Language selection

Search

Annex S: Users' Manual of the The Canadian Program for Certifying Freedom from Growth Enhancing Products (GEPs) for the Export of Beef to the European Union (EU)
Module 1 Overview of the GEPs program

1.1 Objectives of the program

This program contains the identification, inspection, documentation and certification procedures to qualify meat from market beef cattle to be exported to the European Union (EU) thereby ensuring that they have not been administered any Growth Enhancing Products (GEPs).

This program contains the identification, inspection, documentation and certification procedures to ensure that animals included in this program have not been administered any Growth Enhancing Products and thus have met this particular requirement for beef products qualifying for export to the EU.

1.2 Background to the program

In 1989, the European Union banned the use of Hormonal Growth Promotants and later added beta agonists having an anabolic effect to the list of prohibited substances. This effectively eliminated the export of beef products from North America where regulations permit the use of a number of growth promotants in beef animals. Although international courts have made rulings that strike down this ban, the ban is still in place and there remains a demand for a supply of Growth Enhancing Product (GEP) - free meat. In 1996 the EU approved the first iteration of the "Canadian Program for Certifying Freedom from Hormonal Growth Promotants (HGPs)". This program was designed to provide evidence to the certifying veterinarian that eligible beef animals have never been treated with GEPs so that beef obtained from animals produced under this program may be eligible for export to the EU.

This latest version is designed to move forward and take advantage of advancements which have occurred in the Canadian regulatory system and within the Canadian cattle industry.

1.3 Hilton Quota and European Union Tariff Rate Quota for High Quality Beef

It is important for producers enrolling in the program and exporters wishing to export beef to the EU to recognize the limitations of what the procedures in this document achieve. The purpose of this document is only to outline minimal conditions that will allow meat from animals that have not been administered any growth enhancing products to be certified for export to the EU.

Prior to pursuing the export market, exporters should also investigate additional requirements to allow their meat to be imported in to the EU through various quotas that exist. 2 commonly used quotas include the Hilton Quota and the EU Tariff Rate Quota for High Quality Beef. While meat from the Hilton Quota can be eligible for import to the EU based on grading characteristics, a tariff is also applied to product entering under this quota. The EU Tariff Rate Quota for High Quality Beef does not have any tariffs associated with it but in order to qualify under this quota, specific requirements that relate to feeding practices during the 100 days prior to slaughter along with other requirements exist. This process requires the participation of a CFIA Approved Veterinarian and an additional enrolment for the feedlots wishing to participate in this program.

To summarize, this document and the requirements of the various quotas are exclusive of each other and this document only serves as a guide to qualify beef as coming from cattle that have not been administered GEPs during their life.

Please refer to section 1.4.2.1 and Annex R13 of the European Union meat export library (Ecert) for additional details on these quotas.

1.4 Components of the program

  • The program will be delivered based on producer control programs (along with associated documentation), with oversight performed by way of periodic and systematic evaluations from private veterinarians trained and approved by the CFIA
  • The CFIA Approved Veterinarian duties, obligations and responsibilities outlined in this document are subject to the conditions listed in the "Contract for CFIA Approved Veterinarians delivering the Canadian Program for Certifying Freedom from Growth Enhancing Products (GEPs)"(Annex M)
  • Animals will be identified with an approved radio frequency identification tag. Facilities which are considered mixed status will be required to have an alternate visual identification program in place as well
  • The feedlot officials receiving animals from auction markets or community pastures/forestry reserves or from facilities which use or have GEPs present on their premises will check 100% of the animals for the physical presence of implants upon arrival
  • Mixed status operations which are active in the program and which use GEPs in non-eligible animals must maintain records tracking the purchase, receipt, use and disposal of these products and these records must be made available to CFIA, a CFIA Approved Veterinarian, or EU official upon request
  • Individual animal GEPs administration records must be maintained on farms that are of mixed status
  • Eligible animals shipped from the farm of origin or from a feedlot are to be accompanied by completed CFIA accepted transfer documentation which is signed by the owner or person designated as responsible for that activity. The transfers of animals registered in this program are to be from 1 operation registered under this program to another registered operation or EU approved federally registered slaughter establishment.

    In all cases where CFIA accepted transfer documentation is used, the following provisions are acceptable:

    In order to accommodate already existing farm records and electronic inventory programs used by cattle producers and to prevent transcription errors, the identification of animals may be done by way of an industry record. CFIA accepted transfer documentation would still be required to be signed by the designated individual. If this procedure is used, the documents must:

    • be linked together by using a unique reference number generated by the farm that includes a premises identifier. (that is PremisesID-2010-0001)
    • contain the minimum information required by this program (see definition of CFIA accepted transfer documentation)
    • the producer declaration will be signed and dated by the designated individual and all other pages initialled

    Additionally, all Transfer Certificates must be accompanied by a copy of a valid Annual Certificate of Compliance (Annex R7.1) which has been previously completed by the CFIA Approved Veterinarian.

    Should electronic systems be developed which allow the tracking of cattle through a common database (for example the Canadian Livestock Tracking System (CLTS)), the need for the use of transfer certificates which include a complete listing of eligible animals within the program may be re-examined. In this case, Vendor Declarations, as used in other international programs, may be a suitable alternative. Such proposals should be brought forward for approval to the local CFIA District and Area Program Veterinarians on a case by case basis.

  • Special permission may be granted for other movement of eligible animals in this program if a written protocol is submitted and approved by the Approved Veterinarian with a copy to the local CFIA District Veterinarian

    This approval may be for a 1 time occurrence or for a specified period of time

  • Eligible animals from this program must be slaughtered and subsequently processed at federally registered establishments that are approved to export bovine products to the EU

    These establishments must adhere to all pertinent EU requirements as per the EU section of meat export library for meat products

  • Verification of the program will occur via 2 procedures:
    • every carcass will be subjected to a physical check for evidence of implants at the time of slaughter by plant employees

      CFIA inspectors are responsible for assessing the competence of the individuals conducting physical checks and monitoring their performance.

    • EU eligible animals slaughtered in EU approved slaughter establishments will be subjected to a CFIA sampling program to monitor compliance with the EU requirements

      Standard sampling program procedures established under the National Chemical Residue Monitoring Program will need to be adhered to. Samples will be taken by CFIA inspection staff and sent for testing to a private laboratory accredited by the Standard Council of Canada as per the instructions contained in the sampling plan. The sampling plan will be updated on a yearly basis or as needed (for example approval of a new establishment for export of beef to the EU). The cost of shipping and testing will be the responsibility of the operator of the Federally Registered Establishments. The operator is also responsible to ensure that testing results are forwarded to interested parties as per the instructions contained in the sampling plan in a timely manner.

  • For those participating in a recognized/certified management system, please refer to Module 7 of this document
Date modified: