COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • AUGUST 2018


31 Abattoir recommendations delayed till fall


by TOM WALKER VICTORIA – The BC Ministry


of Agriculture released a summary of a consultation on Class D and E slaughter licences in the province July 3 and while there are few surprises, farmers will have to wait for a report from the Select Standing Committee on Agriculture, Fish and Food this fall for actual recommendations on the future of meat processing in BC.


BC Ministry of Agriculture


food safety and inspection branch staff initiated a consultation process with stakeholders earlier this year. Gavin Last, director of the


ministry’s food safety and inspection branch, says a review of D and E licences has been in the works for a while. The current licensing framework, which gives the public access to both inspected and uninspected meat, was implemented in 2011. “We wanted to look at how


the group was being regulated,” Last told the annual general meeting of the BC Association of Abattoirs in April. The consultation focused


on participants’ experiences with the administration, licensing, operations and food safety.


Last calls it a “targeted


study” that sought feedback to a confidential survey of current, former and denied licence holders, five regional health authorities and industry associations, including the BC Association of Abattoirs, BC Cattlemen’s Association, BC Sheep Federation and the Small- Scale Meat Producers Association. Class A and B licence holders were not consulted, but were represented through the abattoirs association, which represents the majority of the A and B facilities. But Valerie Gerber,


president of the BC Sheep Federation (BCSF), called the survey process “crazy and rushed.”


“BCSF was not on the initial consultation list and we when we phoned and got added, we only had two days to communicate to our directors and put together a submission,” says Gerber. “It came at the worst time of the year. Everyone was out lambing and some of us have calves to take care of as well.” Nevertheless, Gerber says the consultation report accurately represents the issues. For D and E licence holders, that means issues with limited


Ministry staff don’t want to pre-empt MLAs’ findings health authorities (RHAs), which operate under the BC Ministry of Health. Three of the five health authorities surveyed, however, indicated they lack sufficient support from the province to administer D and E licences. There is no required


marketing opportunities and production limits.


While most D licensees


were satisfied with their licenses, E licence holders voiced concerns about not being able to sell to retail or outside their regional districts. Over 40% were happy selling only within their regional district, while another 40% were not. Most respondents indicated they would like production limits for E licensees increased. Current rules allow E licence holders to process just 10 animal units or 10,000 lbs. annually. E licence applicants must also operate a minimum of two hours travel time from a Class A or B abattoir. Sixty-five per cent of respondents took issue with that, saying that less than one hour is more reasonable, noting winter conditions require more travelling time. Increasing regulatory


requirements for food safety and animal welfare, including more training, was an acceptable requirement to open the door for more Class E licences, according to 70% of respondents.


Licensees also indicated


they would prefer to be under the direction of the BC Ministry of Agriculture and would welcome more inspection. Indeed, 33% have not been inspected at all over the last year, while 52% have only seen their regional health authority once during the last 12 months. But BC’s agriculture


ministry has delegated administration, licencing and enforcement to regional


frequency of inspection for D and E plants by the RHAs and, indeed, they are not pressing to complete them. None of the RHAs do annual inspections of all of their D and E facilities, instead working on an “as needed basis.” Three have not received any complaints over the last year, while two had one to five complaints. Four out of five believe the current SlaughterSafe course (the only training required) is providing D and E licensees with sufficient food safety knowledge to slaughter, cut and wrap. Livestock associations


surveyed also called for more oversight from provincially trained inspectors and agreed more training should be available for D and E licensees. Most of the associations surveyed agree that more licenses could be allocated if they come with an increase in oversight and that could help boost processing capacity.


The complexity of current


regulatory system, the volume limitations for D and E licensees and the risks of non- renewal are all seen as hampering the growth of small farm businesses in the province.


Universal agreement “People are saying the


More training and more inspections are key priorities for Class D and E slaughter licence holders. DAVID SCHMIDT FILE PHOTO


same thing across the province,” Woodbury points out. “What is important now is what they will do with that information? What recommendations they will make?”


Last says the consultation


summary has been provided to select standing committee members, which held public consultations on local meat production and inspection in


early June. “[We] provided the entire consultation survey results without analysis to the committee in order to avoid anticipating or influencing that broader public process by drawing premature conclusions,” he says. “The committee will make recommendations concerning local meat production in BC to the legislature by October 1.”


Reminder of Check-off Increase BC’s Cattle Check-Off increases to $5.00 per head effective JULY 1, 2018.


BC beef producers support the industry with funds for promotion, marketing, development and research.


National Check-off $2.50/head Canada Beef Beef Cattle Research Council Issues Management (CCA)


Cattle Industry Development Council


Provincial Check-off $2.50/head Supports industry projects of these provincial associations:


www.bcacf.ca


www.cattlemen.bc.ca


www.bcdairy.ca


www.cattlefund.net Email: checkoff@cattlefund.net Ph: 250.573.3611 #4-10145 Dallas Dr. Kamloops B.C. V2C 6T4


www.bcbfa.ca


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