CPC Urges Food Industry to Be Aware of New US Anti-terrorism Regulations

Farm-Scape is sponsored by Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork Play Audio Farm-Scape is a Wonderworks Canada production and is distributed courtesy of Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork.

Farm-Scape, Episode 1385

The Canadian Pork Council is urging anyone who markets food products into the US to be aware of their responsibilities under new US anti-terrorism regulations.

The US Bioterrorism Preparedness Act was drafted in response to the events of 9-11, 2001 and it will take effect December 12.

CPC Communications Officer Anita DeCoste says two regulations being addressed now deal with registration of facilities and prior notice of shipment.

"The US FDA, the Food and Drug Administration, is requiring that owners, operators or agents in charge of domestic or foreign facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold food for human or animal consumption register that facility with the FDA.

One of the exceptions they have listed to this rule is farms, so facilities that are devoted to the growing and harvesting of crops or the raising of animals including seafood or both.

The second regulation deals with prior notice of shipments and that will require the FDA to receive advance information about import shipments.

As the interim final rule is now reading, notice of shipment must be given no more than five days prior to the arrival in the US of shipments and, depending on how the shipments arrive, that will determine the very last minute limit.

For shipments by truck you can supply prior notice up to two hours before your shipment arrives, by train or airplane up to four hours before the arrival of the shipment or by boat up to eight hours before your shipment is intended to arrive"

DeCoste says, as the interim rule reads currently, meat, food products, poultry and egg products fall under the jurisdiction of the USDA and are not covered under this regulation but live food animals will be considered food and will be subject to prior notice.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.