XL Foods: Independent inquiry finds major oversights







The XL Foods massive beef recall which took place in 2012 due to E.coli contamination was preventable, according to an independent inquiry into the matter. The contamination which saw over 1700 pounds of beef being recalled, and numerous cases of illness across Canada and the United States was due in part to an oversight on the end of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), as well as inadequate safety standards by XL foods itself.

The report laid blame on both the plant itself, as well as the government, ironically because this was one of the largest beef plants in the country and the oversight was so colossal.  

"We found that responsibilities toward food safety programs were not always met — by both plant staff and CFIA officials on site.”

“We found one of the country’s largest beef processors unprepared to handle what turned out to be the largest beef recall in Canadian history," the report, found.

During the 2012 recall, XL Foods found itself completely overwhelmed, the report found. This was due in part to the fact that they were not adequately prepared to handle it, and also because they had never had any kind of mock recalls.

"As the company had never conducted any mock recalls on a scale that remotely mimicked a real event, XL Foods Inc. found itself overwhelmed with the recall that occurred.”

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz responded to the report by accepting the findings, and announcing more money towards the creation of new inspection teams.

"In response to the report, I'm announcing the creation of new Inspection Verification Teams (IVTs). Our government will invest nearly $16 million over the next three years to establish these IVTs," Ritz said.

The government response on this issue has been appropriate, but lest we forget why this incident happened in the first place- cuts to CIFA . In the recent federal budget back in April of this year, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced a staffing cut of 14 percent, and a budget cut of 15 percent. Is the next XL Foods disaster looming around the corner? Not only does inadequate hurt Canadians for obvious reasons such as health, it also has an affect on our economy.

Canada is currently closing a massive trade deal with the European Union which will create a significant amount of revenue for both parties involved. Incidents like what happened in 2012 at XL Foods are damaging to the health of our own people, as well as bad PR for our country, which could affect future trade deals.

Perhaps the most shocking finding regarding this case happened soon after it happened. CTV had obtained an internal memo November 28th 2012 from XL Foods which found there were different standards set for meat sold domestically and internationally.

“A blind eye was turned to fecal and intestinal contamination on animal carcasses being processed for sale to Canadians, however meat being shipped to Japan was given closer scrutiny,” the CTV news report found.  

The government has taken one step forward in responding to this report, and one step back. Money should never be cut from a critical service such as keeping food safe for Canadians.


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