $5,000. Costs A plus B will be your total funding request.

Total cost-share funding for the project will be based directly on the total cost indicated in the application. Once this application has been submitted, the total cost of the project can not be changed.

This section must be completed for the application to be considered.

Part C: Your Overall Food Safety and/or Traceability Plan

To complete Part C, refer to page 3 of the Application Form.

Are your proposed project expenditures or activities indicated under Part B part of a larger food safety or traceability plan at your facility?

• This section will help OMAFRA determine how many FSTI applicants are involved in making food safety or traceability changes at their facility, in addition to those supported by the FSTI funding.

Provide an estimate of the total cost of your overall plan, including the costs already detailed under your proposed project in Part B.

• Consider the total amount spent on food safety and traceability activities at your facility. This will help OMAFRA determine how much money each facility spent above and beyond the funding provided by the government to improve food safety or traceability.
  

Part D: Declaration of the Applicant and Final Checklist

To complete Part D, refer to page 7 of the Application Form.

Please read this section carefully. All boxes must be checked and authorized signing officers required to legally bind the applicant must be identified in Part D for the application to be considered.

Schedule I (Version 3)

The FSTI program supports the implementation of food safety programs in Ontario. OMAFRA has compiled a list of recognized food safety programs acceptable for the FSTI program. When submitting a certificate for a recognized food safety program please ensure that the auditing or certification agency is accredited and licensed to provide the certificate. If the food safety program you wish to implement is not listed below please contact us for clarification.

Recognized Producer based Food Safety Programs:

• Canadian Quality Assurance (CQA) Program (Pork)
• Canadian Quality Milk (CQM) Program (Dairy)
• CHEQTM (Broiler Hatching Egg)
• Clean Start Pullet Program (Pullet Production)
• ExcelGrains Canada (Grains, Oilseeds, and Specialty Crops)
• Food-Safe Farm Practices (Sheep)
• Good Agriculture and Collections Practices (GACP) (Herbs and Spices)
• Safe, Safer, Safest Program (Chicken)
• Start Clean - Stay Clean Program (Eggs)
• Turkey Farmers of Canada On-Farm Food Safety Program (Turkey)
• Verified Beef Production (VBP) Program (Beef)
• The Verified Veal Program (Veal)
• Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) - recognized programs:
  e.g. - Global GAP, Safe Quality Food Program 1000 (SQF)
  - British Retail Consortium (BRC) Food Standard (Issue 5)
  - Primus GFS
  - CanadaGAP (Leafy Vegetables and Cruciferae, Potatoes, Small Fruit, Tree and Vine Fruit, Greenhouse, and Combined Vegetable: Asparagus/Sweet Corn/Legumes, Bulb and Root, Fruiting Vegetables)
  
  
  NOTE: National On-Farm Food Safety Programs listed on Schedule I have passed a technical review and have received a letter of completion from the CFIA
  
  

• Advantage Grain (Ontario)
• Advantage GMP (Ontario)
• Advantage HACCP (Ontario)
• Advantage HACCP Plus (Ontario)
• American Institute for Baking (AIB)
• Food Safety Enhancement Program (FSEP)
• Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI): recognized programs
  - British Retail Consortium (BRC) Food Standard (Issue 5)
  - Safe Quality Food Program 2000 (SQF) - Levels 1, 2 and 3
• ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System

Travellers may travel by air, rail or road - whichever is the most practical and economical way to travel

When air is the most practical and economical method, travellers must fly economy class

When rail is the most practical and economical method, travellers must travel coach class

When road is the most practical and economical method, travellers must maintain a record of departure location, destination and the number of kilometres travelled. Kilometres traveled to and from a training facility are reimbursed per kilometre as follows:

Kilometres Driven	Southern Ontario ($ per km)	Northern Ontario ($ per km)
0 - 4,000km	0.40	0.41
4,001 - 10,700 km	0.35	0.36
10,701 - 24, 000 km	0.29	0.30
More than 24,000 km	0.24	0.25

• Reimbursement will be made for single accommodation only (no suites, executive floors or concierge levels)
• Travellers may arrange to stay with friends or relatives instead of using hotel/motel accommodation. A maximum of $30.00 for such lodging expenses is permissible
  

• Reasonable and appropriate meal costs will be reimbursed if they are incurred while training through normal meal periods, or when travelling during normal meal periods. Reimbursement for the cost of alcoholic beverages is not permitted.
• Meal expenses are treated as a daily allowance up to a maximum of $40 per day, including taxes and tips, as follows:




Meal	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
Reimbursement	$ 8.75	$ 11.25	$ 20.00

OPTIONS			List each requested project expenditure or activity	For food safety expenditures or activities, indicate the food safety practice/program that will be implemented and how the expenditure or activity will improve or change food safety at your facility. For traceability expenditures or activities, indicate how the expenditure or activity will improve or change traceability at your facility.
1	2	3
x	x	x	Purchase a knife sanitizer	We currently do not have a knife sterilizer on the production floor at our facility. A knife sterilizer would support the procedures outlined in a sanitation program and reduce the potential for biological hazards during production.
x	x	x	Staff costs to research, purchase and install a lot code printer for traceability	A lot code printer for a traceability system will ensure that each product leaving the facility will be identified with a unique lot code that specifies the facility where it was produced and the pack date.
x	x	x	Remote hand washing sinks	We do not currently have remote hand washing sinks to allow employees to wash their hands as a requirement of our Personnel Practices Program. The purchase of a remote hand washing sink will prevent recontamination of hands after washing.
x	x	x	Purchase of Pasteurizer	We do not currently pasteurize our products. The purchase and installation of a pasteurizer will allow us to control biological hazards as part of our HACCP program.
x	x	x	Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) wand reader	A RFID wand reader for our traceability system will allow RFID ear tags to be read electronically, eliminating errors in recording animal movements or health events.
x	x	x	Training of staff on new sanitation program	Training of staff on new sanitation procedures will ensure that the sanitation program is properly implemented.
x	x	x	Performing a mock recall	Performing a mock recall ensures that the traceability system in place is effective and affected product can be identified and recalled within an allotted time period.
x	x	x	Scientific testing (environmental swabs) for Listeria spp. in the production area	Scientific testing will identify areas in the facility where the sanitation program needs to be updated or changed to properly address the risk of biological hazards.
x	x	x	Purchase of Luminometer	We currently do not verify the effectiveness of our sanitation program. A luminometer can be used to indicate the presence of ATP on a food processing surface, indicating whether the surface was properly cleaned and if our sanitation program is effective.
x	x	x	Purchase of new weigh scale and handling chute	A weigh scale will help to deliver appropriate amounts of medication by weight. This will prevent excess residues in meat. The handling chute will also reduce the chance of broken needles occurring with proper restraint of the animal. This equipment purchase will help meet the requirements for the Animal Heath Product Use GAP.
x	x	x	Hand sanitizer stations at entry points to livestock housing areas	Visitors and workers on my operation need to ensure their hands are clean coming into and leaving the livestock housing areas to prevent spread of pathogens to other areas of the farm. Sanitizer stations are needed to implement a Hand Washing GAP.
x	x	x	Consultant costs to write procedures for my equipment maintenance and calibration program	A consultant will be hired to assess the maintenance and calibration requirements for all equipment critical to food safety on my operation. The consultant will then provide a schedule and set of procedures for proper maintenance and calibration.
x	x	x	Purchase of food grade equipment to replace lead soldered and galvanized equipment in maple syrup operations.	The purchase and installation of food grade equipment will prevent heavy metal contamination
x	x	x	In-kind contributions directly related to the development and implementation of food safety program or a traceability system	In-kind labour to install handling chute, in-kind costs to research traceability systems In-kind costs to train staff on how to use new traceability software
x	-	x	Minor structural modifications for traceability	Cattle operation - wooden post/fence you would attach reader for RFID tags as cattle pass through
x	-	x	Obtain first time audit under the Canadian Horticultural Council On-Farm Food Safety Program	By undergoing a third party audit for the first time, and achieving certification under the Canadian Horticultural Council On-Farm Food Safety Program, our operation will now have proof that a consistent, verified food safety program is in place.
x	-	-	Consultant costs to develop, write and implement a sanitation program	A written sanitation program does not currently exist at our facility. An external consultant's expertise is required to develop, write and implement an effective sanitation program.

List each requested project expenditure or activity	Example of record required
Purchase of Pasteurizer	Equipment Maintenance and Calibration Record OR Cleaning and sanitizing records
Consultant costs to develop, write and implement a shipping and receiving program	Shipping and receiving log
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) wand reader for the traceability system	Mock recall records
Training of staff on new pest control program	Training records

Assessment Roll Number (ARN) - your tax assessment number from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.

Latitude and Longitude - from a Global Positioning System
Municipal Address - of the premises to be registered
Lot and Concession Number - of the premises to be registered

• online at www.ontrace.ca
• toll free 1-888-388-7223

Fill out the online or printed application form. All of the required fields must be completed. You will need to describe the agricultural or agri-food activities that take place on the premises.

If you have any questions, please contact OnTrace.

• online at www.ontario.ca/foodsafety
• by phone to 1-877- 424-1300
• by email to ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca
  

• emailing to growingforward@ontario.ca
• calling 1-888-479-3931 (1-888-GRWFWD1)
• faxing to (519) 826-3442
• in person or by mailing to:
  • Food Safety and Traceability Initiative
  • Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
  • 1 Stone Road West, 4th Floor
  • Guelph, ON N1G 4Y2