S03 - The Canadian Approach to Food Safety

Macleod D
Organizers: Albert Chambers
Convenors: Dawn Lawrence and Heather Holland

8:30 The Canadian Approach to On-Farm Food Safety - An Overview — Dawn Lawrence, Canadian Quality Assurance-For Canadian Hog Producers, Eatonia, SK, Canada

9:00 Developing an On-Farm Food Safety Program - Aquaculture — Melissa Struthers, Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, Torbay, Newfoundland, Canada

9:30 Implementing an On-Farm Food Safety Program - The Canadian Milk Quality Program — Bill Laing, Canadian Quality Milk Coordinator-Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

10:00 Break

10:30 Developing a HACCP-Based Food Safety Program for Retail Outlets — Justin Sherwood, Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, Calgary, AB, Canada

11:00 Implementing the Repacking and Wholesale Food Safety Program for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables — Heather Holland, Canadian Produce Marketing Association, Ottawa, ON, Canada

11:30 Official Recognition of HACCP-Based Programs — Warren Smandych, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Calgary, AB, Canada

Abstract
The Canadian approach to food safety along the supply chain is emerging as a unique combination of HACCP in registered establishments (e.g., meat processing, dairy, etc.), national, industry-led HACCP-based programs for non-registered establishments in many of the other segments of the chain, and official recognition of these programs based on agreements amongst the federal, provincial and territorial governments. The symposium will emphasize the activity in the non-registered sphere which is led by national industry associations in partnership with government. This activity currently involves the development of 26 national commodity-specific HACCP-based on-farm food safety programs and more than 15 similar programs for other segments of the supply chain from input suppliers to final marketers at retail. While HACCP-based programs are being developed in other countries, no where else is there such a broad involvement of the supply chain or such a high degree of collaboration. Finally, what makes the Canadian approach unique is the agreement by the federal, provincial and territorial governments to develop and implement an official recognition process for these national schemes that assesses both the technical soundness of the industry “standards/requirements” and their administrative effectiveness (overall management system, auditor training, certification scheme administration, etc.). The symposium will provide conference participants with an introduction to an approach that could easily be adapted to other national circumstances.