MEAT TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The Meat Transition Assistance Program (MTAP) will provide $5 million to help B.C.’s new and existing slaughterhouses meet the standards under the Ministry of Health’s Meat Inspection Regulation by Sept. 30, 2007, the new date for provincewide enforcement.

The program has been introduced to increase livestock slaughter capacity throughout B.C. by ensuring there are sufficient licensed facilities to provide livestock producers reasonable access to slaughter services.

With funding provided by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands will work closely with the B.C. Food Processors Association (BCFPA) to deliver the financial assistance program and the Meat Inspection Enhancement Strategy (MIES) action plan administered through BCFPA.

Out of the $5 million, $4 million will be available for delivering the Meat Transition Assistance Program and $1 million to continue and enhance ongoing delivery of the Meat Industry Enhancement Strategy.

Funding

MTAP includes $3 million to help unlicensed slaughter plants upgrade to provincial standards and for development of new provincially licensed plants. Funding for construction and equipment costs will be provided on a 50/50 cost-shared basis to a maximum of $50,000 per plant.

$1 million will be available to help communities identify local solutions and develop projects that will create regional slaughter capacity. The MIES team will be active in working with communities interested in pursuing this option.

Funding will cover such costs as:

· Plant plans and blueprints, construction and equipment expenses, construction materials, required systems, and health and safety requirements.

· Consulting costs including development of programs for maintenance, sanitation, pest control, training, labelling, traceability, and process control.

· Some expenses for business planning, including market and feasibility studies.

Expenses which may be covered in any other available provincial or federal grant program are ineligible.

Eligibility

Applicants for individual plant assistance must be an operator of a slaughter plant that will be licensed under the new Meat Inspection Regulation.

For community solution funding, an application may come from a facility operator, local government or a significant community stakeholder. Funding will be given only to an operator of a slaughter plant that is or will be licensed in B.C. and will be serving the community.

Application Deadline

The closing date for applications for individual assistance funding is Sept. 30, 2006.

Applications for community solutions funding will be accepted after Sept. 30, 2006 until termination of the program on Sept. 30, 2007. However, letters of intent will be accepted any time before the opening date for applications. BCFPA will be responsible for delivery of the program.

For additional information on the program and how to apply, see the Meat Inspection Enhancement Strategy website at http://www.bcfpa.ca/mies.html.

MIES Action Plan

A further $1 million will be directed through BCFPA to continue and enhance the MIES program to encourage community solutions, assist with options for mobile abattoirs, help new or existing unlicensed facilities obtain provincial licensing, and aid communication and general facilitation activities to increase provincially-licensed slaughter capacity in all B.C. communities.

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Media contact:	Liz Bicknell Communications Director Ministry of Agriculture and Lands 250 356-2862 250 213-3072 (cell)	Marisa Adair Communications Director Ministry of Health 250 952-1889 250 920-8500 (cell)
	Julie Labelle Communications Co-ordinator B.C. Food Processors Association 250 356-1660
For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.