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About the CFIA > Reporting to Parliament > Annual Report > Annual Report 2002 - 2003  

3.5 HORIZONTAL STRATEGIES

3.5.1 Scientific and regulatory integrity

As Canada's largest science-based regulatory agency, the CFIA relies on sound science as the basis of its program design and regulatory decision making. A strong, coherent link between the CFIA's internal, mandate-driven science and the Government of Canada's overall science agenda enhances science innovation and excellence both within the Agency and across government.

To maintain and strengthen this link, the CFIA works with the 21 science-based departments and agencies (SBDA's) within the federal science and technology community. As part of the SBDA community, the Agency is participating in developing a common vision and implementation plan to address science and innovation within the federal government.

In support of these government-wide initiatives and the objectives outlined in the CFIA's 2002-03 RPP, the Agency undertook the following initiatives:

• Developed strategies to implement the Government of Canada's Framework for Science and Technology Advice by incorporating its principles and guidelines into the CFIA's policy-making framework.

• Contributed to the preparation of a federal Guide for Science and Policy Managers.

• Participated in an interdepartmental working group to respond to recommendations contained in two reports issued by the Council of Science and Technology Advisors: Building Excellence in Science and Technology and Science and Technology Excellence in the Public Service.

• Partnered with other federal departments in implementing Canada's Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Research and Technology Initiative (CRTI). The CRTI's objective is to improve Canada's ability to respond to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents. The CRTI also creates clusters of federal labs as elements of a federal laboratory response network that will build science and technology capacity to address the highest-risk terrorist attack scenarios. In 2002-03, the CFIA co-chaired the biological cluster with Health Canada.

3.5.2 Biotechnology

Responding to ongoing advances in biotechnology continues to be a challenge that applies to all three of the CFIA's business lines--food safety, animal health and plant protection. To meet this challenge, an annual investment of $10 million in the Agency's regulatory system for biotechnology-derived products has been used to better integrate the Agency's approach to biotechnology. It is focused on four key areas:

Maintaining effective and strict regulatory oversight of current biotechnology products

The CFIA works in partnership with other government departments in support of the Canadian Regulatory System for Biotechnology (CRSB). In 2000, Treasury Board Ministers approved a CRSB submission to invest in the biotechnology regulatory system. This investment will ensure that Canadians have an efficient, credible and well-respected regulatory system that safeguards the health of Canadians and the environment and permits safe and effective products.

In May 2001, the CFIA developed a Results-based Management and Accountability Framework for the CRSB. In the fall of 2002, the CFIA led a horizontal formative evaluation of the CRSB on behalf of the six participating departments. A summative evaluation is targeted for 2004-05 to examine whether the expected results are being achieved.

As the main regulatory body responsible for assessing the safety of agricultural products derived from biotechnology, including PNTs, livestock feeds, biofertilizers and veterinary biologics, its is the CFIA's responsibility to keep pace with technology as it develops and evolves. The Agency continues to increase its capacity for monitoring, inspection, surveillance and enforcement. For example, in 2002-03 the CFIA conducted updated training of field staff for inspections of confined field trials. The Agency also engages in scientific research to address emerging issues and support timely policy development. For example, studies were initiated last year to investigate pollen flow in canola and to develop computer modelling of pollen flow.

Modernizing Canada's biotechnology regulatory framework to keep pace with changes in science and regulation

To keep pace with advances in these areas, last year the Agency published updated regulatory directives and guidelines concerning PNTs and livestock feeds derived from PNTs. These documents included:

• Assessment Criteria for Determining Environmental Safety of Plants with Novel Traits;

• Draft Guidelines for the Safety Assessment of Novel Feeds from Plant Sources; and

• Interim Amendment to Directive 2000-07 for Confined Research Field Trials of PNTs for Plant Molecular Farming.

Further advances in transgenics may soon produce markets for animals with novel traits. The CFIA, in partnership with Health Canada and Environment Canada, must continue to develop the regulatory framework for animals with novel traits so that animal health, food safety and the environment are not at risk. In March 2003, the CFIA held an Animal Biotechnology Focus Group meeting to begin developing regulations for biotechnology-derived animals.

Finally, the CFIA continued to implement recommendations made by the Royal Society of Canada concerning the regulation of food biotechnology in Canada. Key milestones achieved by the Agency in 2002-03 are detailed in the Government of Canada's fourth progress report available on the CFIA's Web site.

Influencing the evolution of the international regulatory framework for biotechnology

Last year, the CFIA continued to lead, with Health Canada, Canada's participation in the CODEX Committee on Food Labelling and the Ad Hoc Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology. The result, in March 2003, was the completion of three CODEX guidelines regarding food safety assessments. These guidelines set out detailed procedures for determining the safety of genetically modified foods.

The CFIA continued to work with other Government of Canada organizations, as well as international bodies, to prepare for the implementation of requirements pursuant to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. In 2002-03, the CFIA participated in consultations led by the Government of Canada that sought stakeholder input on how to proceed regarding Canada's further participation in developing the biosafety protocol. The CFIA also published its proposed regulation to implement the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, should Canada choose to ratify the agreement. These regulations would specifically cover agricultural products, including plants, plant products, fertilizers, feeds and veterinary biologics. A consultation document on the CFIA-proposed regulations is available on the CFIA Web site.

Continuing to provide information to the public and engaging Canadians in dialogue about biotechnology regulation

To further this objective, last year the CFIA issued several consumer fact sheets concerning biotechnology regulation and made regulatory decision documents available to consumers in plain language. Examples of fact sheets issued last year include:

• Building Biotechnology Capacity at the CFIA;

• How the CFIA Seeks Public Input;

• Detection and Testing Methodologies for Biotechnology-Derived Agri-Food Products; and

• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety--Article 18.

The Agency also worked with Health Canada in developing a pilot project to post "Notice of Submission" documents for new biotechnology-derived agricultural products on the CFIA Web site. Finally, the Agency continued to work with the Canadian General Standards Board to advance the development of a Canadian standard for the voluntary labelling of foods derived through biotechnology.

For further information on biotechnology in the CFIA, please visit our Web site at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toc/bioteche.shtml

3.5.3 Border management

Safeguarding Canada's food supply and the animal and plant resource base requires effective controls at border points. Recent global events and the subsequent focus on North American security have stressed the need to enhance border management strategies.

In 2002-03, the CFIA worked with its federal and provincial partners and the U.S. government to maintain public security, ease border traffic flows and coordinate emergency procedures for possible food security situations. The Agency's border management strategy focused on enhancing food security measures, foreign animal disease and plant pest control, and emergency preparedness to protect Canadians in a way that did not unnecessarily disrupt legitimate trade.

Last year, the CFIA and its border partners supported the creation of pre-staging areas for export shipments and expedited lanes for live animals and perishable commodities. The Agency implemented import controls that identified and targeted shipments of high-risk commodities. The CFIA also prepared to initiate tracebacks and recalls of products if a food security concern was identified.

As part of the Government of Canada's public security and anti-terrorism initiatives, in 2002-03, the Agency was provided with additional funding to increase biosecurity measures at border entry points, to enhance food safety surveillance systems and to increase science and laboratory capacities. As a result, the Agency assigned additional inspectors to airports, seaports and land borders, and used inspection tools such as x-ray machines at border entry points, including postal, courier and cargo inspection sites. Detector dog and handler teams were increased to inspect for restricted and prohibited plant and animal products. The CFIA also worked with the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency to increase inspections of imported container cargo and surveillance of passengers and baggage arriving on international flights.

3.5.4 Emergency response management

Under the Emergency Preparedness Act, the CFIA is mandated to prepare for and respond to emergencies involving food safety, animal health and plant protection. Effective emergency response management has always been a priority for the Agency. New challenges include increased threat awareness, greater consumer expectations, the need for heightened vigilance in detecting new hazards, and the need to strengthen government, industry and international agency partnerships in emergency preparedness.

In 2002-03, the CFIA's emergency preparedness program focused on achieving readiness to respond rapidly to potential food safety, animal disease or plant pest emergencies:

• The CFIA Emergency Book, which describes the foundation of emergency management in the Agency, including concepts, structure, organization and operations for internal and external reference, was finalized in January 2003 and posted on the Agency's Web site.

• Internal emergency plans related to food safety, animal disease outbreaks and plant pest eradication were updated.

• An Emergency Preparedness Workshop was held in March 2003 to review the CFIA's emergency preparedness program and suggest improvements.

The CFIA also investigated with the Treasury Board Secretariat possible funding mechanisms to help deal with the Agency's growing number of resource-intensive emergency responses. For example, since 2001, the Agency has been faced with a number of significant emergencies such as plum pox virus, brown spruce long-horn beetle, transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and emerald ash borer.

Treasury Board Ministers directed that $20 million of the $50 million incremental annual spending announced in the 2003 Federal Budget be reserved to cover such costs.

The Agency continued to work with its key partners, provincial and territorial governments, industry stakeholders, international emergency management committees and government departments to develop emergency plans. For example, the CFIA:

• established a working group with Health Canada on emergency preparedness to raise awareness of existing emergency plans and to develop a partnership with Health Canada to define emergency interaction;

• contributed to the update of the Food and Agriculture Emergency Response System (FAERS) manual, which is a framework designed to link the federal, provincial and private sectors to better manage and coordinate the response to agri-food emergencies; and

• worked with the Office of the Solicitor General and contributed to the review and update of the National Counter-Terrorism Plan.

The CFIA regularly designs and implements emergency exercises that test emergency plans, both domestically and internationally. For example, last year the CFIA:

• contributed to the Canada-U.S. exercise TOPOFF 2, a large-scale counter-terrorism exercise;

• designed, with U.S. colleagues, an international exercise related to an animal disease outbreak; and

• held an emergency preparedness orientation session related to food safety with Health Canada.

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