B.C. Food Safety and Quality Overview

Strategic Context
Food Safety and Quality Branch
2003/04 – 2005/06 Service Plan

Background:

Consumers both domestically and internationally are concerned about the safety and quality of food products. Their concerns include:

• the relationship between food and human health
• the impact of food-borne illness on human health and the economy
• the impact of certain animal and plant diseases on human health
• the impact of farming practices on social, human and environmental health

Consumers are increasingly looking to governments and industry to provide assurances of product quality and safety throughout the food chain.

To address these concerns the agri-food industry and federal and provincial governments are working cooperatively to develop and implement an integrated food system that will result in increased consumer confidence in agri-food products and enhanced economic growth for the agri-food industry.

An effective food system requires the following elements:

• programs that provide assurances regarding food safety and/or quality
• ability to track/trace products throughout the food chain
• ability to detect and control plant and animal diseases and pests

The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands’ (MAL) vision statement reads “a competitive and profitable industry providing safe, high quality food for consumers and export markets”. MAL accomplishes this by:

• promoting the use of best management practices, including disease and pest management, waste management, weed control and on-farm food safety and quality systems
• operating plant and animal disease diagnostic laboratories which monitor for diseases and undertake projects which enable industry to implement effective and sustainable management strategies
• administrating regulatory programs in conjunction with other government agencies

The Ministry created a new Food Safety and Quality Branch in April 2002. The new branch is comprised of 3 units – plant health, livestock health management and regulation, and food safety and quality. Staff focus on developing industry’s awareness, knowledge and capacity with respect to these strategic areas. As well, they work with other government partners to facilitate the development, implementation and maintenance of industry-led food safety and quality programs and management strategies to mitigate the impact of plant and animal diseases, invasive pests and noxious weeds.

The branch delivers on its objectives using the following tools/approaches:

• strategic planning, facilitation and/or leadership skills
• strategic involvement/intervention based on risk assessment and analysis
• directed extension and/or educational programs and/or initiatives
• development and/or validation of informational resources (factsheets, articles, manuals, talks, etc) primarily for electronic dissemination or oral presentations
• administration of regulations, including licencing, conducting inspections, audits, and general surveillance
• diagnoses undertaken by the branch’s Plant Diagnostic Laboratory and the Ministry’s Animal Health Laboratory
• strategic industry/producer consultations
• provision of grants to industry organizations or local governments to advance the public good aspects of plant and animal health and food safety and quality
• participation in international, national, and provincial committees and initiatives

In the past year, Ministry staff played critical roles advancing food safety and quality in the BC industry by:

• leading an industry steering committee in the development of a 5 year strategic plan and framework for a $1.7 million Food Quality and Safety Agri-Food Futures Fund
• negotiating an agreement with the federal government that ensures that necessary programs and resources are available to the BC industry via the Agriculture Policy Framework
• promoting utilization by industry of the MAL’s Agri-Food Choice and Quality Act which meets industry’s needs for government certification (consumer assurance) that a particular product meets stated quality standards
• assessing and responding strategically to key animal and plant health and food safety and quality related issues

Summary:

• Consumers are concerned about the safety and quality of agri-food products and are looking to governments to provide assurance of product quality and safety.
• Governments are working cooperatively with industry to respond to these concerns.
• The Ministry is positioned well to deliver services in this strategic area.

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