Red meat

Proposed Amendments to the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations to address unmet slaughter capacity. Language(s): English and French. Number of pages: 36

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is proposing amendments to the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) to reduce barriers to the interprovincial trade of red meat and support food security when there is unmet slaughter capacity.

The proposed amendments would create a targeted one-time, time-limited exemption under the SFCR to allow the interprovincial movement and sale of low volumes of red meat when there is unmet slaughter capacity.

To ensure food safety and no impact on international trade, the proposed exemption would be limited, apply to low volumes of meat that will be identifiable and traceable, and the provinces involved would need to agree to provide food safety oversight.

Any food businesses preparing products for export would continue to meet all applicable requirements under the Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA) and SFCR, including licensing, preventive controls, traceability, and export certification. As a result, Canada's internationally recognized food safety assurances, and its ability to meet foreign market conditions, would remain fully intact. Additional proposed amendments to the SFCR would reduce red tape and improve regulatory clarity, including clarifying that importers and exporters must meet all applicable SFCR requirements prior to the import or export of food.