Canada Welcomes USDA Decision to Lift Heightened Inspection of Canadian Meat Exports
OTTAWA - The Government of Canada has welcomed the United States Department of Agriculture's return to standard testing levels for Canadian beef, pork and poultry products.Thanks to the cooperation between the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and USDA officials, the US has confirmed that special testing measures are no longer necessary.
Last week, while attending the biennial meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Rome, Italy, Canadian food safety officials had the opportunity to meet with U.S. Acting Agriculture Secretary Charles Conner. This provided them with an opportunity to discuss ongoing trade issues including the commitment to normalize testing regimes for Canadian meat imports.
"It's encouraging to see that our working relationship continues to be founded on science-based assessments and that this has resulted in a quick resolution of the situation," said a Canadian minister Ritz.
"Canadians and consumers around the world have a great deal of confidence in the safety and quality of the Canadian food supply. The Government of Canada is committed to protecting and strengthening our world-class food safety system as global markets continue to evolve."