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NEWS
JANUARY 5, 2012 | WWW.PRODUCER.COM | THE WESTERN PRODUCER
FOOD SAFETY | CFIA LEGISLATION
New food safety rules to spur innovation: CFIA More flexible, consistent | Outcome-based system will help companies meet food safety goals, says the CFIA BY BARRY WILSON OTTAWA BUREAU
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is launching the most extensive regulatory review in its 14-year history, promising more modern, industry-friendly rules. It proposes switching the emphasis from setting objectives and policing compliance to emphasizing prevention and allowing industry to reach the objectives without excessive regulatory direction. The CFIA would focus on verifying compliance. As well, it will consider whether user fees should be increased to reflect current costs of services and private benefits that flow from some regulations. At the same time, agriculture minister Gerry Ritz is promising new
food safety legislation. In a December report on food safety system improvements, he noted plans for “a new food safety bill to simplify and modernize our legislation.” Regulatory reform will be part of that drive in 2012. In a discussion paper published in late December in anticipation of discussions during the winter, the CFIA said its goals are to create new regulations that are more flexible, protect public safety and give industry enough flexibility to innovate. “Modernized regulatory frameworks will improve consistency and reduce complexity in regulation and will enhance the ability of the CFIA and regulated parties to contribute to the safety of the food supply and the protection of the animal and plant resource bases,” said the discussion paper.
I think at the end of the day it will be welcomed by producers because it will be much more predictable, more outcome-based on common principles…. BRIAN EVANS CHIEF FOOD SAFETY OFFICER
Meanwhile, companies would be told what the safety goal is but not be instructed on how they must get there. “Shifting to outcomes-based and transparent regulations aims to establish clear expectations regarding risk management outcomes to be achieved,” said the paper. “Such regulations will provide flexibility for the regulated industry to demonstrate how it is achieving the desired outcome.” Many in the agri-food industry would likely welcome proposals to
simplify often conflicting or arcane rules that flow from 13 pieces of legislation and 38 sets of regulations connected to them. However, there almost certainly will be resistance from food safety advocates and possibly unions representing CFIA employees who will argue this is a formula for putting the future of the food system even more in the hands of companies. The CFIA said regulatory reform is necessary because current regulations reflect past conditions. As well, food products and globalized trade
have changed and many current regulations stifle necessary innovation. Other jurisdictions, including the United States, are already in the midst of food regulatory review. Brian Evans, Canada’s chief food safety officer and chief veterinarian, said change is necessary and the review is part of a government-wide demand for smarter regulations. The underlying theme of the system will remain, “thou shalt not sell unsafe food,” he said. Farmers will also see a benefit. “I think at the end of the day it will be welcomed by producers because it will be much more predictable, more outcome-based on common principles and will allow industry to demonstrate how they achieve compliance without us prescriptively saying, ‘this is how we’re going to measure compliance,’ ” he said. “I believe it will make producer lives more predictable as well and of course it will affect rules on inputs as well.”
CHRISTMAS | CELEBRATIONS
TRANSPORTATION | RAILWAYS
Cows take flight as fireworks light night
CPR exceeds revenue cap; CN under BY BARRY WILSON OTTAWA BUREAU
BY BARBARA DUCKWORTH CALGARY BUREAU
One family’s Christmas celebration created an unexpected ruckus for neighbours Mike and Deb Butler. A family reunion was being held Christmas Eve at the church grounds less than a kilometre from the Butler ranch near Rose Prairie, 30 kilometres north of Fort St. John, B.C., when someone decided to mark the event with fireworks. That was when all heck broke loose. “These were not normal front yard fireworks,” said Deb Butler. “These came from Manitoba and they were spectacular.” The spectacle spooked 130 head of calves in a nearby pen and the stampede began. The calves bolted through the fence and took off into the night. The Butlers tried to round them up with flashlights but it was pitch black and all they could see were red eyes reflecting back at them. “I have never seen hundreds of red eyes at one time,” she said. Fortunately, a larger perimeter fence around the property prevented the animals from straying far. Some returned to the barnyard on their own while the rest had to be rounded up the next morning. The roundup was slow going because sunrise did not arrive until after 9 a.m. on the northern ranch. access=subscriber section=news,none,none
Cattle on the Butler ranch near Rose Prairie, B.C., took exception to a neighbour’s Christmas Eve fireworks. | DEB BUTLER PHOTO
The next chore was rebuilding the fence rather than opening presents. “There were eight fence posts busted off right at the ground and the fence was flattened,” she said. They had to pour hot water down the post holes to pull the broken
posts out of the cold ground and replace them with new ones. Three hours later they had a new fence and Butler had to hurry back into the house to get a turkey in the oven for 14 guests. Profuse apologies followed when
the neighbours found out what happened. However, no one was seriously hurt and all was forgiven. “We knew nobody had done this on purpose,” she said. “You think you’ve seen everything when you have been ranching as long as we have.”
’Twas the Night Before Christmas By Deb Butler ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas on our Rose Prairie farm The cattle were settled, and causing no harm Dad finally came in, and sat down for a treat As I took from the oven, some shortbread so sweet
To the shop he then ran, got four wheeler and truck We drove round the fields, livestock running amuck Red eyes by the hundred, were flashing at us, Not stopping for fences, Dad started to cuss
When off to the West there arose such a clatter We sprang to the window to see what was the matter, Then what to our wondering eyes should appear, But a fireworks display, that was so very near
We tried and we tried, in the darkness and din All efforts in vain, we could not get them in We closed all the gates, in the hopes they would keep And went back to the house, for a short night of sleep
Bombs bursting in air, what an awesome display! They lit up the sky, lustre just like mid-day They were banging and whistling, it made the house rattle Dad’s only concern was they’d frighten the cattle
The next day was Christmas, and at the first light We rounded the herd up, a beautiful sight We locked them in pens, there was much work to do Pounded posts, stapled wire, till the fence was all new
He rushed to the feed yard, so lively and quick But the cattle were missing, it just made him sick The fence was knocked down, from the mighty stampede Posts broke at the ground, a problem indeed
Our neighbours came over, apologized for the deed They just didn’t think it would cause a stampede, But I heard Dad exclaim, as they drove out of sight Merry Christmas to all, but please….No Fireworks Tonight!
The Canadian Pacific Railway exceeded its grain revenue cap for 2010-11 and must pay $1.315 million to the Western Grains Research Foundation, says the Canadian Transportation Agency. Canadian National Railway was under its CTA-calculated revenue cap. The calculations were published Dec. 22. CPR exceeded its revenue cap of $442,570,741 as calculated under a Canada Transportation Act formula based on costs, capital purchases, inflation, grain tonnage hauled and distance hauled. The railway’s grain freight revenue was $443,822,775, or $1.252 million above its allowed revenue. The CPR penalty comes with $62,000 in interest. The CTA estimates CPR hauled 14.686 million tonnes last transportation year, a nine percent and 1.46 million tonne decline from the previous year. CN took in $913,447 less than its $509, 316, 957 revenue cap based on hauling 16.44 million tonnes of prairie grain. CN grain traffic increased more than four percent and 668,000 tonnes last year, according to CTA estimates. Under legislation, grain revenue excesses are sent to the WGRF, a farmer-financed and controlled organization that funds research to help the prairie grain sector. The CTA estimates that railways hauled 31.1 million tonnes of western grain last year, a 2.5 percent decrease from 2009-10. Prairie flooding and weather-related problems that reduced yields were credited as major factors contributing to the reduced grain movement last year. access=subscriber section=news,none,none