Latest news with #PaulMacKinnon
Cision Canada
29-07-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Canadian beef gets access to Australian market once again, boosting global trade ties in the Indo-Pacific Français
OTTAWA, ON, /CNW/ - Today, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced the successful re-opening of market access for Canadian beef and beef products to Australia—opening the door to a key Indo-Pacific market for the first time since 2003. Regained access offers not only economic potential for Canadian farmers and processors but also contributes to global food security by providing more international consumers access to premium quality Canadian beef. By opening access to premium markets like Australia, Canadian producers can increase exports, generating new revenue streams that fuel investments, sustain jobs, and support local economies from coast to coast. Canada holds a negligible risk status for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). which means Canada's beef production system is recognized internationally as sound, safe and respected. The Government of Canada remains committed to expanding international market opportunities for the country's agri-food sector. Working closely with industry stakeholders and trading partners, Canada continues to protect its strong international reputation as a source of safe, high-quality food, helping Canadian products compete and succeed globally. Quotes "Canada is known around the world for producing top-quality beef — and that's a testament to the hard work of our producers. Strengthening our trade ties with Australia—one of our key partners in the Indo-Pacific—means more opportunities for Canadian farmers and processors to grow their businesses, create good jobs, and build up our economy. The Government of Canada is absolutely committed to supporting the industry as we open new doors, drive growth, and showcase the best of Canada to the world." - The Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food "This regained access to the Australian market is a testament to the cooperation between the CFIA, the Canadian beef industry and our trading partners. CFIA's commitment to science-based decision-making and rigorous inspection standards helps to uphold Canada's global reputation for excellence in food safety and animal health. This achievement not only reflects the strength of our system and the value of Canada's high-quality beef internationally but also supports the livelihoods of Canadian workers and families who rely on this industry." - Paul MacKinnon, President, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Quick Facts In 2024, Canada remained a major global beef exporter, ranking 8th in the world by volume. Canada's global exports of agriculture and agri-food (not including fish and seafood) in 2024 overall was $92.2 billion in 2024, compared to $91.6 billion in 2023. Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) was launched in November 2022 to position Canada to take advantage of growing opportunities in the region by strengthening regional engagement and deepening diplomatic, security, economic, and sustainable development partnerships. A key initiative for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency under the IPS is the Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office (IPAAO) which opened in Manilla, Philippines in February 2024. Its mobile team of technical experts and trade commissioners works to explore and advance trade opportunities around the Indo-Pacific region, strengthen technical and regulatory cooperation, identify new business opportunities for Canadian exporters to diversify their exports and support investment attraction efforts into Canada. In 2003, Australia imposed import restrictions on Canadian beef, following the discovery of Canada's first domestic case of BSE. In 2021, Canada was officially recognized by the World Organisation of Animal Health as having negligible risk status for BSE, underlining the integrity of our animal health and food inspection systems. Associated Links Export requirements for meat products to Australia Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy to support growth and prosperity for the agriculture and agri-food sector Canada-Australia relations Each day, hard-working Canadian Food Inspection Agency employees—including inspectors, veterinarians, and scientists—inspect food for safety risks, work to protect plants from pests and invasive species, and respond to animal diseases that could threaten Canada's animal resource base and human health. Guided by science-based decision-making and modern regulations, the Agency verifies that food sold in Canada is safe while supporting access to international markets for our high-quality agricultural products. To learn more, visit
Cision Canada
10-06-2025
- Health
- Cision Canada
Protecting Canada's livestock industry with a new vaccine bank Français
OTTAWA ON, /CNW/ - Canada is making significant progress towards the creation of a dedicated foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine bank, which will build on existing protections for the livestock industry and equip producers with another tool to control and eliminate the disease should an outbreak occur. Following a competitive procurement process, Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, awarded contracts to Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and Biogénesis Bagó SA to supply multiple types of vaccine products and develop Canada's first FMD vaccine bank. This FMD vaccine bank complements Canada's current access to vaccines through the North American Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank, ensuring readily available vaccines for Canadian producers. FMD is a highly contagious and severe disease that affects cattle, sheep, swine, and other cloven-hoofed animals. An FMD infection can cause painful blisters that make it hard for animals to eat, walk, and produce milk, leaving them weak and sick. Preparedness efforts, including building a Canadian FMD vaccine bank, are key to protecting Canadian animals and agriculture. Having a ready supply of FMD emergency vaccines will strengthen our ability to respond effectively to an outbreak should one occur. It could also reduce the number of cases and the duration of the outbreaks. Collaboration between Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments along with stakeholders plays a key role in Canada's FMD prevention and preparedness plans. These efforts, combined with Canada's existing strict import requirements, on-farm biosecurity measures, and disease surveillance, continue to protect the health of Canadian animals and the economic prosperity of our producers and farming communities. Quotes "Today's announcement highlights our continued commitment to enhancing Canada's animal disease preparedness and prevention plans. Securing our own supply of FMD emergency vaccines will not only help reduce the spread during a potential outbreak but also help protect the livelihood of Canadian farmers by minimizing the impact on international trade." -Paul MacKinnon, President, Canadian Food Inspection Agency "Establishing a dedicated FMD vaccine bank is a vital tool in safeguarding the health of our livestock, market access and the future of our industry. CFIA's announcement marks a key milestone towards our shared goal of strengthening Canada's preparedness against the threat of foot-and-mouth disease. We will continue to work with governments and stakeholders to ensure Canada has a robust emergency preparedness and prevention strategy against FMD." -Tyler Fulton, President, Canadian Cattle Association "The FMD vaccine bank is an important investment in protecting Canadian livestock and livestock producers from this disease. The federal government's support is further proof the cooperative relationship between government and industry in Canada works for producers and processors from coast to coast. We look forward to continuing this partnership on other challenges together." - René Roy, Chair, Canadian Pork Council "Today's announcement is a welcome and pivotal step towards enhancing existing industry defenses, offering producers another critical tool to minimize the impact and return Canada back to 'FMD-free' status in the event of an outbreak. This is vital for protecting animal health and farm sustainability, contributing to a safe, reliable, and consistent food supply for Canadians." -David Wiens, President, Dairy Farmers of Canada Quick Facts Budget 2023 committed $57.5 million over five years, with $5.6 million ongoing, to the CFIA to establish an FMD vaccine bank for Canada, and to further develop FMD response plans. FMD is considered one of the greatest economic threats to Canadian animal agriculture and the economic impacts in Canada are estimated to between $22B and $75B (in 2025 CAD) depending on the mode of introduction and extent of spread. Canada has been free from FMD since 1952, and strict measures are in place to prevent the disease from entering Canada. FMD is not a public health risk and is not considered a food safety issue. Public Services and Procurement Canada led an open, fair and transparent competitive procurement process to establish the contract for the FMD vaccine bank. Information about the solicitation is available on CanadaBuys. Each day, hard-working CFIA employees—including inspectors, veterinarians and scientists—inspect food for safety risks, protect plants from pests and invasive species, and respond to animal diseases that could threaten Canada's national herd and human health. Guided by science-based decision-making and modern regulations, the Agency works tirelessly to ensure access to safe and healthy food in Canada, and support access to international markets for our high-quality agricultural products. To learn more, visit
