For immediate release
Toronto – Every meat slaughter inspection group in Toronto and throughout Ontario is working short-handed, often operating below staffing levels required to ensure meat packing houses are following all safety requirements.
“There is a critical shortage of meat inspectors in Toronto and in other parts of the country as well. This means that corners are being cut when it comes to safety. Summer bar-b-quers should be aware and concerned, ” said Bob Kingston, President of the Agriculture Union that represents federal food inspectors.
This high-risk situation was revealed in a staffing survey released in Toronto this morning by the federal food inspectors’ union that examined the number of meat inspectors typically available to oversee the operations of slaughter facilities in Toronto and southern Ontario.
The survey found Toronto area inspection teams frequently operate with only two-thirds of the required number of slaughter inspectors. Central and South Western Ontario regions are also operating with fewer than the number of inspectors needed to ensure compliance with safety requirements.
| Slaughter inspector survey – Ontario | |||
| Region | Required number of Inspectors | Number of Inspectors typically on the job[1] | % below minimum required |
| Toronto | 20 | 12.25 | 39% |
| GTA West | 30 | 21 | 30% |
| Central Ontario | 28 | 22 | 21% |
| South West Ontario | 10 | 8.8 | 12% |
Through internal sources, the Union surveyed staffing levels at slaughter establishments throughout Ontario. Maple Lodge, the largest poultry slaughter facility in Canada, was included in the survey as were slaughter plants whose cut meat can be “needle tenderized”, a process that lead to the recent E. coli outbreak at XL Foods.
In large poultry factories, chicken carcasses can whiz by inspectors at the dizzying pace of 250 birds per minute per production line, a rate that far exceeds the safe pace set in the US (140 carcasses per minute) by the USDA. That’s almost 15,000 birds per hour inspectors are supposed to examine. Of these, only about 12 carcasses per hour are removed from the line for closer inspection.
“It is impossible to fully complete all the tasks that are essential to ensuring meat is safe. Typically, processes to ensure humane treatment of animals are neglected. There are simply not enough hours in the day,” said Rob MacDonald, the Agriculture Union’s Regional VP for Southern Ontario.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is in the process of downsizing its meat inspection staff and program after the Harper government cut its budget. The Agency plans to eliminate 273 positions as it grapples with a $35 million budget cut.
“In the rush to cut, appropriate assessment of the risk associated with their new program for inspecting slaughter houses has not been conducted but the changes have already been announced,” Kingston said.
In the meantime, the Agency is allowing the current slaughter inspectorate to atrophy, refusing to fill vacant positions and turning a blind eye when meat slaughter establishments operate with short-handed inspection teams.
“It’s a recipe for disaster. These are frighteningly similar to the circumstances that led to the Maple Leaf listeriosis outbreak that killed 22 unsuspecting people,” Kingston said.
CFIA’s food safety programs are short staffed across the country:
- There is only one consumer protection inspector responsible for every restaurant and retail food outlet in the entire city of Toronto.
- Meat inspectors working in meat processing plants throughout Alberta that produce the highest risk ready-to-eat products have been operating 33% below required minimum staffing levels for more than a year.
- Inspection tasks in meat plants there have been reduced as a result and a two tier system has been introduced that inspects meat destined for dinner tables in Canada to a lower standard than meat produced for export. After Health Minister Rona Ambrose called the Union’s revelation “inaccurate and irresponsible” an internal CFIA document was leaked substantiating the Union announcement.
- Meanwhile, the entire consumer protection unit in British Columbia has been disbanded.
The union is calling on the government to increase food safety inspection resources and place them where they are needed on the frontline to allow the CFIA to meet its inspection requirements.
-30-
For information:
Jim Thompson
613-447-9592
jim@foodsafetyfirst.ca
www.FoodSafetyFirst.ca
[1] Includes a 25% leave factor to account for sick, long term, annual, maternity, paternity, training and other kinds of leave.
Related Documents:
For immediate release
Toronto – Every meat slaughter inspection group in Toronto and throughout Ontario is working short-handed, often operating below staffing levels required to ensure meat packing houses are following all safety requirements.
“There is a critical shortage of meat inspectors in Toronto and in other parts of the country as well. This means that corners are being cut when it comes to safety. Summer bar-b-quers should be aware and concerned, ” said Bob Kingston, President of the Agriculture Union that represents federal food inspectors.
This high-risk situation was revealed in a staffing survey released in Toronto this morning by the federal food inspectors’ union that examined the number of meat inspectors typically available to oversee the operations of slaughter facilities in Toronto and southern Ontario.
The survey found Toronto area inspection teams frequently operate with only two-thirds of the required number of slaughter inspectors. Central and South Western Ontario regions are also operating with fewer than the number of inspectors needed to ensure compliance with safety requirements.
| Slaughter inspector survey – Ontario | |||
| Region | Required number of Inspectors | Number of Inspectors typically on the job[1] | % below minimum required |
| Toronto | 20 | 12.25 | 39% |
| GTA West | 30 | 21 | 30% |
| Central Ontario | 28 | 22 | 21% |
| South West Ontario | 10 | 8.8 | 12% |
Through internal sources, the Union surveyed staffing levels at slaughter establishments throughout Ontario. Maple Lodge, the largest poultry slaughter facility in Canada, was included in the survey as were slaughter plants whose cut meat can be “needle tenderized”, a process that lead to the recent E. coli outbreak at XL Foods.
In large poultry factories, chicken carcasses can whiz by inspectors at the dizzying pace of 250 birds per minute per production line, a rate that far exceeds the safe pace set in the US (140 carcasses per minute) by the USDA. That’s almost 15,000 birds per hour inspectors are supposed to examine. Of these, only about 12 carcasses per hour are removed from the line for closer inspection.
“It is impossible to fully complete all the tasks that are essential to ensuring meat is safe. Typically, processes to ensure humane treatment of animals are neglected. There are simply not enough hours in the day,” said Rob MacDonald, the Agriculture Union’s Regional VP for Southern Ontario.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is in the process of downsizing its meat inspection staff and program after the Harper government cut its budget. The Agency plans to eliminate 273 positions as it grapples with a $35 million budget cut.
“In the rush to cut, appropriate assessment of the risk associated with their new program for inspecting slaughter houses has not been conducted but the changes have already been announced,” Kingston said.
In the meantime, the Agency is allowing the current slaughter inspectorate to atrophy, refusing to fill vacant positions and turning a blind eye when meat slaughter establishments operate with short-handed inspection teams.
“It’s a recipe for disaster. These are frighteningly similar to the circumstances that led to the Maple Leaf listeriosis outbreak that killed 22 unsuspecting people,” Kingston said.
CFIA’s food safety programs are short staffed across the country:
- There is only one consumer protection inspector responsible for every restaurant and retail food outlet in the entire city of Toronto.
- Meat inspectors working in meat processing plants throughout Alberta that produce the highest risk ready-to-eat products have been operating 33% below required minimum staffing levels for more than a year.
- Inspection tasks in meat plants there have been reduced as a result and a two tier system has been introduced that inspects meat destined for dinner tables in Canada to a lower standard than meat produced for export. After Health Minister Rona Ambrose called the Union’s revelation “inaccurate and irresponsible” an internal CFIA document was leaked substantiating the Union announcement.
- Meanwhile, the entire consumer protection unit in British Columbia has been disbanded.
The union is calling on the government to increase food safety inspection resources and place them where they are needed on the frontline to allow the CFIA to meet its inspection requirements.
-30-
For information:
Jim Thompson
613-447-9592
jim@foodsafetyfirst.ca
www.FoodSafetyFirst.ca
[1] Includes a 25% leave factor to account for sick, long term, annual, maternity, paternity, training and other kinds of leave.
Related Documents:
For immediate release
Toronto – Every meat slaughter inspection group in Toronto and throughout Ontario is working short-handed, often operating below staffing levels required to ensure meat packing houses are following all safety requirements.
“There is a critical shortage of meat inspectors in Toronto and in other parts of the country as well. This means that corners are being cut when it comes to safety. Summer bar-b-quers should be aware and concerned, ” said Bob Kingston, President of the Agriculture Union that represents federal food inspectors.
This high-risk situation was revealed in a staffing survey released in Toronto this morning by the federal food inspectors’ union that examined the number of meat inspectors typically available to oversee the operations of slaughter facilities in Toronto and southern Ontario.
The survey found Toronto area inspection teams frequently operate with only two-thirds of the required number of slaughter inspectors. Central and South Western Ontario regions are also operating with fewer than the number of inspectors needed to ensure compliance with safety requirements.
| Slaughter inspector survey – Ontario | |||
| Region | Required number of Inspectors | Number of Inspectors typically on the job[1] | % below minimum required |
| Toronto | 20 | 12.25 | 39% |
| GTA West | 30 | 21 | 30% |
| Central Ontario | 28 | 22 | 21% |
| South West Ontario | 10 | 8.8 | 12% |
Through internal sources, the Union surveyed staffing levels at slaughter establishments throughout Ontario. Maple Lodge, the largest poultry slaughter facility in Canada, was included in the survey as were slaughter plants whose cut meat can be “needle tenderized”, a process that lead to the recent E. coli outbreak at XL Foods.
In large poultry factories, chicken carcasses can whiz by inspectors at the dizzying pace of 250 birds per minute per production line, a rate that far exceeds the safe pace set in the US (140 carcasses per minute) by the USDA. That’s almost 15,000 birds per hour inspectors are supposed to examine. Of these, only about 12 carcasses per hour are removed from the line for closer inspection.
“It is impossible to fully complete all the tasks that are essential to ensuring meat is safe. Typically, processes to ensure humane treatment of animals are neglected. There are simply not enough hours in the day,” said Rob MacDonald, the Agriculture Union’s Regional VP for Southern Ontario.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is in the process of downsizing its meat inspection staff and program after the Harper government cut its budget. The Agency plans to eliminate 273 positions as it grapples with a $35 million budget cut.
“In the rush to cut, appropriate assessment of the risk associated with their new program for inspecting slaughter houses has not been conducted but the changes have already been announced,” Kingston said.
In the meantime, the Agency is allowing the current slaughter inspectorate to atrophy, refusing to fill vacant positions and turning a blind eye when meat slaughter establishments operate with short-handed inspection teams.
“It’s a recipe for disaster. These are frighteningly similar to the circumstances that led to the Maple Leaf listeriosis outbreak that killed 22 unsuspecting people,” Kingston said.
CFIA’s food safety programs are short staffed across the country:
- There is only one consumer protection inspector responsible for every restaurant and retail food outlet in the entire city of Toronto.
- Meat inspectors working in meat processing plants throughout Alberta that produce the highest risk ready-to-eat products have been operating 33% below required minimum staffing levels for more than a year.
- Inspection tasks in meat plants there have been reduced as a result and a two tier system has been introduced that inspects meat destined for dinner tables in Canada to a lower standard than meat produced for export. After Health Minister Rona Ambrose called the Union’s revelation “inaccurate and irresponsible” an internal CFIA document was leaked substantiating the Union announcement.
- Meanwhile, the entire consumer protection unit in British Columbia has been disbanded.
The union is calling on the government to increase food safety inspection resources and place them where they are needed on the frontline to allow the CFIA to meet its inspection requirements.
-30-
For information:
Jim Thompson
613-447-9592
jim@foodsafetyfirst.ca
www.FoodSafetyFirst.ca
[1] Includes a 25% leave factor to account for sick, long term, annual, maternity, paternity, training and other kinds of leave.
For immediate release
Toronto – Every meat slaughter inspection group in Toronto and throughout Ontario is working short-handed, often operating below staffing levels required to ensure meat packing houses are following all safety requirements.
“There is a critical shortage of meat inspectors in Toronto and in other parts of the country as well. This means that corners are being cut when it comes to safety. Summer bar-b-quers should be aware and concerned, ” said Bob Kingston, President of the Agriculture Union that represents federal food inspectors.
This high-risk situation was revealed in a staffing survey released in Toronto this morning by the federal food inspectors’ union that examined the number of meat inspectors typically available to oversee the operations of slaughter facilities in Toronto and southern Ontario.
The survey found Toronto area inspection teams frequently operate with only two-thirds of the required number of slaughter inspectors. Central and South Western Ontario regions are also operating with fewer than the number of inspectors needed to ensure compliance with safety requirements.
| Slaughter inspector survey – Ontario | |||
| Region | Required number of Inspectors | Number of Inspectors typically on the job[1] | % below minimum required |
| Toronto | 20 | 12.25 | 39% |
| GTA West | 30 | 21 | 30% |
| Central Ontario | 28 | 22 | 21% |
| South West Ontario | 10 | 8.8 | 12% |
Through internal sources, the Union surveyed staffing levels at slaughter establishments throughout Ontario. Maple Lodge, the largest poultry slaughter facility in Canada, was included in the survey as were slaughter plants whose cut meat can be “needle tenderized”, a process that lead to the recent E. coli outbreak at XL Foods.
In large poultry factories, chicken carcasses can whiz by inspectors at the dizzying pace of 250 birds per minute per production line, a rate that far exceeds the safe pace set in the US (140 carcasses per minute) by the USDA. That’s almost 15,000 birds per hour inspectors are supposed to examine. Of these, only about 12 carcasses per hour are removed from the line for closer inspection.
“It is impossible to fully complete all the tasks that are essential to ensuring meat is safe. Typically, processes to ensure humane treatment of animals are neglected. There are simply not enough hours in the day,” said Rob MacDonald, the Agriculture Union’s Regional VP for Southern Ontario.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is in the process of downsizing its meat inspection staff and program after the Harper government cut its budget. The Agency plans to eliminate 273 positions as it grapples with a $35 million budget cut.
“In the rush to cut, appropriate assessment of the risk associated with their new program for inspecting slaughter houses has not been conducted but the changes have already been announced,” Kingston said.
In the meantime, the Agency is allowing the current slaughter inspectorate to atrophy, refusing to fill vacant positions and turning a blind eye when meat slaughter establishments operate with short-handed inspection teams.
“It’s a recipe for disaster. These are frighteningly similar to the circumstances that led to the Maple Leaf listeriosis outbreak that killed 22 unsuspecting people,” Kingston said.
CFIA’s food safety programs are short staffed across the country:
- There is only one consumer protection inspector responsible for every restaurant and retail food outlet in the entire city of Toronto.
- Meat inspectors working in meat processing plants throughout Alberta that produce the highest risk ready-to-eat products have been operating 33% below required minimum staffing levels for more than a year.
- Inspection tasks in meat plants there have been reduced as a result and a two tier system has been introduced that inspects meat destined for dinner tables in Canada to a lower standard than meat produced for export. After Health Minister Rona Ambrose called the Union’s revelation “inaccurate and irresponsible” an internal CFIA document was leaked substantiating the Union announcement.
- Meanwhile, the entire consumer protection unit in British Columbia has been disbanded.
The union is calling on the government to increase food safety inspection resources and place them where they are needed on the frontline to allow the CFIA to meet its inspection requirements.
-30-
For information:
Jim Thompson
613-447-9592
jim@foodsafetyfirst.ca
www.FoodSafetyFirst.ca
[1] Includes a 25% leave factor to account for sick, long term, annual, maternity, paternity, training and other kinds of leave.
Related Documents:
For immediate release
Toronto – Every meat slaughter inspection group in Toronto and throughout Ontario is working short-handed, often operating below staffing levels required to ensure meat packing houses are following all safety requirements.
“There is a critical shortage of meat inspectors in Toronto and in other parts of the country as well. This means that corners are being cut when it comes to safety. Summer bar-b-quers should be aware and concerned, ” said Bob Kingston, President of the Agriculture Union that represents federal food inspectors.
This high-risk situation was revealed in a staffing survey released in Toronto this morning by the federal food inspectors’ union that examined the number of meat inspectors typically available to oversee the operations of slaughter facilities in Toronto and southern Ontario.
The survey found Toronto area inspection teams frequently operate with only two-thirds of the required number of slaughter inspectors. Central and South Western Ontario regions are also operating with fewer than the number of inspectors needed to ensure compliance with safety requirements.
| Slaughter inspector survey – Ontario | |||
| Region | Required number of Inspectors | Number of Inspectors typically on the job[1] | % below minimum required |
| Toronto | 20 | 12.25 | 39% |
| GTA West | 30 | 21 | 30% |
| Central Ontario | 28 | 22 | 21% |
| South West Ontario | 10 | 8.8 | 12% |
Through internal sources, the Union surveyed staffing levels at slaughter establishments throughout Ontario. Maple Lodge, the largest poultry slaughter facility in Canada, was included in the survey as were slaughter plants whose cut meat can be “needle tenderized”, a process that lead to the recent E. coli outbreak at XL Foods.
In large poultry factories, chicken carcasses can whiz by inspectors at the dizzying pace of 250 birds per minute per production line, a rate that far exceeds the safe pace set in the US (140 carcasses per minute) by the USDA. That’s almost 15,000 birds per hour inspectors are supposed to examine. Of these, only about 12 carcasses per hour are removed from the line for closer inspection.
“It is impossible to fully complete all the tasks that are essential to ensuring meat is safe. Typically, processes to ensure humane treatment of animals are neglected. There are simply not enough hours in the day,” said Rob MacDonald, the Agriculture Union’s Regional VP for Southern Ontario.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is in the process of downsizing its meat inspection staff and program after the Harper government cut its budget. The Agency plans to eliminate 273 positions as it grapples with a $35 million budget cut.
“In the rush to cut, appropriate assessment of the risk associated with their new program for inspecting slaughter houses has not been conducted but the changes have already been announced,” Kingston said.
In the meantime, the Agency is allowing the current slaughter inspectorate to atrophy, refusing to fill vacant positions and turning a blind eye when meat slaughter establishments operate with short-handed inspection teams.
“It’s a recipe for disaster. These are frighteningly similar to the circumstances that led to the Maple Leaf listeriosis outbreak that killed 22 unsuspecting people,” Kingston said.
CFIA’s food safety programs are short staffed across the country:
- There is only one consumer protection inspector responsible for every restaurant and retail food outlet in the entire city of Toronto.
- Meat inspectors working in meat processing plants throughout Alberta that produce the highest risk ready-to-eat products have been operating 33% below required minimum staffing levels for more than a year.
- Inspection tasks in meat plants there have been reduced as a result and a two tier system has been introduced that inspects meat destined for dinner tables in Canada to a lower standard than meat produced for export. After Health Minister Rona Ambrose called the Union’s revelation “inaccurate and irresponsible” an internal CFIA document was leaked substantiating the Union announcement.
- Meanwhile, the entire consumer protection unit in British Columbia has been disbanded.
The union is calling on the government to increase food safety inspection resources and place them where they are needed on the frontline to allow the CFIA to meet its inspection requirements.
-30-
For information:
Jim Thompson
613-447-9592
jim@foodsafetyfirst.ca
www.FoodSafetyFirst.ca
[1] Includes a 25% leave factor to account for sick, long term, annual, maternity, paternity, training and other kinds of leave.
Pour publication immédiate
Toronto – Tous les groupes d’inspections des abattoirs, à Toronto et dans le reste de l’Ontario, travaillent en pénurie de personnel, souvent en dessous des niveaux de dotation minimaux requis pour assurer que les usines de conditionnement de la viande respectent les exigences de salubrité.
« Il y a une pénurie critique d’inspecteurs de la viande à Toronto et dans d’autres régions du pays. Cela veut dire que l’on coupe les coins ronds en matière de sécurité. Les amateurs de barbecue devraient être au informés et s’en inquiéter, » dit Bob Kingston, président du Syndicat Agriculture qui représente les inspecteurs fédéraux des aliments.
Cette situation à haut risque a été dévoilée ce matin dans une étude sur la dotation en personnel publiée à Toronto par le syndicat des inspecteurs fédéraux des aliments. L’étude s’est intéressée au nombre des inspecteurs des viandes généralement disponibles pour superviser l’exploitation des abattoirs à Toronto, et dans le sud de l’Ontario.
L’enquête a trouvé que les équipes d’inspection de la région de Toronto fonctionnent souvent avec seulement les deux tiers du nombre requis d’inspecteurs. Les régions du centre et du sud-ouest de l’Ontario fonctionnent aussi avec un nombre d’inspecteurs inférieur au nombre requis pour assurer le respect des exigences de sécurité.
| Enquête sur les inspecteurs des abattoirs – Ontario | |||
| Région | Nombre requis d’inspecteurs | Nombre d’inspecteurs habituellement au travail | % sous le minimum requis |
| Toronto | 20 | 12.25 | 39 % |
| Toronto-métro ouest | 30 | 21 | 30% |
| Centre de l’Ontario | 28 | 22 | 21% |
| Sud-Ouest Ontario | 10 | 8.8 | 12% |
Grâce à des sources internes, le syndicat a vérifié les niveaux de dotation en personnel dans les abattoirs partout en Ontario. La plus grande usine d’abattage de volaille au Canada, Maple Lodge fait partie des établisse-ments couverts par l’étude, de même que des usines où la viande est transformée par le procédé appelé « attendrissement aux aiguilles », le même processus qui a mené à la contamination récente aux E. Coli chez XL Foods.
Dans les gros abattoirs de volailles, les carcasses de poulet défilent devant les inspecteurs au rythme étourdissant de 250 oiseaux à la minute, une vitesse qui dépasse de beaucoup le rythme sécuritaire établi aux États-Unis (de 140 carcasses à la minute). Nos inspecteurs sont ainsi supposés examiner 15 000 oiseaux à l’heure. De ce nombre, on est censé retirer seulement 12 carcasses à l’heure pour une inspection plus poussée.
« Il est impossible de remplir toutes les tâches qui sont essentielles pour vérifier la salubrité de la viande. Et typiquement, on doit négliger les processus visant à vérifier que les animaux sont traités sans cruauté. Il n’y a tout simplement pas assez d’heures dans une journée, » dit Rob MacDonald, vice-président régional du Syndicat Agriculture pour le sud de l’Ontario
L’Agence canadienne d’inspection des aliments (ACIA) est en train de réduire le personnel et les programmes d’inspection de la viande, après les coupures budgétaires imposées par le gouvernement Harper. L’Agence planifie d’éliminer 273 postes, alors qu’elle doit encaisser une réduction budgétaire de 35 millions de dollars (35 M$).
« On est tellement pressé de couper, qu’on n’a pas évalué correctement les risques associés au nouveau programme d’inspection des abattoirs, alors que les changements ont déjà été annoncés, » déclare Kingston.
Entre-temps, l’Agence laisse l’actuelle force d’inspection des abattoirs s’atrophier, en refusant de combler les postes vacants et en fermant les yeux lorsque des abattoirs fonctionnent avec des équipes d’inspection en déficit de personnel.
« C’est une recette qui prépare un désastre. Ces circonstances rappellent de manière effroyable celles qui ont mené à la contamination à la listériose, à l’usine Maple Leaf, qui a tué 22 citoyens innocents. » ajoute Kingston.
Partout au pays, les programmes de sécurité des aliments de la CEI à sont en pénurie de personnel :
- il y a seulement un inspecteur de la protection des consommateurs responsable pour tous les restaurants et commerces de détail de toute la ville de Toronto
- Partout en Alberta, les inspecteurs qui travaillent dans les usines de transformation de la viande qui produisent les charcuteries prêtes à manger comportant les plus grands risques, fonctionnent à des niveaux de dotation de personnel inférieur de 33 % au niveau minimum requis depuis plus d’un an.
- toujours en Alberta, les tâches d’inspection dans les usines de transformation de viande ont été diminuées en conséquence et on a introduit un système d’inspection à deux vitesses qui fait que la viande destinée aux tables canadiennes est inspectée selon un standard moindre que celle destinée à l’exportation. Après que la ministre de la santé Rona Ambrose eût qualifié les révélations du syndicat « d’inexactes et irresponsables », un document interne de l’ACIA a été dévoilé, qui confirmait les révélations du syndicat
- entre-temps, toute l’unité de protection des consommateurs en Colombie Britannique a été démantelée.
Le syndicat demande au gouvernement d’augmenter les ressources d’inspection de la sécurité des aliments et de les déployer là où elles sont requises, sur la ligne de front, pour permettre à l’ACIA d’atteindre ses exigences minimales en termes de personnels d’inspection.
-30-
Information:
Jim Thompson
613-447-9592
jim@foodsafetyfirst.ca
http://www.mangersansdanger.ca