CFIA switches policy on naming food-safety rule breakers Thursday, March 17, 2011 by PAT CURRIEIn a switch of policy, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency this week began publishing details of its law-enforcement activities on its website.While the federal agency used to publish the names of individuals and businesses that had been successfully prosecuted for breaching its rules, it now will name entities involved in CFIA investigations. The new policy kicked in on March 16 as part of what CFIA senior media relations officer Guy Gravelle termed an "ongoing transparency initiative." It has published this information for the months April 1 to Dec. 31, 2010.Gravelle explained that the rationale for the change in policy reflected the federal government’s commitment "to providing consumers with information on enforcement action being taken to protect the safety of their food supply, and the animal and plant resource base upon which safe food depends."He said the agency "is committed to delivering on its mandate in an open and accountable way while continuing to work closely with the Canadian food industry to ensure they have clear guidance on how to achieve compliance."Timing of the policy switch "is consistent with commitments made in response to an independent investigator’s report into a 2008 listeriosis outbreak — traced to a Maple Leaf Foods plant in Toronto — that infected 57 people, 23 of whom died. The quarterly website reports will include information on food imports that have been refused entry into Canada; federally registered food establishments whose licenses have been suspended, cancelled or reinstated; and notices of violations with warning and penalties, including identifying repeat offenders of animal transport regulations.Gravelle said the CFIA previously put information on its website on prosecution bulletins (which provide details when a company is convicted under food safety acts and regulations ) but did not publish information on its enforcement activities.Gravelle said information now being made public includes the names of companies that are repeat violators of humane transport regulations and which have received notices of violations with penalty — otherwise known as Administrative Monetary Penalties (AMPs)."There is a demonstrated public need for this type of disclosure, reinforced by the CFIA's commitment to making more information public on its enforcement activities. This movement towards greater transparency is shared by other federal regulators in Canada and the U.S.," he said."Making this information public is a fair, balanced and measured approach to protecting the safety of Canada's food supply and the resources upon which it depends. And, ultimately, it promotes public confidence in the federal government's enforcement actions," he added.Currently, not all companies that receive notices of violations with warning and penalties are being identified but that will change, Gravelle said."This is only the first phase. The CFIA intends to eventually publish the names of all company violators, in a phased approach. As this initiative expands, more enforcement-related information will be published. "Once a named company has come back into compliance, the CFIA will note this change and will publish the reinstatement date," he said. BF Single phone call enables 5,000 farmers to chat with Duncan and Mitchell Demand for Canadian soybeans grows amidst tsunami disaster
Poll Reveals Mixed Public Sentiment on BC Ostrich Cull Decision Thursday, October 2, 2025 Farms.com poll shows divided opinions among Canadian farmers on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull. A recent poll conducted on Farms.com's X account @OntAg aimed to capture Canadian farmers' views on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull in British... Read this article online
New Ontario agrobotics challenge seeking high school submissions Thursday, October 2, 2025 A new competition for Ontario high school students is looking for innovative ways to solve challenges in the ag sector. The AgRobotics Ontario Challenge launched at the end of September. The competition is a collaboration between the Western Fair District, the Ontario Council for... Read this article online
Canada Post Strike Continues to Threatens Agri-Businesses and Rural Communities Thursday, October 2, 2025 The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is calling on the federal government to take swift action to end the ongoing Canada Post strike, warning that the disruption is causing serious harm to small businesses – including many in the agriculture sector. “The government’s... Read this article online
Farmland Values Climb Across the Prairies-Manitoba Leads, Ontario Holds Steady Thursday, October 2, 2025 Canadian cultivated farmland values rose by an average of 6.0 per cent in the first half of 2025, according to the mid-year farmland values review by Farm Credit Canada (FCC). This marks a modest acceleration compared to the first half of 2024, which saw a 5.5 per cent increase. Over... Read this article online
Setting Foundations for Higher Yielding Soybeans Wednesday, October 1, 2025 Farmers can achieve higher soybean yields by focusing on strong foundations and careful field management according to Shaun Casteel, Extension Soybean Specialist from Purdue University, who spoke at the in August. He emphasized that no single method guarantees success—each field... Read this article online