The Canadian Meat Council is confident the federal government's stepped up commitment to food safety will help strengthen the Canadian red meat sector's competitiveness in export markets.
The 2018 budget, tabled last week, includes funding to increase the number of Diplomats and Trade Commissioners in China and Asia and funding to strengthen the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's food safety systems.
Canadian Meat Council Communications Manager Marcus Mattinson notes there's wide array of important activities the CFIA performs.
Marcus Mattinson-Canadian Meat Council:
The CFIA is a very large partner with our industry.
It's a partner with producers, it's a partner that we work with in our organization but also our members across the country interact with the CFIA n a daily basis.
This is an important arm of our federal government, it's an important agency for our industry and so it's encouraging for us to see that the government will be allocating an additional 16 million dollars per year for the next three years to strengthen the systems that they operate to increase food safety.
Our industry is a big trading industry.
Trade deals that have been struck on behalf of Canada around the world are of particular importance to our industry.
Source : Farmscape