Ron Cannan, Member of Parliament for Kelowna-Lake Country, on behalf of the Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, today announced $312,000 for the Canadian Vintners Association (CVA) to develop a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) food safety program for the wine industry.
“The Government of Canada recognizes the efforts of our food and drink industries to implement and maintain the highest safety and quality standards for their products,” said MP Cannan. “Our government is pleased to support the Canadian Vintners in the development of a program that will allow the industry to incorporate a food safety management system in the production of wine.”
HACCP is an international protocol to identify and manage risks in the food supply chain. It is recognized as the primary food safety standard for many countries around the world. While wine is considered a low health risk, as most pathogens cannot survive in its low pH environment, concerns that compromise safety, quality integrity and production efficiency make having a food safety program an important part of any winery.
“The development of a wine industry specific HACCP plan will enhance Canada’s reputation as a producer of safe, high-quality wine, and ensure grape and wine safety from the establishment and care of the vineyard to the storing of the finished product,” said Dan Paszkowski, President of the Canadian Vintners Association.
To create a wine specific food safety model, the CVA established a HACCP Technical Committee in June 2007 to provide the product and industry specific information required during the development of the CVA food safety models. The CVA HACCP materials will be assessed through five winery pilot studies, with an anticipated completion date of February 2008, before being made available to wineries across Canada.
Funding for the CVA to develop a HACCP program is being provided under Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Canadian Food Safety and Quality Program, Systems Development component. The goal of the Systems Development component is to facilitate industry momentum in developing and implementing government-recognized food safety and food quality process-control systems throughout the entire food chain.
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