Tackling spent fowl fraud at the border to protect consumers and support Canadian farmers

OTTAWA, ON, , The Honourable Kody Blois, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Rural Economic Development and the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, issued the following statement:

The Government of Canada is committed to protecting Canadian consumers, supporting our poultry industry, and ensuring a fair and transparent trade environment. The issue of spent fowl misrepresentation is one that demands decisive action. This is fraud and it undermines consumers, our farmers, distorts our markets, and puts Canadian jobs at risk.

That is why we are taking steps to enhance collaboration with industry and enforcement agencies and advance our efforts to address this issue. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) are working on sharing intelligence to develop an action plan to improve detection, enforce compliance, and ensure a level playing field for all.

Protecting Canadians and upholding the integrity of our food supply is a top priority. We will act decisively, working with partners to implement solutions that reinforce fairness, trust, and accountability.