Canadian Food Inspection Agency Names New Food Safety and Veterinary Chief Officers

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz Announces New Appointments

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

There are two new appointments at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) – food safety and veterinary chief officers. Agriculture Minister Ritz announced Dr. Martine Dubuc as the new chief food safety officer and Dr. Ian Alexander as the new chief veterinary officer.

The chief food safety officer – Dr. Martine Dubuc has been with the agency since 2008 and has held other senior positions with the Quebec government where she was responsible for animal health and food safety. Chief veterinary chief officer Dr. Ian Alexander has been with CFIA since 2010 and had previously worked at Health Canada. Alexander will have a dual role to fulfill as he is also the agency’s animal health directorate.

Grass tetany in cattle may become a serious concern this winter and early spring as drought conditions continue to expand. In this video, Paul Beck, OSU Extension beef cattle breeding specialist, explains why drought increases the risk of grass tetany and what cattle producers should be watching for in their herds.