Food Safety

Saskatchewan OFFS Implementation Program

Responsibility for On-Farm Food Safety (OFFS) implementation funding has been transferred from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to provincial governments beginning April 1, 2009.  Under the new Saskatchewan OFFS Implementation Program, provincial commodity groups are invited to apply for funding to assist them in provincial level implementation efforts of their nationally recognized OFFS systems.  Those sectors that have or are in the process of developing a nationally recognized OFFS systems are eligible to apply. 

Implementation activities offered by each provincial commodity group differ as they are provided the flexibility to target programming and funding support based on their own identified priorities, while meeting the terms of the Growing Forward agreement.  Each commodity group is responsible for delivery of their OFFS program, including any educational and promotional activities, and/or producer directed funding.  Producers are not required to be members of the associated commodity group to access OFFS programming.  For information on specific programming available, please contact the associated commodity group listed below.

For more information, please contact:
Sandra Stanger
Financial Programs Branch
Ministry of Agriculture
Room 329 - 3085 Albert St.
Regina  SK   S4S 0B1
Phone: (306) 787-6425
Email: sandra.stanger2@gov.sk.ca

Saskatchewan Post-Farm Food Safety Program

The Saskatchewan Post-Farm Food Safety Program, under the federal-provincial Growing Forward Agreement, will facilitate the adoption of Vendor Recognition (VR), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), and International Organization for Standardization 22000 (ISO 22000) food safety systems by processors.  Funding will be provided to non-federally registered food processors in Saskatchewan for implementation efforts.

Eligibility:

• Non-federally registered processing plants that process ingredients/food for human consumption (exempting fish and seafood).
• For equipment, the processor must be currently undertaking or have completed development and implementation of a VR, HACCP, or ISO 22000 program between April 1, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2012.
• Work must be completed and/or equipment purchased from April 1, 2009, to Dec. 31, 2012.
• Applicant must be in operations on date claim is being made.
• Funding is provided on a first-come first-served basis. Early application is recommended.
• Applications must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2013.
• Maximum: $30,400 per processor. 
• Minimum payment $50 per application.
• Invoices for reimbursement must clearly indicate the service provided and/or equipment purchased.

Funding is available under the following categories:

STAGE 1:  Food Safety Gap Analysis funding

A Gap Analysis is a formal examination of the differences between what a processor currently has for their food safety program and what the processor needs to meet a particular food safety standard.  It is essential to have an understanding of what resources, initial expenses, and long-term expenses a processor must provide to develop and maintain a food safety program.  For example, in some cases, the Gap Analysis will identify that the standard is too costly to implement, or that the processor does not have the ability or capacity to meet the standard, resulting in savings of significant dollars and effort in the longer term.  A Gap Analysis is strongly recommended before entering into a VR, HACCP, or ISO 22000 program.

Under this component, funding will be provided to processors to help offset the cost of hiring a third party consultant to conduct a Gap Analysis.  The Gap Analysis must provide at a minimum:

• Identification of a processor's current food safety practices.
• Identification of further food safety practices needed to meet the desired food safety standard.
• An assessment report.
• Consultant's quote to complete the development of the food safety program.

Funding will be provided to a maximum of $1,200 per processor.  The processor is required to contribute a minimum of 50 per cent of the eligible costs.  Eligible costs include third-party consultant fees and consultant expenses

STAGE 2:  Food Safety Program Development and Implementation funding

A Gap Analysis is strongly recommended before entering into a VR, HACCP, or ISO 22000 program.

a)      Vendor Recognition (VR) Program Consultation

The VR Program is currently under development by the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre (Food Centre) and is expected to be available in late 2009.  VR is a Good Manufacturing Practices based food safety program, which focuses on implementing key food safety program components including: Sanitation and Pest Control, Personnel Hygiene, and Recall.  In addition, critical control points (e.g. cooking step, metal detecting) are added for further food protection.  The VR program is less resource dependent than a HACCP or ISO 22000 programs, however, deciding whether to implement the VR program versus a HACCP or ISO 22000 depends on your customer expectations and regulatory requirements.  The Food Centre, as the third-party consultant, will undertake development and implementation of individualized VR programs with individual processors.

Funding will be provided to processors to help offset the cost of hiring the Food Centre to develop and implement its VR Program.  Only the VR program offered by the Food Centre is eligible for funding.

Funding will be provided to a maximum of $3,250 per processor.  The processor is required to contribute a minimum of 50 per cent of the eligible costs.  Eligible costs include Food Centre consultant fees and consultant expenses.

b)     HACCP or ISO 22000 Program Consultation

Funding will be provided to processors to help offset the cost of hiring a third-party consultant to develop and implement a HACCP or ISO 22000 Program.

Funding will be provided to a maximum of $25,000 per processor.  The processor is required to contribute a minimum of 50 per cent of the eligible costs.  Eligible costs include third-party consultant fees and consultant expenses.

c)      Food Safety Equipment

Funding will be provided to processors to help offset the cost of purchasing approved equipment related to testing and/or monitoring for food safety.  The processor must be currently undertaking or have completed development and implementation of a Vendor Recognition, HACCP, or ISO 22000 program between April 1, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2012, to be eligible for funding.

Funding will be provided to a maximum of $1,200 per processor.  The processor is required to contribute a minimum of 50 per cent of the eligible costs.  Equipment eligible for funding includes:

• pH meter;
• luminometer hygiene devices;
• sanitizer strength devices e.g. test strips;
• thermometer;
• moisture analyzer/water activity meter;
• metal detector/metal detector test wands;
• modified atmospheric packaging (MAP) gas analyzer;
• magnets/magnetic banks (for filtering our metal from product or ingredients);
• refractometer (for sugar content of jams, jellies, juices);
• light meter (for measuring lighting strength of production rooms and visual inspection stations);
• allergen test kits; and
• psychrometer/relative humidity measuring devices (to comply with table egg regulations).

STAGE 3: Food Safety Program First Certification Audit funding

Funding will be provided to processors to help offset the costs of a First Certification Audit related to their VR, HACCP or ISO 22000 program.

a)  Vendor Recognition (VR) First Certification Audit

Funding will be provided to a maximum of $1,200 per processor.  The processor is required to contribute a minimum of 50 per cent of the eligible costs.  Eligible costs include certification fees and certifier/auditor expenses for First Certification Audit.  Only the Food Centre can provide First Certification Audit services for the Vendor Recognition program.

b)  HACCP/ISO22000 First Certification Audit

Funding will be provided to a maximum of $3,000 per processor.  The processor is required to contribute a minimum of 50 per cent of the eligible costs.  Eligible costs include third-party certification fees and certifier/auditor expenses.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Applications and information is available on the Ministry of Agriculture's website at http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/ or by calling (306) 787-8537.

Mail applications to:
Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture
Financial Programs Branch
Attn: Gary Coghill
Room 329, 3085 Albert Street
Regina  SK   S4S 0B1