2 min read
Written by Marc Xuereb
Originally posted on August 18th, 2011
Sustain Ontario recently launched a new blog called “The Meat Press” that will show what’s happening with meat in Ontario, from legislation to implementation in abattoirs and meat processing plants across the province.
The most recent entry in the blog explains how the introduction of Meat Regulation 31/05 changed what it meant for meat processors to be compliant with laws related to the handling of meat — from slaughter to the point of sale. It focuses on the story of the Forsyth Farm, who until recently made meat pies from their own lamb and distributed 90% of their product wholesale through a provincial distributor. Changes in the way the food safety regulations were enforced led to a decision that they needed to make a $10,000 investment in their operations or they would not be permitted to sell wholesale.
Meanwhile, the Social Planning Council of Peterborough has released an “info note” on the issue entitled Local Abattoirs are Crucial for the Local Food Movement. It argues that small meat abattoirs are crucial to the survival of family farms and rural communities, and laments the loss of 40% of the businesses in the province since 1991. It asks consumers to speak up for the industry, since “Each time a small abattoir closes, farmers lose, the community loses and eaters lose.”
Members of the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable are trying to educate themselves about food safety issues and the small abattoir issue in particular. They will be hearing a presentation from local and provincial food safety inspectors at their meeting in September.