A similar article appeared on the website of Ontario Farmer publications.
That prompted George Da Pont, president of the CFIA, to write a letter to the editor.
You will note that nowhere does Da Pont say how many samples of organic products the CFIA tests, nor does he reveal the results of testing.
And nowhere does he address Popoff's allegations that a CFIA-supervised organic accrediting body is handing out organic certificates, some of them to overseas people, without ever checking anything but the paperwork they file.
The CFIA seems to be a bloated bureaucracy devoting more energies to spin doctoring than enforcement.
Their control ought to be taken out from under Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and placed with somebody who will institute a top-to-bottom overhaul.
| Letter re: “CFIA doesn’t test organics with its logo."
January 8 - Dear Editor,
I would like to take this opportunity to clarify several inaccuracies in your article, and explain Canada’s organic regime.
First and foremost, all food, whether produced in Canada or imported, must comply with regulatory requirements to ensure the health and safety of Canadians.
Secondly, a product can only be certified as organic when it has met the requirements of the Organics Products Regulations which is monitored and enforced by the CFIA.
If any food product does not meet Canadian regulatory requirements, CFIA inspectors take action which may range from requiring re-labelling of products, to pulling products from shelves, or to issue monetary fines or prosecution.
The CFIA’s Chemical Residue Monitoring Program carries out over 220,000 tests of food samples each year for wide variety of contaminants such as pesticides, but also including veterinary drugs, other agricultural chemicals, industrial and environmental pollutants and natural toxins.
All foods, whether produced according to a traditional or an organic production system, must meet the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) in place at the time of testing. The vast majority of Canadian products tested meet these standards.
CFIA accredited certification bodies are responsible for verifying that organic operators are producing organic products in accordance with Canada’s organic standard including on-farm and facility inspections. When a deficiency is identified, the certification body will request that the operator take corrective actions, or, if appropriate, they may suspend or cancel the organic certificate.
In keeping with the Agency’s commitment to transparency, suspended and cancelled organic certification data are posted to the CFIA’s “Enforcement and Compliance Activities” webpage. The data are updated as enforcement actions are undertaken.
George Da Pont
President
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
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