Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Food Safety Directorate
Policy and Strategies
On-Farm Food Safety Recognition Program

CANADIAN HATCHING EGG QUALTY PROGRAM COMPLETES TECHNICAL REVIEW – PART ONE

The Canadian Hatching Egg Quality Program (CHEQ™), the on-farm food safety program of the Canadian Broiler Hatching Egg Marketing Agency (CBHEMA), has successfully completed Technical Review – Part One of the recognition process led by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

This is one of several projects of the voluntary, industry-led Canadian approach to on-farm food safety to begin the process towards gaining government recognition.

During Technical Review – Part One, a review team comprised of federal, provincial and territorial commodity specialists examine and assess the national producer organization's generic Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) model and producer manual to confirm the program is technically sound and adheres to HACCP principles. On-farm food safety programs are also assessed against federal, provincial and territorial regulatory requirements.

As a result of this review, CBHEMA can confidently move forward with its program knowing it is technically sound.

“As producers, we have a responsibility in maintaining our reputation for safe food production in Canada,” said Ed DeJong, chairman of CBHEMA. “We must be able to show consumers the good work that our producers have been practicing all along. Our industry is dedicated to continuous improvement. The industry's hard work in developing this program is receiving the recognition it deserves.”

The CHEQ™ program will now be implemented at farms and production facilities across Canada before undergoing the remaining stages of the recognition process.

Responding to food safety concerns of buyers and consumers as well as foreseen international trade requirements, on-farm food safety programs have been in voluntary development by Canada's national producer organizations since 1997. Assistance for the development and implementation of these programs is provided through the Systems Development Component of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's (AAFC) Canadian Food Safety and Quality Program.

Led by the CFIA, the On-Farm Food Safety Recognition Program is a joint federal-provincial-territorial program in direct support of the Food Safety and Quality component of AAFC's Agricultural Policy Framework. To date, 18 national producer organizations have expressed their intention to apply for recognition of their on-farm food safety programs. Scientific and technical advice to industry towards the development and documentation of its on-farm food safety programs is also provided by the CFIA.

Proclaimed in 1986, CBHEMA is a national producer marketing agency which matches the supply of hatching eggs with the demand for chicken in Canada by operating a national supply management marketing plan.

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For more information, contact:

Martin Firth
Manager
Headquarters
Floor 1, Room 116
159 Cleopatra  Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0Y9
Telephone: (613) 221-7011
Facsimile: (613) 228-6116
mfirth@inspection.gc.ca

On-Farm Food Safety Recognition Program on CFIA Web site:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/polstrat/reco/recoe.shtml

Canadian Broiler Hatching Egg Marketing Agency's Web site:
http://www.cbhema.com