Canada’s federal agriculture and public safety ministers say they have directed agencies under their oversight to work on cracking down on the longstanding issue of fraudulent chicken meat imports into Canada.
“The issue of spent fowl misrepresentation is one that demands decisive action. This is fraud and it undermines consumers, our farmers, distorts our markets, and puts Canadian jobs at risk,” said Ministers Kody Blois and David McGuinty in a joint statement issued Thursday.
The term “spent fowl” usually refers to egg-laying hens that are processed for meat at the end of their production cycle. Since meat from spent fowl is not subject to the same import controls as broiler meat, some importers have fraudulently mislabeled broiler meat to circumvent import duties.
The ministers did not announce any timelines or commitments to implement specific changes, but they said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) are working “to develop an action plan to improve detection, enforce compliance, and ensure a level playing field for all.”
Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) is welcoming the ministers’ public pronouncement, with the expectation it results in the implementation of DNA testing to accurately distinguish between broiler and spent fowl meat at the border.
“Canadian chicken farmers appreciate the government’s commitment to making spent fowl fraud a priority,” said Tim Klompmaker, CFC chair. “We are confident that the government’s dedication to collaboration and decisive action will lead to the implementation of DNA testing as a means of enforcement…”
According to CFC’s estimates, at its peak, fraudulent imports of spent fowl cost Canada 1,400 jobs, $105 million in economic activity, $35 million in taxes, and at least $66 million in government revenues annually.
The government says it has collected over $361 million in duties, interest, and penalties on misdeclared spent fowl since 2010.
The announcement coincided with Chicken Farmers of Canada’s annual general meeting, which was held in Ottawa this week.
