Funds To Implement Food Safety

The federal government will spend $75 million during the next few years to implement the 57 recommendations from special investigator Sheila Weatherill for preventing listeria and improving food safety. “We are making significant investments to hire more inspectors, update technologies and protocols and improve communication so that Canadians have the information they need to protect

Controversy Over New SmartStax Corn

A new genetically engineered corn var iety has been approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency after reviewing the combination of previously approved traits blended into the plant through cross breeding. Krista Thomas, acting national manager of the Plant Biosafety Office, said in an interview July 28 the SmartStax corn variety from Monsanto and Dow


Canada And U. S. Agree On Organic Standards

Canada can now export certified organic products to U. S. markets without getting American certification, now that both countries have agreed to accept each other’s national standards for organic food. The long-awaited equivalency agreement, announced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the U. S Department of Agriculture (USDA) June 17, means organic farmers

Listeria Committee Back In Gear

Government and opposition MPs on a special Commons subcommittee investigating last summer’s listeria outbreak have ironed out their differences and will begin questioning witnesses in late April. The first meeting of the subcommittee turned into a two-hour quarrel when NDP MP Malcolm Allen proposed an extension of the committee’s investigation to the end of the


Court Rules In Favour Of Spud Farmers

The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled the federal government must provide a financial settlement to 180 New Brunswick potato farmers who were hurt by the federal government’s mishandling of a potato disease outbreak in the early 1990s. The decision, released Feb. 19 in Ottawa, is a victory for farmers who have been fighting for

MPs To Probe Listeria Outbreak

The Commons agriculture committee has agreed to establish an inquiry into last summers listeria outbreak that killed 20 and sickened more than 50 others. A motion by NDP Farm Critic Alex Atamanenko to launch the inquiry was backed by the other parties including the Conservatives after it was broadened to include an examination of how


Second Flock Confirmed With A. I.

CFIA RELEASE The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed the presence of H5 avian influenza virus in a second commercial poultry operation in southern British Columbia. The flock was tested as part of the surveillance activities within three kilometres of the commercial poultry operation where low-pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza was detected on Jan. 24.

Food agency picks advisory panel

“We didn’t meet the expectations of Canadians in dealing with listeria and that has had a profound effect on the CFIA.” – Brian Evans, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Executive Vice-President The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is turning to outside experts for advice in battling food safety threats. It has named four academics to an advisory


Listeria inquiry may become CFIA review

“It will be hard to do anything of substance that fast.” – FOOD LAWYER RONALD DOERING As concerns about listeria and other food safety issues percolated through the Oct. 14 election campaign, federal officials tried to find candidates to head an inquiry promised by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The appointment i sn’t expected until after