Search
Better Farming OntarioBetter PorkBetter Farming Prairies

Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


Canadian hort industry opens food safety certification program to wholesalers and repackers

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

by SUSAN MANN

Wholesalers and repackers of fresh fruits and vegetable can now get certified as part of the horticultural industry’s national food safety program, CanadaGAP.

Heather Gale, executive director of CanadaGAP, says wholesale and repacking businesses have a food safety program developed by the Canadian Produce Marketing Association previously that “existed as a standard.” But now wholesalers and repackers can get a CanadaGAP audit of their business premises done annually based on the produce marketing association’s standard and then get certified under the CanadaGAP program.

“We’ve integrated their requirements from their standard into our certification program and they can now get CanadaGAP certification for repackers and wholesalers,” she says.

Similar to the CanadaGAP program, the produce marketing association’s standard has gone through a technical review by the federal and provincial governments “to make sure that what’s in the standard is technically sound,” Gale explains.

CanadaGAP is a national, voluntary food safety program of standards and a certification system for the safe production and handling of fresh fruits and vegetables, according to a March 21 CanadaGAP press release.

It’s hard to say how many repackers and wholesalers will choose to get certified. Gale says if customers require their suppliers to get certification, then the program is mandatory for them. “We don’t know exactly what the uptake is going to be. It’s driven by the buyers.”

With the repackers and wholesalers now having the option to be certified as part of a food safety program, the entire fresh produce supply chain, including farmers and packers, can follow a food safety program and be audited to ensure they’re meeting requirements.

Gale says more than 2,400 companies across Canada are certified under CanadaGAP. That number includes fruit and vegetable farmers and packers. The participating companies represent an estimated 75 to 80 per cent of the production across Canada. BF
 

Current Issue

June/July 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

Ontario crops respond to summer heat

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

According to the OMAFA Field Crop News team, Ontario field crops are showing rapid development as summer-like temperatures have dominated late June early July. The warm spell has accelerated growth and helped reduce the heat unit deficit from a cool spring. Corn fields have seen a burst... Read this article online

Canada’s Place in Global Food System Resilience

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Canada’s food system is facing serious pressure due to global supply chain issues, climate change, and rising food prices. According to a KPMG report, bold and united action is needed now to make Canada’s agriculture sector more resilient and self-reliant. With the global population... Read this article online

Calf Auction Raises Funds for Youth

Monday, June 30, 2025

Wyatt Westman-Frijters from Milverton won a heifer calf named Ingrid through a World Milk Day promotion by Maplevue Farms and a local Perth, Ontario radio station. Instead of keeping the calf, 22-year-old Westman-Frijters chose to give back to the community. The calf was sent to the... Read this article online

Cattle Stress Tool May Boost Fertility

Friday, June 27, 2025

Kansas State University researchers have developed a cool tool that may help reduce cattle stress and improve artificial insemination (AI) results. The idea came from animal science experts Nicholas Wege Dias and Sandy Johnson, who observed that cattle accustomed to their environment... Read this article online

Ontario pasture lands get $5M boost

Friday, June 27, 2025

The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $5 million to strengthen shared community grazing pastures. This funding supports the province’s plan to protect Ontario’s agriculture sector and help cattle farmers improve pasture quality, ensuring long-term sustainability and... Read this article online

BF logo

It's farming. And it's better.

 

a Farms.com Company

Subscriptions

Subscriber inquiries, change of address, or USA and international orders, please email: subscriptions@betterfarming.com or call 888-248-4893 x 281.


Article Ideas & Media Releases

Have a story idea or media release? If you want coverage of an ag issue, trend, or company news, please email us.

Follow us on Social Media

 

Sign up to a Farms.com Newsletter

 

DisclaimerPrivacy Policy2025 ©AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Back To Top