IFAP – 37 th World Congress Seoul, South Korea 19 May 2006 Canadian Approach to On-farm Food Safety Its Evolution, Current Success & Future Challenges.

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Canadian Approach to On-farm Food Safety

Its Evolution, Current Success & Future Challenges

International Federation of Agricultural Producers37th World Farmer's Congress60 years of empowering farmersSeoul, South Korea19 May 2006

Albert Chambers, ConsultantCanadian On-Farm Food Safety Working Group

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Presentation Outline

• Why on-farm food safety• Basic elements of the Canadian approach• Developing a commodity-specific program• Official Recognition• Collaborative Initiatives• Current Status• Future Challenges• Conclusion

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Why On-farm Food Safety?

• Four major drivers

• Consumer concerns

• Government initiatives

• Customer demands

• Competitor’s actions

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Canadian Producers’ Options

• Do nothing• Wait for governments to regulate• Let the downstream food industry dictate• Be proactive

• 1990/95 – various commodity based initiatives

• 1996 - national consensus achieved• 1997 - producers & government establish

Canadian On-Farm Food Safety Program

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Producer Objectives for On-Farm Food Safety Programs

• Producer-led, national & accessible

• Commodity-specific programs

• HACCP-based & auditable

• Consistent, modular & expandable

• Recognized in Canada

• Internationally accepted

• Affordable

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Creating an On-Farm Food Safety Program• Government & Producer cost shared

(some recognition of “public benefit”)

• Four Phase Process

• Phase 1 - National Strategy

• Phase 2 – Program Development

• Phase 3 – Implementation

• Phase 4 – Recognition

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Phase 2 – Development Process• Adopt Codex HACCP Principles & approach

• Assemble HACCP team (producers, experts & stakeholders)

• Conduct hazard analysis• Create the tools farmers need

• On-going Communications with stakeholders• Pilot Projects• Generic GPP’s & CPP’s & Record Keeping

requirements• Pre-assessment guides & Audit checklists• Training materials (Producers & Auditors)

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Phase 2 – Results

• Commodity-specific Programs that are:• Rigorous & Technically Sound• HACCP-based & science-based• Designed with up & downstream input • Subject to peer & expert reviews • Transparent & open to information sharing

(successes & failures)• “Producer friendly”, practical & consistent

one to another• Auditable

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

HACCP-based On-Farm Programs• 29 Commodity-specific programs covering 99%

of primary production• Livestock (8) - hogs, cattle, dairy, sheep, bison,

cervids (deer/elk), veal & goats• Poultry (5) - hatching eggs, hatcheries, table eggs,

chickens & turkeys• Horticulture (12) - fresh fruits/vegetables*, sprouts,

mushrooms & herbs/spices• Grains, oilseeds, pulses & special crops (1)• Honey• Aquaculture (2) – finfish & shellfish

*Horticulture subprograms: general, potatoes, bulb & root, leafy vegetables, tree & vine fruit, small fruit, fruiting vegetables, other vegetables, greenhouse production

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Official Recognition• World’s First• Designed by Producers & Government• Based on a Federal/Provincial/Territorial

Ministerial Agreement (2001)• Consistent with Codex concepts• Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

leadership with Provincial & Territorial Participation

• Stepwise Process assesses• Technical Soundness• Administrative Effectiveness

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Essential Program Components

National Producer Organization

National Producer Organization

ResourcesGovernance

ProgramManagement

On-farmRequirements

ConformityAssessment

AuditorTraining

RiskManagement

OfficialRecognition

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Recognition - Technical Reviews• Part 1- Technical soundness

• Rigorous Review of Hazard Analysis & Documents• Face to Face Meeting • Adjustments Requested & Resolved• Letter of Completion Issued by CFIA

• Part 2 - Administrative Effectiveness • Considers Program management system &

documentation, auditor training materials, conformity assessment system, etc

• Face to Face Meeting• Adjustments requested & made• Letter of Non-Objection issued by CFIA

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Recognition – Oversight Requirements• Of the Farm

• Meet governments requirements based on their assessment of on-farm risks

• Provides what is needed not some “ideal”• Minimum requirement of 8 year certification

periods drive down costs with cycles of • Full systems audits• Supplier declaration & submission of self

evaluation checklists• FSSSFSSS

• Many programs exceed the minimum

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Recognition – Oversight Requirements

• Of the Program• Meet government requirements• Internal & 3rd party audits prior to official

recognition• Cycle of internal audits & management

reviews by NPO with reports to & reviews by CFIA (years 1 to 4)

• 3rd party audit & CFIA review prior to decision on continued recognition (year 5)

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

COFFS Working Group - Results• Establishing common infrastructure to ensure

program sustainability• Negotiation of Official Recognition • National Training Module for Auditors (completed 2002

& to be revised in 2006)• Insurance for On-Farm Auditors (completed)• Templates for Program Management Systems

(completed)• Risk Management Planning Guide for NPOs

(completed)• Medicated Feeds Module to meet proposed regulations

(in progress)• National Certification Body Business Plan (completed)

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Other HACCP or HACCP-based Industry Programs – Following On-Farm Lead

• Feed mills• Grain elevators• Trucking• Railways• Food distribution &

storage• Fresh produce

packers & distributors• Bottled Water

• Ice making• Packaging materials• Grocery warehouse/

distribution• Grocery stores• Foodservice (volume

feeding)• Importers

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Producer Involvement in Supply Chain Initiatives

• A lead role for primary producers along with input suppliers, processors, manufacturers, distributors & final marketers in:• Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety

Education (consumer education)• ATQ, CCIA & CLIA (developing animal ID &

traceability initiatives)• CAN-TRACE (developing a national traceability data

standard)• Canadian Supply Chain Food Safety Coalition

(liaison with governments on policy & regulations)• Canadian stakeholder group on ISO 22000 series of

standards (ensuring HACCP-based programs fit)

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Future Challenges• Implementation

• 200,000+ farms on one or more programs• Infrastructure

• Sustainable & affordable mechanisms• Full acceptance as “public good”

• International Recognition• Customers, Governments, ISO 22000, etc

• Adaptation & Expansion• Other management systems (environment,

animal welfare, etc.)

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Preliminary International Lessons• Farm organization leadership is critical • Foundation based on internationally accepted

approaches (e.g. Codex HACCP, ISO, etc)• Generic, national programs, accessible to all

sizes of farms• Industry/government partnership & acceptance

as “public good” • Supply chain collaboration• Ready when market requires• Drive costs out of the system – use what is

needed

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Canadian Approach to Food SafetyMore Information in French and English on:• Canadian On-Farm Food Safety Working Group

• www.onfarmfoodsafety.ca• Canadian Food Safety & Quality Program

• www.agr.ca/fd_al_e.phb• CFIA led Official Recognition

• www.inspection.gc.ca (under food safety)• Canadian Supply Chain Food Safety Coalition

• www.foodsafetycoalition.ca• Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education

• www.canfightbac.org• Canadian Traceability Initiative

• www.can-trace.org

IFAP – 37th World CongressSeoul, South Korea 19 May 2006

Canadian Approach to On-Farm Food Safety

• A Producer-led Initiative

• A Successful Industry/Government Partnership

• A World Leader