Minister Bibeau welcomes recognition that Canada is negligible risk for BSE

From: Canadian Food Inspection Agency

OTTAWA, ON, May 27, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced that Canada has been officially recognized by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) World Assembly of Delegates as a country with negligible risk for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). By obtaining this recognition, Canada has achieved the most preferred status under the OIE's three tiered categorization system for evaluating BSE risk.

Minister Bibeau is marking the occasion today by speaking directly with past and current presidents of the Canadian Cattlemen Association, Stan Eby and Bob Lowe, who have been working with the Government of Canada since BSE was first detected in 2003, to achieve this most preferred status. Minister Bibeau will also be participating in calls with producers from across the country to emphasize that Canada has a strong, safe, respected beef production and processing system and a robust animal disease control system, which contribute to the national economy.

By achieving and maintaining negligible risk status for BSE, Canada enhances its negotiation position in efforts to gain access to additional export markets for Canadian cattle, beef and beef products among countries that require products to originate from countries with negligible BSE risk status. A large number of Canada's major export markets have already approved all Canadian beef based on Canada's previous controlled risk status. 

The Government of Canada will continue its work with the Canadian industry to prioritize outreach to trading partners requiring negligible BSE risk status among other requirements. Canada will inform those trading partners of Canada's BSE negligible risk status and will undertake immediate work to support expanded global market access for Canada's high-quality cattle, beef and beef products.

The CFIA worked closely with provinces and the beef industry to put forward a strong application to the OIE. These efforts demonstrate the importance of collaboration in achieving the best possible outcome for Canada. The CFIA will continue to work with the cattle and beef sectors, provinces and territories to maintain the negligible risk status through continued efforts in preventing and controlling the spread of domestic and foreign animal diseases.

Quotes

"Obtaining the "negligible risk" status from the OIE confirms that Canada's beef production system is sound, safe and respected. This will allow our beef and other cattle producers to expand their export markets and to develop their businesses''. 
— The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

"This is a great day for beef producers across the country, many of whom remember the devastation caused by BSE when it first emerged in Canada over 15 years ago. With this recognition, Canada is positioned to negotiate greater access to international export markets for our top-quality beef products. I applaud everyone from industry and within the Government of Canada for the role they played in making this happen. We will always stand up for Canadian beef exporters and the workers whose jobs they support."
— The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade

"As of today, Canada is now part of the list of OIE Members recognized as having a negligible bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) risk in accordance with the Terrestrial Code. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) would like to congratulate Canada, as well as other countries who received an official OIE animal health status, on their achievements."
— Dr. Monique Eloit, Director General, World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)  

"With the OIE's decision to grant Canada Negligible Risk Status for BSE, today marks the historic closing of the BSE era. We thank everyone involved in helping us attain this status including the Government of Canada, veterinarians across Canada and Canadian farmers and ranchers. We also thank Canadian consumers who supported Canada's beef industry during the hardest times of BSE when Canadian beef couldn't be exported."
— Bob Lowe, President, Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA)

"As past president of the CCA, I witnessed the economic hardships beef producers felt, due to the BSE crisis. It was devastating to see so many producers leave the industry due to the crisis. Today brings a new chapter, with new economic opportunities for beef producers and the next generation."
— Stan Eby, Past President (2004-2006), Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA)

"The negligible BSE risk status is an important step to help Canada secure and negotiate access to those countries have that have been holding out for Canadian beef products. CMC would like to thank AAFC, CFIA and Global Affairs Canada for the hard work leading up to this announcement. This was truly a collaborative effort of industry and government." 
— Chris White, President, Canadian Meat Council

Quick facts

• In 2020, Canada traded 425,109 metric tons of beef to 53 countries, valued at $3.3 billion.
  
  
• BSE is a progressive, fatal disease of the central nervous system of cattle.
  
  
• The OIE is the science-based standard-setting organization at the international level for animal and veterinary public health. It also serves as the scientific reference body for international trade of animals and animal derived products under the Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary (SPS) Agreement of the World Trade Organization.
  
  
• The CFIA's Dr. Jaspinder Komal, Canada's Chief Veterinary Officer, is the OIE Delegate for Canada.
  
  
• BSE was first discovered in Canada in a domestic animal in May 2003. The last case of BSE in Canada was February 2015 in a cow born in March 2009.
  
  
• Since May 2007, Canada had successfully maintained its OIE controlled risk status for BSE. In July 2020, Canada submitted a dossier seeking recognition as a country presenting a negligible BSE risk status.
  
  
• The maintenance of the status granted by the OIE is dependent on the continued observance of OIE standards. Failure to comply provides ground for the OIE to revoke the given status.
  
  
• In March 2017, the OIE evaluated Canada's veterinary services and recognized Canada as a top-performing country for its veterinary services and a leading example in meeting international standards.

Related products

• OIE's 88^th General Session
• OIE's list of countries with BSE-risk status
• Canada's application for negligible risk status for BSE passes an important milestone
• World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
• OIE's infographic on the process for official disease status

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Backgrounder 

Recognition by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) as a negligible risk country for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a major milestone for Canada and its beef producers. Negligible risk status will support ongoing work between the Government of Canada and cattle and beef industry to explore new market access opportunities. 

What is bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)

BSE is a progressive, fatal disease of the nervous system of cattle. It is what is known as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). Other TSEs include scrapie in sheep, chronic wasting disease in deer and elk, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. Although the exact cause of BSE is unknown, it is associated with the presence of an abnormal protein called a prion. There is no treatment or vaccine currently available for the disease.

Additional facts about BSE are available on the CFIA website.

BSE history in Canada

BSE has been a reportable disease in Canada since 1990.  In 1993, BSE was found in a beef cow that had been imported from the UK in 1987.  Canada's first domestic case of BSE was found in May 2003.  Canada's last case, its 19^th domestic case, was found in February 2015.

CFIA's role in eliminating BSE from Canada

BSE has not been detected in Canada since 2015. The CFIA maintains regulatory controls, including surveillance sampling and testing, specified risk material (SRM) controls, livestock identification, and the feed ban to keep the risk of new BSE infections to a negligible level.

In infected cattle, BSE concentrates in certain tissues known as SRM. As a public health protection, these tissues are removed from all cattle slaughtered for human consumption. To limit BSE spread among cattle, the Government of Canada banned most proteins, including SRM, from cattle feed in 1997. To provide further animal health protection, as of July 12, 2007, SRM are also banned from all animal feeds, pet foods and fertilizers.

How the OIE evaluates BSE risk 

In May 2007, the OIE implemented a 3 tiered country categorization system for evaluating BSE risk:

• Negligible: A country can demonstrate compliance with the recommended safeguards for at least 8 years and classical BSE has never been found in domestic animals younger than 11 years old.
  
  
• Controlled: A country can demonstrate compliance with the recommended safeguards, but not for at least 8 years, and any infected domestic animals born in the previous 11 years have been managed in accordance with OIE guidelines.
  
  
• Undetermined: A country is unable to demonstrate that it meets the requirement of one of the other categories.

Canada's strong submission for a new status

Since May 2007, Canada had successfully maintained its OIE controlled risk status for BSE.

In May 2021, Canada obtained its OIE negligible risk status for BSE.

The Government of Canada worked closely with provinces and industry to put forward a strong application based on data.  In July 2020, Canada submitted its application to the OIE to be recognized as a "negligible" risk country for BSE. In March 2021, the OIE Scientific Commission for Animal Diseases concluded that Canada fulfilled the requirements to be recognized as having negligible risk status for BSE. Member countries of the OIE had 60 days to request information about the report and the recommendation. The results of the vote were announced at the World Assembly of OIE Delegates at the 88^th OIE General Session on May 27, 2021.

Canada's application to the OIE highlighted Canada's strong BSE control measures, including  surveillance sampling and testing, SRM controls, livestock identification and the feed ban.

The CFIA will continue to work with the cattle and beef sectors, provinces and territories to maintain the negligible risk status through continued efforts in preventing and controlling the spread of domestic and foreign animal diseases.

Current market access

The majority of Canada's major beef export markets have already approved all Canadian beef based on their science-based recognition of Canada's previous controlled risk status including as follows (value of Canadian beef exports in 2020 as indicated):

• U.S. ($2.5 billion)
• Japan ($305 million)
• Hong Kong ($109 million)
• Mexico ($106 million)
• Viet Nam ($41 million)
• Philippines ($5.1 million)
• United Arab Emirates ($3.8 million)

The CFIA, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC) will continue to work collaboratively with Canadian industry to prioritize negotiations with trading partners that include negligible BSE risk status among the requirements for market access.

SOURCE Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

Oliver Anderson, Director of Communications, [phone], [email protected]; Media Relations,, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 613 773-6600, [email protected]