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Canada Food Safety Violations Result in Fines

By Dan Flynn and Suzanna Schreck

Two companies and one veterinarian are paying fines totaling $125,000 for violations of agricultural laws enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
The penalties are the first court-imposed sanctions of the year for failure to abide by laws that fall under CFIA jurisdiction.   
After accepting guilty pleas to three counts of violating Feeds Regulations, an Abbotsford, British Columbia court imposed a $15,000 fine against Clearbrook Grain and Milling Co. Ltd.  The court said Clearbook mixed feed with prohibited ingredients.  
According to CFIA, a Clearbrook employee confirmed that flushing the mixer between preparations of two different types of feed (one medicated, the other which was not to be medicated), as required by the regulations, usually did not occur. 
The company said it was expensive and caused delays affecting product deliveries. 
Univar Canada Ltd., was fined $100,000 by the Abbotsford Provincial Court after the chemical giant pleaded guilty to multiple violations of the Fertilizers Act.
Univar pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawfully moving a detained unregistered fertilizer (zinc sulphate), one count of importing the fertilizer and seven counts of selling it.
A CFIA inspector is credited with finding the unregistered fertilizer on sale in Oliver, B.C.   The retailer had purchased it from Univar.
Univar, then known as Van Waters & Rogers Ltd., was given a written notice on Jan. 18, 2000 to cease selling unregistered zinc sulphate fertilizer because the Fertilizers Act prohibits its use.
A Winnipeg court fined Dr. Earl Van Assen, a veterinarian in private practice, $10,000 for failure to perform a duty assigned under the Health of Animals Act.
A CFIA investigation determined that between Nov. 27, 2008, and March 31, 2009, Dr. Van Assen issued 33 veterinary health certificates for the export of cattle to the United States in which he failed to ensure the information pertaining to the age of the cattle was accurate.
Dr. Van Assen pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Health of Animals Act.  His attorney and the Crown agreed to the $10,000, which the court accepted.
CFIA enforces Canada's food safety and other laws intended to protect the country's access to international markets.

Full post as published by Food Safety News on January 28, 2011 (boomark / email).