All Exporting Meat From China To Canada Is Halt Due To Health Certificate Counterfeit

All Exporting Meat From China To Canada Is Halt Due To Health Certificate Counterfeit

Canada says it has conducted tests on the canola and has not found any pests or bacteria of concern. China said it made the move due to fears and threat that Canadian canola was tainted by an insect infestation.

Canada exported more than $5 billion worth of canola last year, nearly half of it destined for the Chinese market — almost five million metric tonnes, according to the Canadian Canola Growers Association.

China cancelled Winnipeg-based agricultural handler Richardson International's registration, effectivity forbidding the company to export canola seed to the country.

China is considering halting all meat imports from Canada starting Wednesday after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency notified China that it had discovered a number of inauthentic veterinary health certificates in some meat products bound for China, according to a government official.

The Canadian government official said this most recent issue with meat exports bound for China is not on the same scale as the canola ban.

China already has halted imports from three Canadian pork producers over food safety issues — two in May and another earlier this month — as trade tensions between the two countries have escalated.

A Canadian government official, who spoke, from the report we heard on the condition they not be named, confirmed the CFIA notified its Chinese counterparts it had uncovered faked veterinary certificates for some Canadian meat products.

In response, the official said, China was considering halting all meat shipments from Canada. The official also said the federal government expects developments to emerge throughout the evening.

According to a statement released by China's embassy, a batch of pork from Canada was found to contain residues of ractopamine, a feed additive banned in many countries. Imports of pork from that facility were halted pending an investigation on the Canadian side.

The move comes on the eve of the G20 leaders summit in Japan, which brings together leaders of the leading 20 industrial and developing nations, including Canada, China and the U.S.

"The subsequent investigation revealed that the official veterinary health certificates attached to the batch of pork exported to China were counterfeit and the number of those forgery certificates was up to 188," the statement said.

"The CFIA has taken measures to address this issue and is continuing to work closely with industry partners and Chinese officials," said Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau in a statement. "CFIA is investigating this technical issue and has informed appropriate law enforcement agencies.

It said the Canadian Pork Council, Canadian Meat Council and Canada Pork International are working with government to identify potential next steps. "Demand for pork products remains strong in China and Canadian producers look forward to having the opportunity to continue to meet the needs of our Chinese customers." 

The Conservatives say Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should personally raise the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the forthcoming G20 summit. 

"Conservatives know that Canadian farmers produce some of the highest quality meat in the world. Any assertion by the Chinese government to the contrary is both false and baseless," said Conservative agriculture critic Luc Berthold in a statement. 

"It is clear that this is not an issue of food safety, but a political issue caused by Justin Trudeau's incompetence and weakness on the world stage."