In this section:
Protecting Consumers Ensuring Equivalency of Food Safety Systems with the USDA Exporting to the USA
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) protects consumers of Canadian beef in export markets by contributing to food safety and the health of animals in Canada. This commitment is supported by a willingness to communicate developments in food safety and animal health in a rapid and open manner.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) enforces Canada’s national food safety and nutritional quality regulations. The CFIA monitors all establishments that export beef and beef products to the United States, and has the authority for administration and enforcement of Canada’s Meat Inspection Act. The Agency also sets standards for animal health and carries out related enforcement and inspection.
The Agency employs approximately 6,000 highly trained professionals, including veterinarians, research scientists and inspectors, and it manages 14 laboratories and research facilities that provide scientific advice, research, testing and new technologies.
Canada has an internationally respected food safety system. Consumers around the world rate Canadian food among the safest in the world.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires that Canadian beef products exported to the United States are produced using food safety systems judged to be equivalent to those utilized by processing plants in the USA. Canada’s regulations are not identical in all cases, but they must achieve the same level of protection against food safety hazards. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency works with the USDA to ensure this equivalency is maintained and monitored.
The USA is Canada’s largest export market for beef products. In 2006, buyers in the United States purchased approximately 300,000 tons of Canadian beef. The CFIA must certify that each load meets USDA requirements before it can be transported to the border. At the border, inspectors from the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) check documentation to verify the product has been correctly certified, and then examine each shipment for general condition and labeling. Further inspection activities may include laboratory analysis for product composition, microbiological contamination, chemical residues, and species.
More than 99.9% percent of beef products exported to the USA meet food safety requirements, as measured by rates of permitted entry.
Back to Top