Ontario is committed to food safety and traceability

Are you a food safety champion? To keep Ontario food safe, we must all take steps to produce, process, handle and store food in a way that prevents or reduces any danger to human health. This includes microbial, physical and chemical hazards. These can arise at any stage of food production and handling.

Mistakes and missteps not only damage a farm or processors' reputation; they can cost lives. That's why everyone in the agri-food chain - from those who grow and process our food to those who sell it - needs to participate.

The Food Safety Programs branch can help. We offer:

1. Food safety and traceability programs. Our Advantage Series of Food Safety Programs™ help Ontario's agriculture and food industries adopt proper food safety and traceability practices from farm to fork. We based these programs on recognized standards (e.g. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), CanTrace) and industry best practices. All programs are voluntary - but they offer proven benefits to those who participate.

| Agriculture Sector | Food Processing Industry|

1. Financial help. We help producers and processors with the costs of adopting or improving food safety and traceability systems.

2. Compliance. For the legislation that OMAFRA administers, the branch:

• conducts effective province-wide compliance activities. These range from advisory services, education and outreach, administrative hearings to ticketing, investigation and enforcement services.
• partners with others in the industry and government. We liaise with:
  • other Ontario ministries, including Natural Resources, Enviroment, Health and Long Term Care
  • other government groups, such as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
  • public health units
  • industry organizations (e.g Egg Farmers of Ontario, Dairy Farmers of Ontario)

Learn more

• See what's new in food safety and traceability?
• Learn about Ontario's Advantage program: Find Advantage program information and resources for the agriculture sector, food processors, and more
• Read success stories: Read about Ontario's industry leaders and their experiences implementing food safety and traceability
• Explore funding: Find information on food safety and traceability grants for Ontario's food industry including the Food Safety and Traceability Initiative (FSTI) and the Meat Plant Assistance Program (MPAP)
• Learn about regulatory compliance support in the agri-food sector

Ontario Forum on Agri-Food Traceability

How can you benefit from traceability? How should Ontario's traceability system continue to grow? Join agri-food industry leaders, traceability experts and goverenment officials at the Cambridge Hotel and Conference Centre on January 28, 2010 for the Ontario Forum on Agri-Food Traceability to discuss these and other questions.

This one-day event will feature speakers on international, national and provincial initiatives and industry perspectives and successes. It will also provide opportunities to discuss the future of traceability.

Learn more and register.

For more information:
Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300

For more information:
Toll Free: 1-866-641-3663
E-mail: advantage@ontario.ca