Food Quality and Food Safety

This component receives strong support from all sectoral chains. It is generally agreed that improvements to food safety and food quality will help create added value in the marketplace.

Areas of Support

National tracking and traceability systems are seen as key to better food safety and quality and to addressing consumers' concerns. While not all participants agree that these systems are needed for all products, most recognize that all parts of the food chain are responsible for food safety and quality.

Harmonization of standards and regulations is needed, but must be consistent with Canada's international commitments and should be applied both to imported and domestic products.

Communication and education need to be based on sound science in order to be credible and effective in promoting food safety. Recognizing that no system is 100% safe, communication plans to respond to food safety crises should be in place.

Government recognition of industry quality standards is welcome.

Areas of Concern

Producers should not be solely responsible for the costs associated with improved food safety and quality.

Participants feel that food safety is an area where government regulation is appropriate. Food quality, however, should be an industry responsibility, driven by market and consumer demand.

Implementation of new standards and regulations may be more challenging for small and medium-sized operations. Consequently, development programs for food safety skills and standards that can be implemented incrementally would be helpful.

Most feel that government must increase resources for regulators and inspectors such as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

In many sessions, genetically modified organisms were a contentious issue and consensus on how they should be addressed was not reached.

• Overview
• General Observations
  
• Business Risk Management
  
• Renewal
  
• Food Safety and Food Quality
  
• Environment
  
• Science and Innovation