Safety and Wholesomeness

Our Concerns

HACCP

What is on-farm HACCP?

  • Use of agricultural best practices to ensure food quality and safety and production efficiency.
  • Consistency in monitoring routine operations, accompanied by record-keeping.

What are the benefits for producers?

  • Improvement of production efficiency (management).
  • On-farm loss reduction.
  • Opening to markets.
  • Reduction of the risks of government regulation thanks to the producers' initiative.

What is being done in the beef and veal sectors?

  • Bœuf Qualité Plus/VBP program for fed cattle production.
  • VBP program for feeder calf production.
  • Veau vérifié for veal production.

Those three programs include the HACCP components.

At a Glance

At a Glance

Increasingly concerned about the close relationship between the food they eat and their health, consumers today are demanding tasty food that is also nutritious and healthy (safety and wholesomeness).

Canada is recognized worldwide as a country that produces superior-quality food that can be consumed in total confidence. The regulations applied in Canada and Quebec, combined with the work of all players in the chain, make Canada's food reserve one of the top ranked and healthiest in the world. Quebec beef and veal farmers are particularly eager to respond to consumer concerns.

Everyone involved in the agri-food chain works conscientiously to produce foods of high nutritional value and free of harmful

substances. Producers, veterinarians, livestock feed manufacturers, companies specializing in animal health, the government and even consumers all have a role to play.

Inspection and type of slaughter

All meat sold in Canada to retailers, restaurants and institutions has been inspected in advance. Two levels of government inspection are applied: federal and provincial. The role of these inspection services is to supervise cattle production to ensure that health and safety guidelines are observed.

Federal inspection service

In Canada, federal inspection is required for every establishment involved in interprovincial trade or exporting of meat products. The federal inspection service is the official responsibility of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). For more information, visit: www.inspection.gc.ca

Provincial inspection services

The inspection services for provincially-registered establishments are the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture or the Ministry of Health, depending on each province's policies. The provincial guidelines vary according to the standards established by each province. Provincially-inspected meat products can only be distributed within the province of inspection. For more information, visit the MAPAQ's website.

On-farm programs

HACCP

To better meet consumer expectations regarding food safety, the Fédération des producteurs de bovins (FPBQ) has implemented programs based on HACCP principles (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point). These programs are recognized internationally and are part of the Canadian On-Farm Food Safety Program (COFFSP).

The system

The implementation of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point systems, known as HACCP, is one way to manage chemical, physical and biological risks at every link in the food production chain. During production of a food, each critical control point is identified and managed to control the proliferation and/or presence of microorganisms that could present a risk to consumers.

The HACCP approach provides vigilance by identifying areas where a danger of contamination exists.