Confusion Reigns Over US Plans to Test Canadian Meat at Border

(The Canadian Press)

Canada dispatched one of its top food inspection officials to Washington Monday as confusion reigned over new “additional import requirements” for Canadian meat and poultry exports heading across the U.S. border.

Bill Anderson, meat program director at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, will attempt to negotiate with the Americans on new rules announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture over the weekend to track three pathogens in Canadian chicken, beef and pork.

Although the increased testing for salmonella, listeria monocytogenes and E. coli 0157:H7 had not started Monday, the lack of clarity quickly caused confusion and frustration in the multibillion-dollar meat processing industry.

“The government is disappointed with the USDA decision to take these actions,” said Frederique Moulin, who works with Anderson at the CFIA in Ottawa as national manager of international programs.

The crackdown comes after U.S. regulators pointed the finger at a now-bankrupt Alberta meat packer for being the “likely source” of bacteria-contaminated meat that made at least 40 people sick earlier this year in eight states.

Rancher’s Beef Ltd. of Balzac, Alta., was linked to the outbreak of a particularly dangerous strain of E. coli that led to the second largest beef recall in U.S. history in September that forced Topps Meat Co. of New Jersey out of business.

Although Rancher’s had stopped operating in August after owing creditors at least $44 million, a September report by the bankruptcy trustee said inventory was still being sold.

Calls to company officials were not returned Monday.

A joint investigation with Canadian and U.S. officials matched the DNA fingerprint of E. coil 0157:H7 bacteria isolated from beef trim found in storage at Rancher’s and packages of Topps frozen hamburgers.

The CFIA also continues to study a possible link between the contaminated Rancher’s meat and a E. coli outbreak across Canada during the past summer that affected 45 people – putting 11 in hospital and killing one elderly person.

“We continue our investigation and collaboration with the U.S. and expect the interim measures will be reconsidered,” Moulin said Monday.

Last Saturday, USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Richard Raymond announced that all shipments of meat coming from Canada would be held until testing is complete.

“In addition, Canadian meat and poultry products will receive increased levels of re-inspection ... to confirm they are eligible to enter commerce when presented at the U.S. border.”

Moulin said the U.S. is suggesting that the extra testing willstart this week.

“It’s going to create disruption for sure, but we hope the disruption will be at a minimum,” she said.

U.S. officials are also expected to arrive in Canada later this week to begin an audit of the Canadian food safety system, with a focus on Rancher’s but also to include other meat processing plants.

The Ottawa-based Canadian Meat Council said Monday that many unknowns remained over the heightened Canadian requirements in an industry that requires a high level of planning and scheduling.

Executive director Jim Laws said some meat processors sent shipments over the weekend but held the trucks back on Monday awaiting clarification on what the new rules will mean.

“We don’t exactly know what their intentions are because they’ve mentioned `test and hold,’ well what does that mean? Where are they going to do it? And how can we actually do that because there’s a lot of trucks that go across every day.”

Canada’s meat export business relies on the U.S. as its main customer and remains hopeful that an American audit of the Canadian food safety system can avoid much more stringent testing requirements.
“It’s all very nice for them to say they’re going to do this, but what’s this going to mean in terms of details? How are you going to test? Where are you going to hold? Are you going to allow us to ship the product through to the final destination? Then what?”

“It’s also going to raise a lot of worry from the U.S. buyers as well.”

Rob McNabb of the Canadian Cattlemen’s said the USDA announcement was “to be kind, somewhat premature without some of the details at either the U.S. end or our end being worked out.”

McNabb said the new testing will initially force Canada to higher standards than all other countries importing meat into the U.S. But he hopes the extra testing will be removed following the safety audit.

“When an authority or agency responsible for food safety experiences some significant political pressure, these things will tend to happen.”