Overview

On-Farm Food Safety programs are the foundation of the “farm–to-fork” food supply chain. In Alberta, most of the programs are delivered by the provincial or national producer associations.

This means they are owned by the industry and delivered by the industry, not the government. The Alberta government is supportive of an industry-owned process and offers credible, scientific expertise, as needed, to organizations and farmers in support of the programs.

Commodity programs

The On-Farm Food Safety programs are Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point based food safety systems developed for various commodities to enhance food safety, maintain consumer confidence and facilitate market access.

These programs comply with federal, provincial and territorial legislation and are delivered by a provincial delivery agent or by the national industry organization that owns the program.

They all have gone through a thorough Canadian Food Inspection Agency technical review process as part of the federal Food Safety Recognition Program.

Table 1. Contact and web links for commodity-specific food safety programs.

Commodity Program name Alberta contact
Beef cattle Verified Beef Production Alberta Beef Producers
Broiler hatching eggs Canadian Hatching Egg Quality Program (CHEQ) Poultry Health Services
Chicken Safe, Safer, Safest (On Farm Food Safety Assurance Program) Alberta Chicken Producers
Pullets Start Clean Stay Clean – Pullets Egg Farmers of Alberta
Dairy Canadian Quality Milk Program Alberta Milk
Eggs Start Clean-Stay Clean Program Egg Farmers of Alberta
Grains, oilseeds, pulses Canada Grains Council Canada Grains Council
Herbs and spices Good Agriculture and Collection Practices (GACP) Herb, Spice & Specialty Agriculture Association
Hogs Canadian Quality Assurance Program Alberta Pork
Horticulture – fruits and vegetables, greenhouse production CanadaGap Program CanadaGap Program
Sheep Program Alberta Lamb Producers
Goat The Goat On-Farm Food Safety (GOFFS) Program Alberta Goat Association
Turkey Turkey Farmers of Canada's (TFC) On-Farm Food Safety Programs Alberta Turkey Producers
Veal Veal Quality Assurance Program Ontario Veal Association
Cervid Education Alberta Elk Commission