NEW PROGRAM TO BUILD ON CANADA'S FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY SYSTEMS

OTTAWA, December 10, 2003 – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is making a major investment in the country's agriculture and agri-food sector through a $62 million program aimed at boosting the nation's food safety, quality and traceability systems.

The initiative is just one part of the Canadian Food Safety and Quality Program (CFSQP) and will provide industry with the funding to strengthen current industry developed systems such as traceability and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point based systems for food safety.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Federal Minister Lyle Vanclief said this is another step in the continuous effort to make Canada the number one producer of high quality and safe agriculture and food products in the world.

The Canadian food and safety system is already recognized as a world class system. The recent resumption of exports of ruminant meat to the United States constitutes an endorsement of Canadian systems and shows the progress made has put Canada in a good position to move into the future.

The program will be funded through 2008 and will help develop systems that, among other things, will continue to protect consumer health and thereby maintain consumer confidence in the safety and quality of food produced in Canada.

Project proposals that are national in scope and relate to the development or implementation of systems that monitor and control food safety, or food quality, or the traceability of goods from field to fork will be considered for funding. Proposals must utilize a value chain approach and be consistent with food safety, food quality, and traceability strategies with players from throughout the agri-food continuum.

Application forms will be available on-line shortly at the Web site address www.agr.gc.ca/foodsafetyandquality or for hard copies, please call 1 800 O-Canada.

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