Food Safety Regulations and Institutions Canada

1
Food Safety Regulations and
Institutions Canada

• J. B. Morrissey

2
Situation Analysis

• Problem
• Perceived conflict of interest
• MOA favor farmer over consumer TB
• Fragmented Authority Accountability over food
  chain

3
Superordinate Goal

• Maintain public confidence in the ability of the
  institutions of the state to provide Canadians
  with a food inspection system that
• Distanced farmer from consumer interests
• Separated
• food standard setting/auditing,
• from
• food inspection

4
Strategy

• Food Agency-Independent of Ministry of
  Agriculture officials
• Matching Authority Accountability over food
  chain

5
Structure (I)

• Minister of Health (MOH)
• Set all food safety standards
• Audit Food Agency compliance with standards.
• Minister of Agriculture (MOA)
• Conduct all food inspection tests necessary to
  meet MOH standards
• Authority matched with Accountability for both
  Ministers

6
Structure (II)

• Food Agency Reports directly to Minister of
  Agriculture. Independent from rest of Ministry
• Food Agency Authority Accountability for food
  chain e.g.
• Crop Health,
• Animal Health,
• Food Safety

7
Style

• Ministry of Agriculture farmer 1st
• Food Agency consumer 1st

8
Systems

• Systems Approach to food safety
• Crop problem ergot, cadmium
• Animal problem - Salmonella
• Food Agency has both the Accountability
  Authority to correct these problems at the farm
  level.

9
Staff

• Fisherys food inspection staff were moved to
  Food Agency.
• Retail food inspection staff moved to Agency.
• Food recall mandate moved to Food Agency
• Standard setting for Pesticides moved to MOH.

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What This Means

• One Agency is responsible for ensuring the safety
  of food through the whole food chain
• Accountability for food safety through the whole
  food chain is matched by Authority.
• Setting of food safety standards is independent
  from inspection
• Compliance with food safety standards is
  independent from inspection
• Special Powers e.g. retention of inspection fees

11
Conclusion

• Public profile of Agency increased
• Credibility increased
• Greater clarity over roles
• Key to Success
• include Crop Health Animal Health in Agency.
• Food safety can not be inspected into food
  during food inspection it must be built at each
  step in the food chain e.g. salmonella in
  animals/meat.

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THANK YOU