| | Acts and Regulations | Compliance Principles | Livestock Identification and Commerce Act | Inspection and Investigation Branch | Meat Inspection Branch
Cliff Munroe is the Director of the Regulatory Services Division (RSD) of the Environment and Food Safety Sector of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD). The Director oversees the division's two branches: Inspection and Investigation Branch and Meat Inspection Branch. The Director is also appointed by the Minister as Secretariat to the Livestock Identification Services Ltd. (LIS)'s Delegation Agreement and sits as an ex-officio member of the LIS Board of Directors.
RSD strives to achieve the Ministry's goal of “continued excellence in food safety.” This goal recognizes that a reputation for excellence in food safety is essential to maintain consumer confidence and expand markets, both domestic and international. The Ministry contributes to this goal by promoting and/or ensuring appropriate safe food production and processing practices are used throughout the supply chain.
The key result of this Ministry goal is safe food production and processing. The division is responsible for inspecting and verifying the safe production of meat and meat products at our provincially licensed meat facilities, as well as ensuring compliance to assigned legislation. Strategies employed by the Ministry and RSD include:
- Develop, implement, and maintain a food safety surveillance system that validates the safety of Alberta’s agriculture and food products.
- Facilitate adoption of internationally accepted food safety systems and standards in production and processing of Alberta food.
- Develop and administer essential policy, legislation and regulation.
- Develop and transfer knowledge and technology in support of safe food production and processing.
- Provide information, training and other programs that enhance food safety awareness and emergency response.
- Participate, as appropriate, in national traceability initiatives.
The division is responsible for the administration of 14 statutes and 30 regulations. The division maintains and enhances public confidence by ensuring consistency and co-ordination through investigation and enforcement activities as required.
RSD staff work closely with staff from the Food Safety Division (FSD) in the areas of food safety and animal health surveillance. RSD and FSD work cooperatively in various scientific fields to enhance the safety of Alberta's food and increase consumer confidence.
The strategy to "develop and administer essential policy, legislation and regulation" is undertaken by a Legislative Review Officer. This position facilitates the reviewing, developing, amending and drafting of legislation administered by RSD.
Acts and Regulations
RSD contributes to the development and administration of the following Acts and Regulations:
RSD has prepared the following overview articles to assist with the interpretation of the legislation.
Compliance Principles of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD)
ARD's Compliance Principles are a set of consistent principles to guide compliance activities of ARD and partner organizations.
ARD strives to promote sustainable growth by setting out clear requirements in statutes and regulations that create an appropriate legislative framework. Legislation (statutes and regulations) is one of many tools used by ARD to facilitate growth of a globally competitive, sustainable agriculture and food industry. Legislation supports orderly commerce and market access, as well as public and consumer confidence in food safety and environmental performance.
ARD's goal is for all clients to demonstrate compliance to the legislative requirements. ARD's Compliance Principles describe how ARD and its partners assure compliance by undertaking the following activities: establishing standards, informing and educating clients, encouraging planning, inspecting activities and facilities, advising clients, receiving information from various sources and accepting public complaints, and enforcing standards as per legislative requirements. Prudent and immediate action will be taken if and when necessary. ARD follows a risk-based approach to compliance. The speed of coming into compliance, and the appropriate immediacy of a compliance response will depend on the level of risk associated with the activity. Practices that exceed established standards are encouraged and supported as exemplary performance to achieve the goal of agricultural sustainability and vibrant rural communities.
ARD's Compliance Principles document (linked here for download) provides additional details. Floyd Mullaney, Branch Head, Inspection and Investigation Branch, Regulatory Services Division, ARD, is available to answer any questions and address any concerns. Mr. Mullaney can be reached by email at floyd.mullaney@gov.ab.ca or by telephone at (403) 340-5320.
Livestock Identification and Commerce Act
ARD and Livestock Identification Services Ltd. (LIS) are continuing a joint legislative review process relating to brands and livestock inspection. ARD and LIS have worked to consolidate and revise provisions from three Acts and their associated regulations in order to develop a highly effective and efficient legislative framework for the benefit of the livestock industry.
The Livestock Identification and Commerce Act (Bill 38) received Royal Assent on May 24, 2006. The Act, which will come into force upon Proclamation, consolidates and revises provisions of the Brand Act, the Livestock Identification and Brand Inspection Act, and the Livestock and Livestock Products Act. The Act facilitates fair commerce, protects personal property, and promotes the integrity of marketing within the livestock industry. Regulations pursuant to the Act are being developed. As was the case in developing the Act, this is largely a process of consolidation and modernization. Spring 2007 is targeted to transition from the existing to the new legislative framework.
The Act is a product of over three years of stakeholder consultation. Based on this input, the Act reflects the goals of the government and industry representatives to facilitate fair and efficient commerce in livestock. The stakeholder consultation process continues today and involves representatives from the diverse livestock industry and representatives of the lending community. Stakeholders will be invited to participate in the next stage of developing the regulations that will further define livestock identification and marketing policies.
The Act sets the legislative framework for the province’s brand registration and livestock inspection system. This system is administered by Livestock Identification Services Ltd. (LIS), a not-for-profit company established in 1998 as the delegated authority for livestock identification legislation. LIS is accountable to the Minister of Agriculture and Food. LIS is governed by a board of directors comprising industry representatives from various Alberta cattle and horse associations.
Additional information is provided at the Livestock Identification and Commerce Act website and in the news release titled "Alberta unveils streamlined legislation for the livestock industry."
Inspection and Investigation Branch
Floyd Mullaney is the Branch Head of the Inspection and Investigation Branch. The branch is responsible for inspection activities as required pursuant to the legislation. The Inspection and Investigation Branch undertakes a Dairy Inspection Program to ensure compliance with the Dairy Industry Act and Regulation, a Diversified Livestock Inspection Program to ensure compliance with the Livestock Industry Diversification Act and Regulation, and a Feeder Associations Inspection Program to ensure compliance with the Feeder Associations Guarantee Act and Regulation. As well, the branch undertakes investigation and enforcement activities as required to ensure compliance with the legislation. The branch serves in an investigation capacity to address alleged contraventions of the following Acts and associated Regulations:
- Agricultural Pests Act
- Pest and Nuisance Control Regulation
- Animal Keepers Act
- Dairy Industry Act
- Dairy Industry Regulation
- Feeder Associations Guarantee Act
- Feeder Associations Guarantee Regulation
- Fisheries (Alberta) Act (in relation to fish culture licensing)
- Fisheries (Ministerial) Regulation
- General Fisheries (Alberta) Regulation
- Fur Farms Act
- Line Fence Act
- Livestock and Livestock Products Act
- Purchase and Sale of Eggs and Processed Egg Regulation
- Livestock Industry Diversification Act
- Livestock Industry Diversification (Ministerial) Regulation
- Livestock Industry Diversification (Principal) Regulation
- Livestock Diseases Act
- Destruction and Disposal of Dead Animals Regulation
- Livestock Market and Livestock Assembling Station Regulation
- Production Animal Medicine Regulation
- Meat Inspection Act
- Meat Inspection Regulation
The Inspection and Investigation Branch is headquartered in Red Deer with staff also located in Vermilion, Airdrie, Claresholm, Edmonton, Fairview, Olds and Lethbridge. A designated on-call phone number has been established to allow access to the branch staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This phone number is not meant to restrict contact with staff during regular business hours, but rather to enhance the accessibility of the branch at any hour of the day or night. To reach the on-call investigator call (403) 340-7176. To call toll-free from anywhere in Alberta, you may dial the RITE telephone service at 310-0000 followed by the telephone number. As well, a toll-free telephone number is available if you wish to report a concern relating to RSD administered legislation. RSD's toll-free hotline telephone number is 1-866-252-6403.
Meat Inspection Branch
Dr. Bob Holowaychuk is the Branch Head of the Meat Inspection Branch. This branch is divided into four regions. The regional managers are Archie Clark (Airdrie Region), Chris Giffen (Lethbridge Region), Michael Bouma (Vermilion Region) and Ken Brimacombe (Edmonton/Grande Prairie Region). This RSD Branch plays an important role in support of food safety through meat inspection services. The safety and security of meat processed in provincial plants rests in the hands of well-trained and diligent meat inspectors who work with facility operators. Meat inspectors draw on their understanding of the applicable legislative requirements. All meat facilities must comply with the Meat Facility Standards that are referenced in the Meat Inspection Regulation.
The Alberta meat inspection system has been patterned after the federal system thus is very similar in most aspects and identical in others. All live animals submitted to a provincially inspected abattoir are subjected to a thorough ante-mortem inspection. Usually this inspection is done just before slaughter. If there is any delay in slaughter beyond 24 hours another inspection is performed. Inspectors will condemn animals that are unfit for human consumption. These animals do not enter the kill floor. Depending on the nature of the condition, an animal may be segregated and killed after all other animals have been processed or it may proceed to slaughter without segregation. Regardless of which route is followed, animals with any abnormality are identified so that they receive close scrutiny on the post-mortem examination.
The slaughter process is monitored and the animal is subjected to a thorough post-mortem examination. The post-mortem examination is similar to that of the federal system. The procedure includes a thorough examination of the carcass, head and internal organs including the lymphatic system. Carcasses (or portions thereof) are condemned if they are deemed to be unfit for human consumption because of disease. Meat inspectors can consult with Dr. Holowaychuk if they require veterinary advice or if there is any doubt whether a carcass should be approved or condemned. If necessary, a carcass can be held pending consultation or laboratory analysis of a selected specimen(s). Condemned carcasses are disposed of in accordance with the Destruction and Disposal of Dead Animals Regulation.
In addition to routine inspection activities, RSD supports the collection of samples for various surveillance programs and food safety projects. Examples of the samples and specimens include: elk heads for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing, beef heads for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) testing, elk lungs to monitor for Echinococcus granulosus, and fresh water samples for testing to ensure that only potable water is used. Inspectors are involved in the collection of samples for a microbiological baseline study of carcasses. They also participate in the Sulfa on Site (SOS) surveillance program testing for sulfa drug residues in barbeque hogs. |
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