Transcript Slide 1
The Canadian Food Inspection
Agency: Challenges and Outlook
Aline Dimitri
Senior Advisor
March 19, 2009
© 2007 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada
(Canadian Food Inspection Agency), all rights reserved. Use without permission is prohibited.
CFIA Overview
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Who we are
The CFIA is mandated to safeguard Canada’s food
supply and the plants and animals upon which safe
and high-quality food depends.
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Our vision and mission
Our vision is to excel as a science-based regulator,
trusted and respected by Canadians and the
international community.
We are dedicated to safeguarding food, animals and
plants, which enhances the health and well-being of
Canada’s people, environment and economy.
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Our goals
• Protect Canadians from preventable health risks
• Protect consumers through a fair and effective food,
animal and plant regulatory regime that supports
competitive domestic and international markets
• Sustain the plant and animal resource base
• Contribute to the security of Canada’s food supply
and agricultural resource base
• Provide sound agency management
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Managing food safety risks
The CFIA…
• Enforces food safety and nutritional quality
requirements of food sold in Canada*
• Verifies industry compliance with federal acts and
regulations
• Encourages science-based risk management
• Operates emergency response system
• Approximately 350 food recalls are managed each year
*policies and standards are set by Health Canada
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Protecting consumers and the marketplace
from unfair practices
For example, the CFIA…
• Enforces standards for food labelling
• Verifies compliance with Seeds Act
• Testing and inspection of seeds for trueness to type, purity,
germination, quality and disease
• Provides legal protection to plant breeders for new
plant varieties for up to 18 years
• Monitors fresh fruits and vegetables for safety and
wholesomeness, compliance with grade, packaging
and labelling requirements, and marketing to avoid
marketplace deception
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Certifying exports and controlling imports
The CFIA…
• Certifies food, plants, animals (and their products)
that are exported around the world
• Canada’s agricultural, forestry and agri-food exports are worth
billions of dollars annually
• Controls importation of animals, their genetics, and
animal products
• Inspects and assesses imports of plants, plant
products and soil
• Sets policies and regulations for the import of food,
agricultural inputs and agricultural products
(enforced by the Canada Border Services Agency)
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Protecting Canada’s crops and forests
The CFIA…
• Inspects and surveys for pests and disease
• Imposes quarantines and other control measures
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Protecting Canada’s livestock
The CFIA…
• Verifies livestock feeds
• Uses internationally accepted disease control
methods when outbreaks occur
• Monitors livestock ID requirements at livestock
markets
• Verifies humane transportation and slaughter
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Controlling transmission of animal diseases
to humans
The CFIA mitigates zoonotic diseases, e.g., BSE,
rabies and avian influenza, through:
• Prevention: risk reduction
• Preparedness: effective policies, procedures and
plans
• Response: actions taken immediately before, during
or directly after disease emergence and/or spread
• Recovery: efforts to repair and restore
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Regulating biotechnology
The CFIA regulates biotechnology-derived products
and conducts safety assessments for efficacy, and
safety for animals, the environment and human
handling.
Products include:
• novel plants
• livestock feeds
• fertilizers
• veterinary biologics
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Maintaining an effective regulatory base
To maintain an effective and transparent system that
is based on rules and science, the CFIA …
• Develops and updates acts and regulations
• Leads or participates in domestic and international
agreements and arrangements
• Consults with other levels of government and
stakeholders
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Strong partnerships
Success of food safety system depends on working
closely with:
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Provinces and Territories
Municipalities
Distributors/retailers
Consumers
International food experts (scientists)
Growers/Producers
Food processors
Industry
Academia
Other federal government departments
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The CFIA’s legislative authority
The CFIA administers or enforces the following acts
and their respective regulations:
• Food and Drugs Act*
• Seeds Act
• Fish Inspection Act
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative
• Health of Animals Act
Monetary Penalties Act
• Meat Inspection Act
• Canada Agricultural Products Act
• Plant Breeders’ Rights Act
• Canadian Food Inspection
• Plant Protection Act
• Fertilizers Act
Agency Act
• Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act*
• Feeds Act
*As it relates to food
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Policy Challenges
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The world is changing…..
• Growing impact of globalization & niche markets
• Evolving science and new technologies
• New products and processes
• New and changing pathogens
• Changing consumer demand and behaviour
• Environmental changes
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And the government is trying to respond
through specific actions….
• Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan
• Working with industries, provinces and territories to implement
preventative food safety control measures along the food chain;
• Putting in place tools to better identify importers, track imports and work
with foreign authorities to verify the safety of foods at their country of
origin; and
• Increasing authority to monitor risks to Canadians and prevent unsafe
products from entering the Canadian marketplace.
• Product of Canada labelling
• Came into effect on December 31, 2008
• Intended to help Canadians make informed choices about the products
they are purchasing
• “Product of Canada” vs. “Made in Canada”
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And the government is trying to respond
through specific actions….
• Growing Forward
• New Agricultural Framework
• Federal/Provincial/Territorial initiative
• Includes:
More investment in innovation;
Action on key regulatory priorities;
Environment and food safety programs;
• Seeking international partnerships
• Sharing of scientific knowledge for review of submissions
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Example of success: Managing BSE
• 2003: 1st case of BSE was discovered
• All export markets were closed
• Canada convened an international panel to identify
measures to be put in place
• Canada implemented all the recommendations in place
• Clear and continuous communication plan
• Work within the OIE
• Recognition that a BSE-free country is no longer a reality
• Change the country classification system to use a risk based
approach
• Canada has recovered over 35 markets and has a
“BSE controlled risk status”
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Policy Development
& Regulatory Development
- A lifecycle approach -
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Stages of Policy Development
1. Identification of Issue or Problem
2. Identification of Objective(s) and Outcome(s)
3. Development of Policy Options and
Recommendation
4. Implementation and Monitoring of Policy Decision
5. Evaluation of Policy Decision
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Stages of Regulatory Development
(Cabinet Directive on Streamlining of Regulations)
Identifying &
Assessing
Public Policy
Issues
Setting
Objectives
and Expected
Results
Selecting,
Designing
&
Assessing
Regulatory
Responses
Consulting, Coordinating,
Cooperating
Evaluating &
Reviewing
Regulation
Measuring &
Reporting on
Performance
Planning for
Implementatio
n&
Compliance
Analyzing
Impacts &
Ensuring
Benefits
Justify Costs
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Commitment to Canadians…
Walk through
“The Government of Canada is committed to protect and advance the public
interest by working with Canadians and other governments to ensure that its
regulatory activities result in the greatest overall benefit
to present and future generations of Canadians.”
Protect and advance
the public interest
Promote a fair
and competitive
market economy
Make decisions
based on evidence
Require
timeliness, policy
coherence, and
minimal duplication
Create accessible,
understandable
and responsive
regulation
Advance efficiency
and effectiveness
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…includes consultation throughout
the lifecycle…
Open, meaningful and balanced
Opportunities for interested and affected parties to
participate should be offered at all stages of the
lifecycle
Walk through
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What is the issue?
• What should the policy objectives be?
• How should the objectives be met?
• Is our approach working, does it need to be reviewed?
Provide feedback on the input received and how it
was considered in the decision-making process
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… and policies that are realized through
a mix of instruments…
Regulation is one of many instruments
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EACSR noted that government uses regulation as a “first option”
Greater emphasis on “instrument mix”
Walk through
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Identify the appropriate points for intervention
Identify the appropriate institutions and parties to be involved
Develop a mix of instruments
Demonstrate that the chosen response is linked to policy objectives,
proportional, and will not unduly affect other areas
Regulation should be chosen only after the full range of
instruments has been analyzed
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A mix can lead to better outcomes
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… that can range from coercive to
voluntary.
Laws
Legal
Agreements;
Contracts
Fiscal
Instruments
Walk through
Letters of
Commitment /
Intent
MOUs
Codes
Standards
Consultation
Moral Suasion
/ Persuasion
Formal
“Command
& Control”
Voluntary
Initiatives
Promotion /
Information
Informal,
Flexible/
Voluntary
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