Inspection agency cut: $56.1M

Consumers urged to air their beefs with companies

OTTAWA – The federal government wants consumers to complain directly to food companies for some labelling problems as part of costcutting at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

The initiative, outlined in the federal budget that expects the agency to cut $56.1 million from its overall budget by the next fiscal year, comes after an internal review of CFIA’S role in policing food labels.

“The government will change how the Canadian Food Inspection Agency monitors and enforces non-health and non-safety food labelling regulations. The CFIA will introduce a web-based label verification tool that encourages consumers to bring validated concerns directly to companies and associations for resolution.”

Examples of “non-health and non-safety” food labelling rules include such things as grading of meat products and the net quantity of items.

In a statement, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said the government “is committed to making sure consumers have the information they need about their food, which is why CFIA will continue to respond to consumer complaints.”

Despite an overall cut to CFIA’S budget, the government announced an extension of food-safety initiatives unveiled in the wake of a deadly listeriosis outbreak in 2008. That outbreak was linked to tainted deli meat at a federally inspected plant.

Separately, the Public Health Agency of Canada will see a cut of $68 million to its overall budget by 2014-15, while Health Canada will see its departmental budget cut by $200.6 million.

The federal budget also restates that it will keep the current six-per-cent annual increase for the Canada Health Transfer for five more years.