For release: February 15, 2005

MCGUINTY GOVERNMENT TIGHTENS MEAT SAFETY STANDARDS
Provides Transitional Funding For Agri-Food Sector To Comply

TORONTO - The McGuinty government is introducing stronger standards for meat safety in Ontario as recommended by Justice Haines' review of the province's meat regulation and inspection system, Minister of Agriculture and Food Steve Peters announced today.

"We are better protecting the health of all Ontarians by proclaiming the Food Safety and Quality Act and introducing a new, stronger meat safety regulation," Peters said. "As recommended by Justice Haines, the new regulation is not only stronger, but is also broader in scope than previous legislation, and harmonized with national standards."

A new regulation under the Food Safety and Quality Act will, among other things, require:

• Licensing and inspection of freestanding meat processors
  
• Strengthening process controls at meat processing facilities
  
• Training for food handlers.

The ministry is providing up to $25 million in transitional funds over three years to assist processors in meeting the new requirements. The regulation will take effect on June 1, 2005 for provincially licensed abattoirs and large freestanding meat processors, on April 1, 2006 for medium-sized freestanding meat processors and on October 1, 2006 for all others.

Under the regulation, freestanding meat processors are defined by the products they produce and to whom they are sold. They include businesses that process products like bacon, deli meats and smoked ham, and businesses that produce items like roasts, chops and steaks and sell them to wholesalers, food service operations and retailers. Freestanding meat processors do not slaughter animals and are not federally registered.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food will continue to work with stakeholders on several outstanding issues. This information will be considered when the new regulation is reviewed or amendments are prepared.

Justice Roland Haines was appointed by the Ontario government in January, 2004 to conduct an independent review of the province's meat regulation and inspection system. His report was released on July 22, 2004.

"As Justice Haines indicated, Ontario has a good food safety system. We are committed to making it a world-class system to ensure that the health and safety of Ontarians come first," Peters said.

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Media Contact:
Jamie Rilett
Minister's Office
416-326-6439
416-458-2610 (Mobile)

Ministry contact:
Dave McLeod
Ministry of Agriculture and Food
416-326-3029

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FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY ACT, 2001 (FSQA) AND
NEW MEAT INSPECTION REGULATION

Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001
The Ontario government is following through on its commitment to act on the Haines report by proclaiming the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001 (FSQA) and introducing a new, stronger meat inspection regulation under it.

The FSQA is enabling legislation that enhances the provincial government's capacity to maintain high standards of food safety, protect consumer health and increase the marketability of Ontario food products.

Meat Inspection Regulation
The new regulation under the Act is harmonized with national standards and will be released in two stages.

The first phase of regulatory changes includes:

• Licensing and inspection of freestanding meat processors (FSMPs). Under the regulation, these businesses are defined by the products they produce and to whom they are sold. They include businesses that process products like bacon, deli meats and smoked ham. They also include businesses that produce items like roasts, chops and steaks and sell them to wholesalers, food service operations and retailers. They do not slaughter animals and are not federally registered.

  Approximately 200 provincially licensed abattoirs and more than 40 larger FSMPs (producing more than one million kilograms of product annually) would need to comply by June 1, 2005. FSMPs that produce more than 500,000 kilograms, but not more than one million kilograms of product annually would need to comply by April 1, 2006, and all others by October 1, 2006.

• Strengthening process controls at meat processing facilities.
  
• Requiring food-handler training.
  
• Requiring licensed facilities to develop and document sanitation and other programs for their facilities and operations.
  
• Upgrading regulatory requirements for labeling to reflect current federal standards.
  
• Requiring on-farm flock health records to accompany poultry received at an abattoir.
• It is anticipated that information sessions and consultations will take place with industry and other stakeholders beginning in February, 2005.
  
• The ministry is providing up to $25 million over three years in transitional funds for the meat processing industry to assist processors in meeting the requirements of the new regulation.

A proposed second phase of regulatory changes, after consultations could include:

• Based on the input received from consultations with industry and other stakeholders, amendments to the original regulation could include the following:
  
  • Phasing in dates for mandatory implementation of HACCP systems in all meat processing facilities
    
  • Providing for plant employees, under strict inspection supervision, to assist inspectors
    
  • Intensifying control over the humane slaughter of all food animals
    
  • Providing procedures for on-farm slaughter and dressing
    
  • Providing further controls over the slaughter of non-ambulatory (downer) animals
    
  • Establishing procedures for emergency slaughter under veterinarian supervision
    
  • Establishing conditions under which hunted game could be processed in a meat plant
    
  • Providing for additional, environmentally sound disposal options for meat plant waste

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and local health units to ensure consistent food safety standards across all of Ontario's meat manufacturing sector. Protecting public health remains paramount during this transition period.

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FOOD SAFETY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Since October 2003, the McGuinty government has implemented several initiatives to increase food safety in the province and protect the health of Ontarians:

Meat Inspection Review
The government appointed a senior judge, Mr. Justice Roland J. Haines of the Superior Court of Justice, to examine and report on Ontario's meat regulation and inspection system, and to review the existing legislative scheme.

Justice Haines was asked to examine the roles and responsibilities of various provincial ministries and local health units with respect to provincial abattoirs and freestanding meat processors, including an assessment of the current regulatory standards and the coordination of inspection, compliance and enforcement. Justice Haines was also asked to study other jurisdictions and identify best practices, to ensure that Ontario makes use of the best available methods. Justice Haines' report was issued on July 22, 2004. The government remains committed to acting on the report.

Strengthened Meat Safety Standards
On February 10, 2005, the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001 was proclaimed and a new, stronger and more comprehensive meat safety regulation was introduced. The new regulation under the act is harmonized with national standards and is being released in two stages.

The first phase of the regulation will take effect on June 1, 2005 for provincially licensed abattoirs and large freestanding meat processors, on April 1, 2006 for medium-sized freestanding meat processors and on October 1, 2006 for all others. The ministry will work with stakeholders on several outstanding issues, which will be considered when the new regulation is reviewed or amendments are prepared.

The government is providing up to $25 million over three years in transitional funds for the meat processing industry to assist processors in meeting the requirements of the new regulation.

Full-time meat inspectors
The government has improved food safety by hiring more full-time meat inspectors. After an extensive competitive hiring process, the ministry has 61 more full-time and 61 part-time meat inspectors for a total of 132 meat inspectors brought back into the Ontario Public Service since December 2003. Most meat inspectors had been public service employees until 1996/97, when measures by the previous government resulted in most inspectors losing their jobs and becoming fee-for-service inspectors.

Food safety systems for small businesses
A new food safety system for small and medium-sized food processing plants was introduced in Ontario in March 2004. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems focus on identifying and preventing problems from occurring during food processing. Originally designed in the 1960s to help ensure microbiological safety of food for NASA astronauts, HACCP has evolved to address chemical and physical hazards as well, and is recognized worldwide as the leading means of maximizing food safety throughout the food chain.

Ontario's program - the HACCP Advantage - is feasible and practical for small- and medium-sized food processors and enables them to further safeguard the food supply and to meet customer demands, while reaching new markets. The program, which is voluntary at the present time, was developed for use in processing several kinds of commodities, and has attracted interest from other jurisdictions. In July, 2004, T&R Sargent Farms Limited of Milton was the first Ontario meat plant certified under the HACCP Advantage program.

Agricultural Policy Framework
Minister of Agriculture and Food Steve Peters signed an agreement to implement the Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) on behalf of Ontario farmers in December 2003. This historic agreement is providing funding for a wide range of programs, including many targeted at food safety.

Strengthened abattoir water testing
The water testing program at provincially licensed abattoirs was strengthened in 2004. Currently, the province has a science-based water quality and safety program, in which meat inspectors sample water at each plant. During the winter and spring 2004-2005, the government will be monitoring precipitation data and results from water tests. Testing frequency will be immediately increased if necessary. If any adverse results are received during normal testing, increasing testing and monitoring will take place at that plant until normal levels are returned.

Transparency, openness and responsiveness
The ministry is more open and accountable to the people of the province by posting abattoir audit ratings and licence hearing summaries on the ministry website. Audit ratings for 2004-2005 are being posted as they are completed, and hearing summaries are posted for one month following the decision. The ministry is maintaining a responsive compliance system to ensure that public health is protected. In addition, summaries of the results of baseline studies are being posted to the ministry's website. These studies are designed to collect statistical benchmarks for use in a number of ways that enhance food safety. The information gathered can be used to target intervention programs, inspection and control programs, and further research efforts.

Food Safety Research Program
This $500,000 program funds research projects designed to enhance the safety of foods produced and processed in Ontario. The projects focus on:

• Developing and validating methods for detecting pathogens and chemicals
  
• Identifying emerging hazards and contaminants and data to support risk assessments
  
• Improving risk management and control in food safety.

In 2004-05, a total of 10 projects submitted by Canadian universities, agri-food and rural organizations and other researchers have received approval. Research contracts are currently being negotiated.

Stronger regulatory framework
Public comment on proposed changes to regulations under the Dead Animal Disposal Act has been received. Work is ongoing to make the changes to the regulation, which would permit deadstock receiving plants to compost dead animals and processing materials from meat plants. This would provide Ontario farmers and meat plant operators an additional safe, environmentally responsible option for disposing of these wastes.

Changes to Food Premises Regulations
Changes to regulations under the Health Protection and Promotion Act to prevent uninspected meat from being mixed inadvertently with inspected meat and entering the retail marketplace were announced in August, 2004. The changes, which took effect September 1, 2004, prohibit the carcasses of uninspected domestic animals slaughtered on-farm from entering any food premises, including butcher shops.

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