On-Farm Food Safety Recognition Program - Introduction
On-Farm Food Safety Recognition
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During the annual federal, provincial and territorial agriculture minister's meeting in
Whitehorse in June 2001, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency was identified to lead a
process, with provincial and territorial participation, to provide government recognition
for industry-developed on-farm food safety programs. The On-Farm Food Safety Recognition
Program is a key program in support of the "Food Safety and Food Quality"
element of the Agricultural
Policy Framework, formally announced by the Honourable Minister Lyle Vanclief in June,
2002.
The On-Farm Food Safety Recognition Program is one part of a world-leading agricultural
program, involving small-to-large-scale farmers and producers, the Canadian agriculture
industry and all levels of government.
Growing safe food and protecting it from hazards on the farm before it passes through
the farm gate is the primary focus of on-farm food safety programs. Now in various stages
of development and implementation by Canada's national producer organizations,
government-recognized on-farm food safety programs are technically based on the
internationally accepted food safety control system called Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP).
Government recognition of HACCP-based on-farm food safety programs may enhance Canada's
domestic and international reputation as a leader in food safety and quality. This, in
turn, could mean expanded markets for Canadian products.
Responding to food safety concerns of consumers as well as foreseen international trade
requirements, on-farm food safety programs have been in development by Canada's national
producer organizations since 1997. The Canadian On-Farm Food Safety Program provides
national producer organizations with the opportunity to develop strategies and tools to
educate producers and to implement the programs. The Canadian
On-Farm Food Safety Program is administered by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture
and is funded through Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada's Canadian Food Safety and Food Quality Program.
The CFIA recognition process is a multi-party examination of the technical soundness
and administrative effectiveness of on-farm food safety programs. Review teams are
comprised of federal, provincial and territorial commodity specialists. This review and
assessment process aims to determine that the national delivery of an on-farm food safety
program conforms to the producer organization's written procedures and is delivered in a
consistent manner.The programs are also assessed against federal and provincial /
territorial regulatory requirements.
Under the national producer organization's conformance system, individual producer
implementation of on-farm food safety programs is assessed by on-farm auditors. The
overall conformance system is then assessed by a third-party audit service, accredited by
the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and independently contracted by the national producer
organization.
The On-Farm Food Safety Recognition Program is a section of the Policy and Strategies
Division of the Food Safety Directorate.
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