OCA News Releases

2005 News Releases

Table 1. Comparison of US and Canadian BSE-related Regulations
May 2004 - prepared by Isabel Dopta, OCA Policy Advisor

Regulation	Canada	United States
BSE testing of carcass/parts of cattle	Carcass/parts held if entering the human food chain Implemented	FSIS will hold the carcass and parts from cattle that have been selected for testing by APHIS for BSE until the sample is determined to be negative Effective immediately
Specified Risk Materials	Removal of SRMs under Meat Inspection Regulations. Removal of skull, eyes, trigemganglia, tonsils, spinal cord and the vertebral column including the dorsal root ganglia from cattle identified as thirty months of age or older and removal of the small intestine (to ensure the removal of the distal ileum) from cattle of all ages. All materials to be treated as SRMs and therefore inedible meat products The packer is responsible for the development, implementation and maintenance of documented control programs for SRM removal including age verification and Effective date July 24/03	Amending federal meat inspection regulations to designate the brain, skull, eyes, trigemganglia, spinal cord, vertebral column and dorsal root ganglia of cattle 30 months of age or older and the tonsils and distal ileum of the small intestines of all cattle as SRMs. SRMs will be declared inedible and prohibiting their use in human food. Federal plants must implement and maintain written procedures for the removal segregation and disposition of SRMs Interim rule effective Jan 12/04
Non-Ambulatory Cattle	CFIA launched a national non-ambulatory consultation. Comment period has closed, summary report available in early 2004. Varying regulations, policy and guidelines for transportation and management of non-amb in each province. Federally, the Health of Animals Regulations prohibits the loading or transport of an animal that "by reason of infirmity, illness, injury, fatigue or any other cause cannot be transported without undue suffering during the expected journey."	FSIS is requiring that all non-ambulatory cattle are not to enter the slaughter establishment, they must be disposed of through inedible rendering.
Automated Meat Recovery/Mechanically Separated Meat	Prohibition on central nervous system tissue in AMR. Mechanically separated meat still sold in Canada Effective date July 23/03	Prohibition on central nervous system tissue in AMR and ban on mechanically separated meat Interim rule effective Jan12/04
Stunning Devices	The use of penetrating devices which injects air into the cranial cavity is not permitted. Implemented	FSIS is amending the meat inspection regulations to prohibit the use of penetrative bolt captive stunning devices that deliberately inject air into the cranial cavity of cattle Interim rule effective Jan12/04

Surveillance Testing	The number of animals tested annually will be progressively increased to a level capable of detecting BSE at a prevalence as low as one-in-one-million animals. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency will aim to test a minimum of 8,000 animals over the next 12 months, and then continue to progressively increase the level. The ultimate number of animals tested will reflect international standards, which are expected to be revised over the next one to two years. Testing will focus on the those animals most at risk of BSE. Effective immediately **International standard for Ontario BSE testing is 375 annually. In 2003, Ontario tested over 1300.	BSE surveillance continues unchanged. 20,000 head tested for BSE per year. 47 times the recommended international standard On-going
National Cattle ID	Immediate implementation of a verifiable system of national animal ID Mandatory tagging as of July 1, 2001.	No system