Bouvry Exports failed to comply with sections of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has suspended the Safe Food for Canadians license of a Fort Macleod, Alta. meat processor.
On Feb. 25, the CFIA announced the suspension for Bouvry Exports came into effect on Feb. 17 and will last at least 90 days, or until May 18, 2022.
Bouvry’s website indicates it processes beef, bison, horse and elk, and exports products to multiple countries including the United States and multiple European and Asian markets.
The CFIA suspended the licence because the processor didn’t follow multiple rules set out in the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations.
The company failed to comply with sections 49 and 50(2) of the regulations with regard to operational sanitation procedures and cross-contamination of food, the CFIA says.
Bouvry’s also failed to comply with sections 47(2), 86, 88 and 89(1)(c) of the regulation.
These sections are related “to preventive control measures for the detection of E. coli and the detection of temperature deviations in carcasses,” the CFIA’s ruling says.
CFIA will reassess Bouvry’s licencing.
“The licence suspension will be lifted if the CFIA determines that corrective measures have been taken by the licence holder,” CFIA told Farms.com in an emailed statement.
CFIA will update its licence bulletin if and when the suspension is lifted.
Bouvry is working to get its licence back.
The suspension has resulted in employee layoffs, said Eliot Bouvry, director of operations with Bouvry Exports.
“Due to the suspension of our license, we regret some layoffs have occurred,” he told Global News. “This includes dedicated employees from the town of Fort MacLeod, the Blood Reserve and the Piikani Nation, as well as employees that live in the surrounding areas such as Lethbridge, Claresholm, etc.”
Farms.com has contacted Bouvry Exports for comment.