The recent case of a BSE-positive cow found in Alberta has been traced back to a birth farm that produced another positive BSE case in 2010. In the case of that cow, the 17th detected in Canada, the animal was born in 2004, three years before the enhanced feed ban came into effect. The Canadian… Read More
Tag: Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Delegates of the Alberta Beef Industry Conference heard from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (AARD) on the latest case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) on February 20, 2015. The representatives gave an update on the case, and provided insight into the measures Canada is taking to reduce disease incidence. “The way that… Read More
February 18, 2015 — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has determined the animal confirmed positive in a recent BSE case in Alberta was born in March of 2009. “We were also able to confirm the location of the birth farm yesterday evening,” said Paul Mayers, Vice President, Policy and Program at the CFIA, in a conference call… Read More
As Bill C-18 — The Agricultural Growth Act — makes its way through the parliamentary process, questions linger around what the bill does and doesn’t mean for Canadian farmers. Will the changes to Canada’s Plant Breeders’ Rights act mean you can you still save seed? Will the adoption of UPOV ’91 make seed more expensive?… Read More
Agrisoma Biosciences Inc. and PGF Biofuels announced the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s regulatory approval for Brassica carinata to be used in meal today. Specifically, the CIFA approves the high-protein meal in grower and finisher cattle feed. This announcement, combined with international market approvals of similar varieties, will be an important step in carinata’s continued development. “While the primary… Read More
Although porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) DNA was found in pig feed common to the majority of infected farms that had been found by early February in Ontario, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) cannot confirm the feed is the vector by which the disease entered these farms. The feed manufacturer in question, Grand Valley… Read More
Correlation does not mean causation, but it can be a good place to start investigating a link. And, sometimes, that apparent link turns out to be valid. Earlier this week, the CFIA confirmed that PEDv DNA detected in hog feed (which contained hog plasma) was capable of causing infection. CFIA’s statement, released earlier this week… Read More
A shift in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s focus means that ranchers transporting cattle to auction, pasture or the abattoir may face increased scrutiny on the condition of the cattle they’re moving. All existing regulations have remained the same, however, ranchers should expect to see CFIA inspectors actively checking on and ticketing animals under transport…. Read More
The XL Foods beef recall over E. coli contamination and its detection was one of the top ag news stories of 2012. It’s unfortunate that bad news is big news, and even worse that once the dust settles we discover that what happened was preventable even within the existing rules and regulations. An independent panel’s… Read More
With an uncertain timeline for the re-opening of the packing plant, XL Foods had made the decision to temporarily layoff 2000 of its union workers. Up until this point XL Foods has been honoring the contract of the workers during the shut down but that has stopped immediately. This layoff does not mean that the… Read More
The XL Foods situation has left beef producers and consumers wading in unknowns and unanswered questions. The question is, who will buy this beef? Many of us are wondering what really happened at the XL Foods plant, who is more to blame between XL Foods and CFIA and when the plant will re-open. There are… Read More
As reported last night, CFIA has decided to suspend the license of XL Foods temporarily until the plant implements some corrective actions to mitigate the risk of E. coli. According to the CFIA Statement: The detection of E. coli in slaughter facilities is not uncommon, and plants are expected to have adequate measures in place to monitor… Read More