Canada to Fines BSE Safeguard Violators

OTTAWA - Jul 5/05 - SNS -- The Canadian government will fine companies and individuals who ignore safeguards aimed at preventing the spread of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), says the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

Through amendments to the Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties (AMPs) Regulations pursuant to the AMPS ACT, CFIA inspectors will be authorized to impose monetary penalties on operations which violate elements of Canada’s system of BSE safeguards.

With these changes, monetary penalties could be imposed for violations of two key safeguards: the BSE feed ban and requirements for the removal of specified risk material (SRM) from food products for humans. This will complement the monetary penalties that are already in place for failure to report suspected and actual cases of BSE.

To date, enforcement tools available to the CFIA have been limited to warnings, seizure of products suspected of or known to be out of compliance, suspension or cancellation of permits, and prosecutions.

The purpose of the Agriculture and Agri-Food Monetary Penalties Act is to enhance the enforcement options currently available in respect of statutes administered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency as well as one statute administered by Health Canada, the Pest Control Products Act. It is currently applied to the Health of Animals Act, the Plant Protection Act and the Pest Control Products Act.

The regulatory changes were published in the Canada Gazette Part II (http://canadagazette.gc.ca) on June 29 and will come into force on July 9, 2005.