The Government of Canada and the Province of Prince Edward Island are investing $3.8 million in the province’s beef and dairy industries to help accelerate the elimination of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) from Canada’s cattle herds.
“Canada’s New Government recognizes the tremendous efforts of our beef and cattle industries to ensure the safest and highest quality beef products,” said Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, on behalf of the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board. “We are pleased to contribute funding to Prince Edward Island’s program to assist industry in meeting the new regulatory requirement.”
“This funding agreement will support our efforts to work closely with the livestock industry towards the establishment of a safe and effective disposal system,” said George Webster, Prince Edward Island Minister of Environment, Energy and Forestry, on behalf of Neil LeClair, Prince Edward Island Minister of Agriculture. “These efforts will help ensure the continued safety and quality of our livestock industry.”
Today’s funding announcement will assist Prince Edward Island’s cattle industry in the removal of all specified risk material (SRM) - tissues that can harbour BSE - from all animal feeds, pet foods and fertilizers. The program is supported through a 60:40 federal-provincial cost-sharing agreement.
The federal-provincial funding will help the province’s beef processing sector comply with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s enhanced feed ban, which takes effect on July 12, 2007.
The federal contribution of $2.3 million to Prince Edward Island is part of an $80 million commitment to SRM removal programs nationwide. Federal funding supplements the provincial contribution of $1.5 million.
The effective implementation of Canada’s enhanced feed ban will ensure the protection of animal health, and strengthen the cattle and beef industry’s markets in Canada and abroad.
For more information on the program, contact Fred Vanderkloet, Prince Edward Island Department of Agriculture, at 902-368-5609.
Backgrounder on the Canada-Prince Edward Island Specified Risk Material Disposal Funding Program attached.
BACKGROUNDER
Canada-Prince Edward Island Specified Risk Material Disposal Funding Program
Why is the Government of Canada implementing the enhanced feed ban?
Canada's current feed ban has effectively limited the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) since being implemented in 1997. The enhanced feed ban is intended to further protect animal health, and will accelerate Canada's progress toward eradicating BSE from the national herd. Canada's actions are supported by an international team of animal health experts that reviewed the Canadian situation in 2003. Completing the feed ban requirement sends a message to the international trading community that Canada is committed to ensuring the highest quality and safest meat products possible for world trade.
What are specified risk material?
Specified risk material (SRM) are tissues that, in BSE-infected cattle, have been shown to contain the infective agent and transmit the disease. The following tissues are defined in Canadian regulation as SRM: skull, brain, trigeminal ganglia (nerves attached to the brain), eyes, tonsils, spinal cord, and dorsal root ganglia (nerves attached to the spinal cord) of cattle aged 30 months or older, and the distal ileum (part of the small intestine) of cattle of all ages.
What will the funding be used for?
Federal-provincial funding will be provided to a wide cross-section of industry to fund capital expenses for immediate and long-term infrastructure needs. Provincial funds will also be available to offset transportation and tipping costs, offset increased costs at provincial abattoirs, and support research into new and innovative ways to dispose of SRM.
Who is eligible for funding through this program?
Funding will be available to a wide cross-section of industry including the following groups:
· federally regulated abattoirs that slaughter cattle;
· renderers;
· companies permitted to destroy or contain SRM;
· individuals and companies with new technologies that eliminate infectivity and add value to SRM;
· individuals and companies located in Prince Edward Island, which provide disposal
solutions for SRM generated in the province; and,
· provincially regulated red meat abattoirs and mobile butchers in Prince Edward Island that slaughter cattle.
For more information on the program, contact Fred Vanderkloet, PEI Department of Agriculture, at 902-368-5609.