XL Foods Plant Licences Reinstated [Oct. 23]

Oct 23, 2012

CFIA Enhances Inspection Protocols as XL Plant Reopens

The Brooks, Alberta plant at the centre of the tainted beef E. coli recall has been given the stamp of approval from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to reopen and its operating licence has been reinstated.

“Effective today, the plant will be allowed to progressively resume slaughter and processing operations under enhanced CFIA surveillance and increased testing protocols, CFIA said in a statement”.

The agency will be enhancing inspection protocols as part of the reinstatement process and the plant will operate under “performance basis” and will ramp up operations accordingly. Enhanced surveillance will include increases E. coli testing.

“Additional CFIA inspectors-beyond the 46 normally assigned full-time to the plant-will remain at the facility to monitor the company’s slaughter procedures and to ensure strengthened food safety controls are being effectively integrated into daily plant practices,” the statement said.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.