Farm-Scape, Episode 1613

The Canadian Pork Industry has begun distributing a new retail pork merchandising kit which reflects recently approved changes to the naming protocols used for pork in Canada.

Nomenclature refers to the names Canadian retailers must use when labeling meat cuts and products. A new pork nomenclature, developed by a stakeholder task force representing industry, government and consumer groups, was approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in July.

Alberta Pork Merchandising Specialist David Old says the new retail merchandising kit is being distributed nationally and it's just beginning to make its way into the hands of pork processors and distributors.

"It contains a detailed list of absolutely all of the nomenclature and then as well it contains a summary list of just those items that were changed.

It contains a letter from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency just outlining to the retailers that they've approved it.

They've been involved since the get go to make sure everything was as they liked. The way we did the distribution is through their trade organizations.

The Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors would deal with the Safeways and the Superstores and the Co-ops.

There is the CCGD, or Canadian Grocery Distributors, so that goes to the independents. As well there's the Canadian Meat Council.

That's the one that deals with all of the packers, the federally inspected packing plants. The retailers, all they have to do is just make sure that the changes are made in the counter. The big changes are in the meat scales themselves.

That's where all of the scriptors are built in so, when you see the label on the meat counter on the package, that's where you'll see the change."

Old says the changes are intended to take some of the confusion out of the cut names for pork and make it a little easier for the consumer to understand each cut and how to utilize it.

The new naming protocols remain voluntary until the end of this year, at which point they become mandatory.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.