WHEREAS recent changes in meat inspection regulations, to manage BSE and other health concerns, have created hardship for small meat processors and the ranchers that rely on them to sell their produce; AND WHEREAS there is a general lack of qualified meat inspectors to help ensure that small meat processors are able to meet the current requirements, and continue to offer the important service they do: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of British Columbia Municipalities request that the federal and provincial governments amend the meat inspection regulations to allow local licensed veterinarians to serve as meat inspectors.
Ministry of Health The Meat Inspection Regulation was introduced in 2004 to provide consistent province-wide standards for inspection and processing of all animals slaughtered for sale. As part of the Food Safety Act, the regulation protects public health and fosters ongoing public confidence in food safety and the food supply. The previous system allowed for different meat inspection standards in different parts of the Province of British Columbia Province. The new regulation requires that all meat offered for sale is inspected according to consistent standards to ensure it is safe. For the most part, Canadian Food Inspection Agency CFIA inspectors have historically carried out the inspections of licensed facilities in the Province. However, under the governing legislation, the Minister of Health has the authority to appoint whomever he considers appropriate to be an inspector, including veterinarians. Veterinarians have been used as meat inspectors in the Province in the past, and one is currently under contract to provide meat inspection services at an abattoir in Port Alberni. This option will continue to be available in areas where CFIA inspectors may not be available to carry out inspections. The date the regulation will take effect was extended to September of 2007 to provide new and existing slaughter facilities time to upgrade.
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD With respect to meat inspection in provincially licensed facilities, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency CFIA delivers inspection services for the province of British Columbia in these establishments. However, responsibility for the designation and qualifications of inspectors is derived from provincial rather than federal legislation. Therefore, it is suggested that you contact the British Columbia Ministry of Health, which oversees the provincial meat inspection regulations. With regard to meat inspection in federally registered facilities, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food has the power to designate inspectors under the Meat Inspection Act and Regulations, and the CFIA president may designate any person or class of persons as inspectors under the terms of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act. In order to work as a veterinarian in a federally registered facility, a person must be eligible to be licensed as a practitioner under the appropriate provincial or federal rules. However, the provision of inspection services in federally registered establishments by third-party practitioners accredited veterinarians has not been deemed practical in the past, for several reasons. - Veterinary post-mortem inspection and the overseeing of operator activities are not taught in Canadian veterinary schools. New CFIA veterinary inspectors must be trained - typically on-site with another experienced veterinarian - over the course of a number of weeks or months, depending on the number of new skills they must learn and the number of species for which they need to train. - The nature of federally registered establishments, and the requirements of many of Canadas trading partners, require that there be a full-time veterinary presence in federally registered abattoirs for the entire duration of slaughter operations. The CFIA is also expected to directly supervise, evaluate and control the quality of work of all its veterinary inspectors. You may be assured that the CFIA has the necessary qualified staff to fulfill is inspection responsibilities in federally registered establishments.