CFIA invites comment on food safety action plan

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

by SUSAN MANN

People have until Nov. 30 to comment on various aspects of the federal government’s proposals to revamp the country’s food safety system.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency held the first stage of consultations June 4 at a forum in Ottawa. The consultations are continuing online and people can provide feedback through the consultations section of the CFIA’s website.

CFIA spokesperson Lisa Murphy says by email the forum was designed to begin the consultations on several key food safety and consumer protection proposals under the Safe Food for Canadians Action Plan and to explain to those attending the forum how the proposals are related. The action plan’s aim is to strengthen and modernize Canada’s food safety system.

She says the forum participants discussed:

• A single consistent approach to food inspection
• A new food regulatory framework
• Regulations for imported food sector products
• Strategies to promote compliance
• New approaches to regulation.

The CFIA has designed consultations for four areas: how compliance is promoted, the regulatory framework, specific regulations and the food labelling system. BF