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GOVERNMENT OF CANADA ANNOUNCES ENHANCEMENTS TO SURVEILLANCE AND ANIMAL TRACKING SYSTEMS

OTTAWA, January 9, 2004 – The Government of Canada today announced funding and further details of enhanced measures for identification, tracking and tracing, and increased BSE surveillance and testing.

"These measures will build on what is already one of the strongest food safety systems in the world," said Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Bob Speller. "They demonstrate the commitment of this government to address the issue of BSE and support our Canadian industry."

"Canada has already put in place a series of aggressive BSE risk mitigation measures," said Health Minister Pierre Pettigrew. "Consumers can have confidence in the safety of Canadian beef."

The investment in new measures is as follows:

• Enhanced enforcement activities associated with the existing cattle ID system and an increase in BSE testing levels, with at least 8,000 animals tested in the first year, rising to testing levels of 30,000 animals a year or more;
• Accelerated development over the next two years of a more comprehensive cattle ID program that uses new technologies and integrates approaches with trading partners and existing programs;
• An increase in Health Canada's capacity to respond to BSE.

A total of $92.1 million has been approved over five years, to invest in all of these measures.

The Government will continue to work in close consultation with provincial, territorial, industry and U.S. representatives during the implementation of these measures.

Minister Speller said these enhancements will further support public confidence in Canadian beef products at home and abroad. He also indicated he will be leading a trade mission to southeast Asia next week. He will be joined by members of the Canadian cattle industry and will meet South Korea's Agriculture and Forestry Minister Huh Sang-man and Japanese Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei.

"We will be talking with South Korea and Japan to gauge their positions on the current North American BSE situation and what they see as key factors that will need to be addressed to get their borders reopened to Canadian beef," said Mr. Speller. "We will, of course, reinforce the message that all of the scientific risk assessments to date demonstrate that the risk of BSE is extremely low in Canadian cattle and that the science supports a resumption of trade in beef."

Mr. Speller will wrap up his visit to South Korea and Japan when he travels to Washington D.C. for a bilateral meeting with Mexican Secretary of Agriculture Javier Usabiaga on January 15. He will meet with both Minister Usabiaga and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman on January 16.

During his Washington meetings, Mr. Speller will be reviewing the latest information on the BSE situation in North America and will further encourage the need for a coordinated North American approach to BSE in the integrated continental industry. In addition, Mr. Speller will reinforce the need for a timely re-opening of the U.S. border to Canadian live animals and other low risk products.

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For more information, media may contact:

Vern Greenshields
Minister Speller's Office
Ottawa
(613) 759-1020

Sébastien Théberge
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Health,
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and
Minister responsible for the Official Languages Act
(613) 957-0200
sebastien.theberge@hc-sc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa
(613) 759-7972

• Fact Sheet - Enhancements to BSE Surveillance and Animal Tracking

• Main Page - BSE in North America