Food Safety

Food Safety is clearly an important local and international issue for the Canadian Agrifood industry. News of outbreaks and contamination in a variety of commodities and in several geographies, raises the consciousness and the concern of consumers at home and abroad - whether they are directly affected or not. Both our home markets and our key trading partners are demanding action by industry participants: the United States, the European Community, S.E. Asia, and Australia and New Zealand have established new programs requiring compliance by our industry.

As these programs are adopted, information management moves to centre stage. The additional reporting and information-access requirements of Food Safety strain the capability of many current systems, and new solutions are being assembled.

What Food Safety Means to us:
eBiz has taken a lead in understanding both the emerging requirements of Food Safety and the technologies which deliver them. We have been very active in the establishment of Biosecurity programs for the poultry and livestock sectors, in the face of globally-expanding incidence of avian influenza. With the addition of safefood consulting to the eBiz team, a new understanding about the relationship between food safety and biosecurity practices and the role of traceability has developed.We are ready with information technology to capture and track food safety information, and we can link the advanced technologies which underpin traceability to the product information supply-chain partners need.

Program Development:
Safefood consulting is a food safety unit of eBiz Professionals. Safefood consulting provides technical expertise to the Canadian Horticulture Council (CHC) to support development of their national on-farm food safety program. Under Safefood consulting, on-farm assistance to local growers can be provided in order to prepare and plan for the audit process. Programs can be developed to ensure that audit requirements are met.

Training:
Through Safefood consulting, training can be developed and delivered to producers and auditors. This training will help local growers manage their operation in such a way that is consistent with audit standards, and prepares them on what to be expected during an audit.

Audit Preparation:
Safefood consulting also offers audit preparation, in which a representative from Safefood will come on farm to prepare growers for their audit.

Support:
eBiz professionals can provide technical expertise to support the development of on-farm food safety manuals, to achieve recognition of programs by regulatory bodies, and ensure their use and accessibility across the supply chain.

For more information on food safety, visit our safefood consulting website.