Challenges of Implementing OnFarm Food Safety Programs

1
Challenges of Implementing On-Farm Food Safety
Programs

• Jennifer Fleming
• Executive Director (Interim) CSF
• Member, COFFS Working Group

2
Presentation Outline

• Why on-farm food safety
• Canadian Approach
• Challenges
• Farms
• Farm Organizations
• Governments
• Post-Farmgate Industry
• Opportunities

3
Why On-Farm Food Safety?

• Four major drivers
• Consumer concerns
• Government initiatives
• Customer demands
• Competitors actions

4
Canadian Approach to On-Farm Food Safety

• Key Characteristics
• Comprehensive approach
• Science-based tools
• Supply Chain collaboration
• Industry/Government partnerships
• National initiatives

5
Canadian Approach to On-Farm Food Safety

• A Producer-led initiative
• 1990/95 various commodity based initiatives
• 1996 national consensus
• 1997 industry government establish Canadian
  On-Farm Food Safety Program

6
Objectives for On-Farm Food Safety Programs

• Producer-led, national accessible
• Commodity-specific
• HACCP-based auditable
• Consistent, modular expandable
• Recognized in Canada
• Internationally accepted
• Affordable

7
Creating an On-Farm Food Safety Program

• Four Phase Process
• Phase I National Strategy
• Phase II Development
• Phase III Implementation
• Phase IV - Recognition

8
Canadian Approach - Status

• 21 Projects covering 99 of production
• Livestock (8) sheep, hogs, cattle, dairy,
  bison, cervids (deer/elk), veal, goats
• Poultry (5) - hatching eggs, hatcheries, table
  eggs, chickens, turkeys
• Horticulture (4) - fresh fruits/vegetables,
  sprouts, mushrooms, herbs/spices
• Grains, oilseeds, pulses special crops (1)
• Honey
• Aquaculture (2) finfish shellfish

9
Challenges on the Farm

• Scope
• 240,000 Farms
• Many farms have multiple enterprises
• Some entreprises are relatively small yet
  threshold costs are quite similar
• Farm size impacts on capacity to cover costs

10
Challenges on the Farm

• When to implement?
• Characterized by uncertainty
• Driven by pressures from customers competitors
• Influenced by legal expectations

11
Challenges on the Farm

• Resources
• Internal/on-farm capacity
• External sources
• Commodity group
• Government
• University/college
• Private

12
Challenges on the Farm

• Competing Demands
• Other Management Systems
• Quality specifications
• Environmental plans
• Nutrient management plans
• Animal welfare plans
• Organic plans
• Identity Preserved programs

13
Challenges for Farm Organizations

• Tasks
• Program maintenance, auditor training, farm
  certification
• Capacity
• Strength of organizations (national/provincial)
• Type of organization (policy or services)
• Scope
• Number of farms (from 300 to 100,000)
• Geographic spread (from 2 provinces to
  everywhere)

14
Challenges for Governments

• Official Recognition
• Complete the negotiations
• Fully resource
• Program expansion
• Implementation Assistance
• 2004/8 - APF Program Funding
• Beyond 2008 - Long-term commitment
• International Support

15
Challenges for Post-farmgate Industry

• Customers
• Program recognition integration
• Implementation support
• Service Input Providers
• Awareness Training
• Implementation support
• Education Training Institutions
• Modification of existing courses
• Professional development opportunities

16
Challenges for All

• Sustaining a Collaborative Approach
• Amongst On-Farm Programs
• Supply Chain Initiatives
• Industry/Government Partnership
• Intergovernmental Co-operation

17
Challenges for All

• International Acceptance
• Government to Government Fora (Codex, FAO, WHO,
  OECD, bilaterals, etc)
• Industry to Industry (IFAP, commodity-specific)
• Supply Chain Initiatives