Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Food safety is becoming an increasingly important topic within the agriculture community.
Around the globe, food safety programs and practices are becoming an essential component to regular business and trade. Within Canada, many commodity groups are taking a proactive approach and are beginning to develop and implement food safety programs.
One such group is the Canadian Sheep Federation, which introduced a national Food Safe Farm Practices Program designed to provide assurance that the sheep and lamb products on our farms are produced through a safe and verifiable process, according to Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board Executive Director Gordon Schroeder.
“The Food Safe Farm Practices Program is driven by the Canadian sheep industry for the Canadian sheep industry. A technical committee, including sheep producers and technical experts in sheep production and food safety, from across the country, developed program materials for the initiative.”
The sheep producers were an integral part of the process, explains Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF) Livestock Development Specialist Tara Jaboeuf. “They provided clear input to make the program efficient, non-invasive and affordable.”
This food safety program was developed under the auspices of the Canadian On-Farm Food Safety Program (COFFS), and funded through the new Agricultural Policy Framework.
“COFFS is a producer-driven partnership between industry and government, that helps national commodity organizations develop and implement on-farm food safety programs," says Jaboeuf. "The sheep industry’s program has undergone technical review by the CFIA, and has been approved as a result. We are now starting on implementation of the program across Canada.”
In essence, the program is based on an internationally recognized hazard control system called HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points). This is a proactive approach to the identification, evaluation and control of food safety hazards. It is endorsed by government health agencies worldwide, including the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the United States Department of Agriculture.
“Most producers are already adopting the practices stipulated in the program, “Jaboeuf points out. “The program represents a formalization of these practices, demonstrating to the public and consumer that their food is indeed a safe and healthy choice.
“Participating in this nationally recognized food safety program will demonstrate to customers that producers have exercised due diligence in their production activities to minimize the possibility of physical, chemical and/or biological hazards.”
Jaboeuf adds that “some of the benefits of participating in an on-farm food safety program include maintaining or expanding domestic and international markets; increased management effectiveness, with efficiencies and cost savings on–farm; employee knowledge on-farm; and increased consumer confidence."
The Sheep Development Board's Schroeder concurs. “Saskatchewan sheep farmers already provide a safe, high quality meat, milk and wool product to our customers; however, we are now entering a time when it will become even more necessary that we demonstrate that the food we produce is safe.”
Tara Jaboeuf has taken the initiative one step further:
“We have decided to try something different. We are teaming up with the Environmental Farm Plan co-ordinator and holding workshops in Saskatoon and Regina as a pilot.”
The registration is free for both workshops, and lunch is provided. Both events will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Agriculture Business Centre at 3830 Thatcher Avenue in Saskatoon on February 24, and on February 25 at a location yet to be determined in Regina.
To find out more about the Food Safe Farm Practices Program, call the sheep development board or Tara Jaboeuf at Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food at (306) 933-5099.
For more information, contact:
Gord Schroeder
Executive Director
Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board
(306) 933-5200
Tara Jaboeuf
Livestock Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 933-5099
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