Good afternoon.
I would like to thank you for the invitation to appear this afternoon.
The Canadian Pork Council is a national association representing the interests of Canada's 7,000 hog producers. The Canadian pork industry recognizes the vital importance of using practices that promote the health and well-being of the animals under its care and, through this, the safety of pork.
To support this commitment to food safety, the Canadian Pork Council launched the CQA program in 1998, an on-farm food safety program based upon the principles of HACCP and designed to assist producers in the development of production protocols to address potential food safety risks that could be introduced at the farm.
The use of medications is an important area of potential risk at the farm level. As such, a significant part of the CQA program addresses the use of these products. The program also includes a specific drug use policy requiring that only products approved for use in food-producing animals in Canada may be used.
Producers are required to have a veterinary prescription for all schedule F, part 1 prescription drugs, for extra-label use of any product used in that manner, and they are encouraged to consult with a veterinarian for all other medication use. Any other medication use would fall under the over-the-counter products. These requirements are to ensure that medications are being used effectively to manage herd health.
Additionally, producers are required to develop a medication and vaccine usage plan and maintain treatment records. Each of these items is included in the audit of the on-farm food safety program.
Canadian livestock producers have available to them a toolbox of items that allow them to care for the animals they raise. Like other skilled tradesmen, producers are committed to proper use and maintenance of their tools, thus ensuring that they continue to be useful for years to come.
Producers are responsible for growing a healthy pig destined for the food chain, but they also rely on the expertise of veterinarians for support and education and upon the veterinary drugs directorate and Canadian Food Inspection Agency to ensure correct approval and oversight procedures for medications included in their toolbox.
On-farm food safety programs, like CQA and the others mentioned here this afternoon, provide producers with support in the form of educational tools. They require consultation with a veterinarian on the use of medications and require a regular audit process. The CQA program requires an annual on-farm audit, during which the producer's on-farm food safety system is evaluated by an outside party. The program itself has been reviewed for technical soundness by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and the Canadian Pork Council works with the CFIA and Health Canada on many issues, including the use of antibiotics.
Antimicrobials are an invaluable tool in the maintenance of animal health. At the same time, they are a concern in that they can contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance. The focus of our industry is on using these products prudently.
As of 2009, approximately 94% of Canadian market hogs were sourced from CQA-registered farms. The high participation rate is a result of Canadian processors making it a requirement for producers shipping to their facilities to be on the CQA program. The program has become a condition of sale to most processing plants and an integral part of the industry commitment to quality and safety.