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Annex L-6: Compliance guideline for sample selection of red meat carcasses

The following procedures are to be used in selecting samples for subsequent possible reinspection by the United States Department of Agriculture, (USDA) import inspectors at the USDA import reinspection station. Samples are randomly selected under the supervision of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) inspection personnel and placed at the back of the truck. This is to avoid the necessity of unloading the entire shipment for reinspection at the border.

1. Notification of export

  1. A designated plant employee notifies the CFIA Inspector in Charge or designee of the number of carcass sides in the export shipment.
  2. The following procedures must already have been completed on the proposed export shipment in the sales cooler:
    1. shipment must have been scaled
    2. all trimming and final product checking completed
    3. segregated into the load
    4. tagged for destination
    5. readied for loading onto the truck for shipment

2. Random number selection

Using a random number table, the CFIA generates random numbers for the full load.

2.1. Beef/veal carcasses

  1. If the load is less than 100 sides or 200 quarters for beef/veal, or less than 100 carcasses for veal hide-on, then select 5 samples only.
  2. If the load ranges between 101 and 250 beef/veal sides or between 201 and 500 beef/veal quarters, or between 101 and250 veal carcasses hide-on, then select 7 samples.
  3. If the load ranges between 251 and 500 beef/veal sides or 501 et 1000 beef/veal quarters, or between 251 and 500 veal carcasses hide-on, then select 14 samples.
  4. If the load is more than 500 beef/veal sides or 1000 beef/veal quarters, or more than 500 veal carcasses hide-on, then select 22 samples.

Note

Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) calculates 1 unit as 1 veal carcass = 1 beef side = 2 beef quarters. Combined load should calculate total units to sample for each category. Saddle and half saddle are considered as quarters.

2.2. Pork/mutton/lamb/goat carcasses

  1. 8 carcasses = Lot size of 8000 lbs and under.
  2. 12 carcasses = Lot size 8001 to 24,000 pounds.
  3. 30 carcasses = Lot size 24,001 to 60,000 pounds.
  4. 47 carcasses = Lot size 60,001 pounds and more.

3. Identification of samples

Under CFIA supervision, the plant employees identify sample carcasses, sides or quarters. Samples should be identified. Plastic tape is recommended.

The straps are tagged and the plant rails out the samples and loads them on the back of the truck once the rest of the shipment has been loaded.

The truck is secured and sealed by a CFIA inspector. The seal number is recorded on the CFIA/ACIA 5733.

4. Sample representation

It is the CFIA's responsibility to:

  1. ensure that after selection, the samples remain representative of the load in its entirety
  2. ensure, if there is evidence that the samples are not representative or problems are detected, that the load is reinspected, reworked and re-sampled in the sales cooler
  3. not permit any additional trimming of the samples, beside trimming accepted during pre-shipment review

5. Partial loads

The following procedures are to be followed:

  1. CFIA selects all seven random sample numbers in advance
  2. The initial partial shipment is treated as a whole shipment
  3. Appropriate random samples for the partial load are selected
  4. The plant seals the partial truck loads, under CFIA supervision, with the samples on the rear of the truck
  5. The load is completed the next day

6. Re-sealed loads

Must be carried out under the direct control of the CFIA inspector, if any loads, because of scaling difficulties or weight miscalculation, are overweight requiring the removal of one or more sides, then one or more sides shall be removed from the back of the truck along with the tags and the next available side will be tagged as a sample.

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