Import of Restricted Feeder Cattle from the U.S.

(CFIA)
Please be advised that the new policy Import of Restricted Feeder Cattle from the United States to a Terminal Feedlot, has been finalized and is now available as an option for importers. Details of the policy can be found here.

Also note that the existing feeder cattle policy Import of Restricted Feeder Cattle from the United States, remains in effect and also remains as an option for importers. Details of the policy can be found  here.

If there are any questions, please contact Dr. Amy Snow, Amy.Snow@inspection.gc.ca.

Proposed U.S. Cattle Rules More Bull For Canadians?

(Winnipeg Free Press)

Canadian livestock producers are in the unenviable position of being bystanders in yet another policy debate south of the border that could directly affect their futures.

The United States is Canada’s biggest market for exports of live cattle and hogs and when politicians there decided to move forward with country of origin labelling rules, farmers here took a direct hit on their bottom line -- either through reduced marketing opportunities or lower prices.

The latest debate is over new regulations proposed by the U.S. Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). The effects on Canada are less clear.

The new regulations, which are open to public comment, are designed to increase transparency in U.S. cattle markets. They would require a packer, contractor or live-poultry dealer to maintain written records to justify differential pricing offered to producers. Read more here.

USDA Removes Temporary Restrictions on Cattle and Bison Imports from British Columbia

(Feedstuffs)

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has removed temporary brucellosis testing requirements for certain cattle and bison from British Columbia, according to a June 17 statement from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Sexually intact cattle and bison that have resided in B.C. since March 25, 2010, are no longer required to test negative for brucellosis prior to export to the U.S.

The restrictions were put in place after three beef cows originating from two farms in British Columbia, a western province in Canada, were suspected of having brucellosis, based on tests done by the USDA during routine slaughter testing. A subsequent and thorough investigation by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) did not identify the presence of brucellosis in the animals or on the two farms. All cattle herds in Canada remain officially free of brucellosis, according to the CFIA statement.

WTO Rules in Canada’s Favour in Ongoing EU Beef Ban Dispute

(The Canadian Press)

Today [Thursday] the World Trade Organization’s appeal body ruled in favour of Canada in an ongoing dispute with the European Union over the EU ban on imports of Canadian beef from cattle treated with growth hormones.

“Canadian beef is a symbol of excellence in the global marketplace and we are pleased that the World Trade Organization Appellate Body has confirmed that Canada is not in violation of any of its WTO obligations,” said Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “This Government will ensure Canada-EU commercial relations remain strong and mutually beneficial while we continue to stand up for the interests of Canadian producers.”

Both Canada and the United States have consistently opposed the EU ban on the importation of beef from hormone-treated cattle since it was imposed in 1989. Both countries maintain that the EU has not been able to prove there are scientific reasons for a ban. In 1998, the WTO agreed with Canada and the United States on this matter and in 1999 it allowed both countries to retaliate by increasing duties on certain EU imports. Read more here and get the full Appellate Body Report here.

Exporting Under the USDA Final Rule on BSE Risk

(Canadian Food Inspection Agency)

The coming into effect of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Final Rule rule on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) risk will open up new opportunities for Canadian exporters, primarily by allowing imports of a broader range of cattle and meat and other products derived from them.

The final rule opens the U.S. border to the following:

• live cattle and other bovines (e.g. bison) for any use, including breeding, born on or after, March 1, 1999 (under the previous rule only cattle under 30 months of age and destined for immediate slaughter or restricted feedlots were eligible);

• meat and meat products from animals of any age;

• blood and blood products derived from bovines, collected under certain conditions; and

• casings and part of the small intestine derived from bovines. In preparation for the changes, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has worked with the Canadian cattle industry and animal health practitioners, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to address the associated technical requirements.

The CFIA is re-accrediting private veterinarians across the country to certify that Canadian exports are in compliance with the new requirements. Export certificates have been revised to address these requirements.

The CFIA encourages Canadian animal producers and processors to consult with an accredited vet or visit the CFIA web site at the address below to familiarize themselves with the export requirements.

For additional information, please contact a CFIA district office. They are listed in the blue pages of the telephone book but are also available on the CFIA website. For Questions and Answers, please visit the CFIA website.

Canada Braces for Backlog with New U.S. Meat Tests

(Reuters)

Canadian meat exporters braced for delays in shipments to their biggest export market after the U.S. Agriculture Department said it would begin on Friday to double its testing of shipments crossing the border.

Late on Thursday, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Canadian beef processors said they still did not have all the details on how the new testing program would work.

“There's a lot of questions that perhaps might not be answered until we hit the ground running,” said Robert Meijer, spokesman for Cargill Ltd, Canada's top beef processor.

Until more details are available, Cargill will not export meat destined to become ground beef, Meijer said. Cargill has not cut Canadian production ahead of the new measures, but the company may have to consider that if the testing process causes major snarls at the border, he said.

The USDA first announced last Saturday that it would test Canadian beef, pork and poultry for bacteria that cause food poisoning, and hold shipments at the border pending results.

On Thursday, the USDA clarified what types of meat it would test, the rate of testing, and how it would recall contaminated shipments. It also said that it would consider alternatives to holding product at the border.

In 2006, Canada shipped 303,000 tons of beef, worth C$1.1 billion ($1.2 billion), and 363,000 tons of pork, worth C$1.032 billion, to the United States.

Canadian meat is already tested and inspected at processing plants. But U.S. officials ordered an added level of inspection and testing to be done at the U.S. border after a recent U.S. outbreak of E. coli food poisoning was traced to Rancher's Beef Ltd of Balzac, Alberta.

Canadian and U.S. officials continue to investigate that plant, which has since closed for unrelated reasons.

Earlier this year, a routine audit of some Canadian plants turned up sanitation and other problems. U.S. inspectors are revisiting the plants to ensure the issues were addressed.

Most new testing measures will stay in place until U.S. officials review test and audit results.
But added tests for imported beef used to make hamburger will become permanent for Canadian and all other foreign suppliers, starting at the beginning of 2008, the USDA said.

Canadian inspection officials said the measures were unnecessary because Canada's meat is safe, and is already tested and inspected to a level equivalent to U.S. standards.

“We are working with (the USDA) very closely to investigate the E. coli case and we are reaffirming to them that Canada has internationally respected inspection and safety procedures,” said Frederique Moulin, manager of international meat programs with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Moulin said she expects the USDA will reconsider the new tests after the investigation and audit are complete.

“The problems uncovered at Rancher's Beef Ltd are not an indication of a failure in the Canadian meat inspection system,” she said.

The new measures come as the Canadian beef industry struggles with losses caused by the sharp rise in the Canadian dollar, labor shortages at major packing plants, sky-high grain prices, and other costs not faced by U.S. competitors.

“We don't need any more negative market shocks, and this unknown risk is very much of a challenge to the industry,” said Ted Haney of the Canada Beef Export Federation.

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.”

U.S. to Boost Testing of Imported Canada Meat

(Reuters)

Meat and poultry products being imported from Canada will be subjected to increased testing and inspection after an outbreak of E. coli in several U.S. states traced to beef from a Canadian company, the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Saturday.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said it would increase testing for salmonella, listeria monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7. The agency said it would require the products be held until testing shows they do not contain any of those pathogens.

The bacteria can cause abdominal pains, diarrhea and dehydration.

Canadian meat and poultry products will also receive increased levels of reinspection by FSIS officials to confirm they are eligible to enter the U.S. market. Those requirements will begin next week.


The FSIS said it would also conduct an audit of Canada’s food safety system. The audit will focus on plants that export beef to the United States.


“The audit and stepped-up actions at the border are being conducted because of concerns about testing practices at Ranchers Beef, Ltd that were discovered as part of the ongoing investigation,” said U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary Richard Raymond.


Alberta-based Ranchers Beef, which has ceased operations, is believed to be the source of the multi-state outbreak of E. coli infections linked to the U.S.-based Topps Meat Co in September, the FSIS said. The agency delisted Ranchers Beef as an importer on October 20.


The recall of 21.7 million pounds (9.8 million kg) of ground beef was the fifth-largest meat or poultry recall in U.S. history and led to nearly 100 illnesses in the two countries. Topps Meat has since gone out of business.


The preliminary findings from the audit by the FSIS will determine whether the additional testing and inspection rules remain in place.


“These measures are being taken to further ensure the equivalency of the system already in place,” said Raymond. “We continue to work together with our food safety partners both domestically and internationally to ensure imported meat and poultry products are produced ... at least equivalent to those in the United States.”