Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to appear before the committee. My comments will be very brief as we are here primarily to support our colleagues at the PMRA at this particular committee hearing.
I am the executive director of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's food safety directorate. As the committee is aware, the CFIA is mandated to safeguard Canada's food supply and the plants and animals upon which safe, high-quality food depends. CFIA does verify compliance with 13 federal acts in the respective regulations, including the Food and Drugs Act. The agency works in partnership with other stakeholders to carry out this mandate. One of our most important partners, of course, is Health Canada. We do have a strong working relationship with various parts of Health Canada, including PMRA.
We are committed to serving Canadians by providing protection from preventable health risks and by delivering a fair and effective regulatory regime, sustaining the plant and animal resource base, and promoting security of Canada's food supply. As there is a particular interest in pesticide residues, we would note that Health Canada establishes maximum residue limits and CFIA is responsible for monitoring and enforcing these limits. For pesticide residues, these limits are set by PMRA, as our colleagues have noted. Our monitoring program demonstrates that pesticide residues on fresh fruits and vegetables grown and imported into Canada are very low. Recent results show that 96.7% of imported produce and 99.1% of Canadian produce tested below the Canadian maximum residue limits. Of that, 86% of imported product and 88% of Canadian fresh fruits and vegetables had non-detectable pesticide residues.
The CFIA uses maximum residue limits as triggers. If a food has a residue level that is higher than the established limit, where we do feel there could be a health concern, we notify Health Canada, which then undertakes a dietary risk assessment to determine whether these residues do actually pose a health concern. In recent years there have not been residue levels that posed a health concern, but should such an event occur, CFIA would undertake immediate action, which may include food recall.
In conclusion, let me underline that food safety is CFIA's top priority and central to everything we do.
I'd be pleased to respond to any questions you may have later.