September 25, 2007
NDP PUTS PRESSURE ON CAMPBELL GOVERNMENT TO HALT MEAT PROCESSING REGS

VICTORIA – New Democrat MLAs are turning up the heat on the Campbell Liberals to rescind the September 30 deadline for the new Meat Inspection Regulation (MIR) – a move which threatens to devastate the livelihoods of meat processors across rural B.C.

“This deadline could spell disaster for independent meat producers,” said Claire Trevena, MLA for North Island. “We’re delivering the message to this government that they must not go through with this.”

“The New Democrat Caucus has unanimously agreed to make this issue a top priority,” said Agriculture Critic Corky Evans. “The regulation does not work for small rural communities, and in the case of isolated communities, defy common sense.”

The Campbell government is imposing the MIR without consultation from smaller players in the meat industry, and without adequate resources for implementation. The New Democrats are calling on the Campbell government to deliver a clear, equitable regulation which does not impose unmanageable capital improvement costs on smaller meat processors.

“This is another example of the BC Liberals putting corporate interests over those of the community, and big agri-businesses over small and organic farmers,” said Trevena.

The B.C. Meat Inspection Regulation was enacted as part of the Food Safety Act in 2004 and application of the regulation will be enforced province wide Sept. 30, 2007. The Regulation is set to govern the slaughter of animals for food sales in British Columbia.