ISOLATED COMMUNITIES GET NEW MEAT TRANSITION SUPPORT

VICTORIA – Meat producers in remote and isolated communities are receiving additional assistance in the transition to becoming fully licensed, announced the ministers of Health and Agriculture today.

“B.C. is one of the last jurisdictions in Canada to make the transition to full licensing and inspection. Our provincial meat inspection regulation is vital to help protect the health and safety of all British Columbians,” said Health Minister George Abbott. “Having a system in place to track any problems also helps protect producers and processors from the devastating impact that can be caused by one case of disease that cannot be tracked or contained.”

Class C transitional licenses have been available to meat producers working toward becoming fully licensed, with submission of a construction plan. The license allows meat producers to continue offering limited, direct sales (such as farm gate sales) to consumers. Meats produced under a Class C license are not inspected, cannot be resold or used in any commercial operation such as a restaurant, and must be labelled as uninspected.

Government is now providing additional support for small operators applying for a Class C license in isolated and remote areas that do not have access to licensed slaughter capacity. New applicants who meet these criteria can now qualify for a Class C license immediately, and will have until Dec. 31, 2009 to submit their construction plan.

“With the assistance we’re introducing today, local producers and processors in isolated communities will have some added flexibility, making it easier for them to obtain Class C transitional licenses and ultimately full licenses,” said Agriculture and Lands Minister Pat Bell. “Since the regulation was announced in 2004, we have more than quadrupled the number of licensed provincial meat processing operations, and these new changes will help remote communities and preserve the ability to buy locally.”

A second update to the regulation provides support to those who have already made significant investments in becoming fully licensed, by providing a 100-kilometre protective zone, or 15 nautical miles if separated by marine waters, around fully-licensed plants (classified as established, Class A or B licensed operator). Within this zone, new transitional Class C licences will not be approved. New Class C transitional licenses will only be considered in areas where there is no local licensed capacity already in place.

"This amendment will assist those very isolated areas of the province to enhance their slaughter capacity and is another step towards having a fully sustainable meat industry in B.C.,” said Nico Human, CEO of the British Columbia Food Processors Association. “It also supports established plants that have invested in the future of our industry.”

Government recently announced an additional $3.8 million for the Meat Transition Assistance Program (MTAP), bringing the total commitment to producers to $8.8 million. These funds support new and current meat processors in communities across B.C. to become fully licensed, supporting new construction or upgrades necessary to meet health and safety requirements.

There are currently 51 provincially-licensed producers in B.C.; 31 of them are fully licensed and 20 hold a Class C license. In 2004, only 12 producers were provincially-licensed. The number of federally-licensed producers remains unchanged at 13.

Government is committed to the promotion of B.C. agriculture and food products at the local and provincial levels, and through the B.C. Agriculture Plan, is working to strengthen community food systems while maintaining high standards for health and safety.

Information on the meat inspection regulation and MTAP is available on line at www.health.gov.bc.ca/protect/meat_inspection.html.

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Media contact:	Sarah Plank Manager, Media Relations Ministry of Health 250 952-3387 250 480-6678 (cell)	Caroline McAndrews Public Affairs Officer Ministry of Agriculture and Lands 250 387-1693 250 208-3254 (cell)

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