Canadian Pork Producers One Step Closer to Exporting to EU Following CETA

The Canadian pork industry is one step closer to having access to the European Union as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has resolved the main issue preventing the pork industry from benefiting from the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)

Changes to CFIA Manual of Procedures were made last week to allow packers to apply health mark labels after the pork has been frozen. The previous provision required the label to be applied to boxes before the product was eligible to be exported which effectively prevented the industry from benefiting from the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement that came into provisional application on September 21, 2017.

“It would greatly benefit Canada if pork producers could quickly set the basis for a long-term presence in this market”

 

“The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) thanks the CFIA for reviewing its policy surrounding the health mark labels” said Rick Bergmann, Chair of the CPC. “The elimination of this barrier enables increased sales which is of utmost importance to a prosperous pork sector,” he added.

“Europe is a very important pork-consuming region of the world” explained Neil Ketilson, Canada Pork International Chair. “It would greatly benefit Canada if pork producers could quickly set the basis for a long-term presence in this market,” he added.

“Now that this issue has been resolved, industry and government must focus its efforts on having the EU approve the full suite of antimicrobial interventions used in Canada to enhance food safety,” highlighted Canadian Meat Council President and CEO Chris White. “These interventions have been accepted by food safety authorities in Canada, the United States, Japan and numerous other countries.”

The Canadian Pork Council is the national voice for hog producers in Canada. A federation of nine provincial pork industry associations representing 7,000 farms, the organization plays a leadership role in achieving and maintaining a dynamic and prosperous Canadian pork sector.

Established in 1991, Canada Pork International is the export promotion agency of the Canadian pork industry. CPI activities are focused on resolving technical market access issues, promoting Canadian pork internationally and supporting member initiatives to increase the value of Canadian pork exports.

The Canadian Meat Council has been representing Canada’s federally inspected meat processing industry since 1919. Canada’s meat processing industry includes 400 federally inspected establishments that not only provide safe, high-quality protein for consumers, but also add jobs and contribute significantly to local economies in both rural and urban Canada. With annual sales of $28 billion, exports of $6.1 billion, and 66,000 jobs, the Canadian meat industry is the largest component of this country’s food processing sector.

Canadian Meat Council