The loss of small abattoirs is a concern for many of our members. The Report of the Meat Regulatory and Inspection Review by Justice Roland Haines, Farm to Fork A Strategy for Meat Safety in Ontario, is quite strong in its support for the continued existence of small, local, provincially inspected abattoirs as indicated by the following excerpt:

"In Ontario, many and medium-sized farms sell meat from their animals to local customers. The farmers take the animals to local provincially licensed abattoirs and pays for the animal to be slaughtered, and in some cases, processed into meat cuts, and then returned to the farmer for sale or personal consumption. Certain producers sell to small or specialized markets and must be able to guarantee that the product they take away from the abattoir is from the animal they delivered for slaughter ... several farmers and farm organizations advised that they rely on the existing geographically diverse network of small and medium-sized provincial abattoirs to provide the services they require for the direct marketing of their meat to the public. They asked that any changes to the system or standards not endanger smaller abattoirs. In my view, this can be accomplished without jeopardizing the primary goal of meat safety..." (Pages 278, 279)

However, the next quote from the report is one that will raise concerns for some of our members who do not wish to be subjected to further regulation, however, it is helpful to keep in mind that we all have a responsibility to sell safe food:

"Farmers that sell meat and poultry products directly to the public at farm gate, through farmers' markets or through custom order and delivery are subject to the same risks of food contamination as many other retail operations ... improper food storage, cross-contamination and other food handler sources of foodborne illness can arise in farm sales, as in a butcher or retail store. Therefore, farm gate sales and the persons involved in these activities should be subject to the same requirement for food handler training, as required of other retailers later in the continuum ..." (p. 202)

A copy of the full report is available from the EFAO Library.

Ann Slater