HACCP-based Food Safety Program for the Grain Industry

OMAFRA and the Canadian Grain Commission Working Together

If you are an Ontario grain company developing and implementing a food safety program, there is good news. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) have teamed up to bring the Ontario grain industry a HACCP-based program.

OMAFRA has created the Advantage Series of Food Safety Programs™ for Ontario food processors. The Advantage series is an outcome based voluntary food safety program which includes, Advantage GMP, Advantage HACCP and Advantage HACCP Plus. The most recent addition to the Advantage series is "Advantage Grain"!

The CGC offers certification to grain companies through two voluntary grain food safety programs:

1. CIPRS + HACCP
2. CGC HACCP
   

The CGC worked with the grain industry and OMAFRA to develop these programs and based them on the CGC's experience in developing its Canadian Identity Preserved Recognition System (CIPRS) which launched in 2003. CGC HACCP certifies a grain company's grain food safety program, while CIPRS + HACCP certifies a company's grain food safety and identity preserved program.

The HACCP program included in both of these programs is based on OMAFRA's Advantage HACCP program. Ontario grain companies that achieve certification in either CGC HACCP or CIPRS + HACCP will also be certified under Advantage Grain with OMAFRA. So you will receive two certifications with one audit!

Benefits of CGC HACCP and CIPRS + HACCP

• Certification by the CGC, a federal government agency that has an international and domestic reputation for its grain safety and quality assurance programs
• Certification under a national standard for food safety and quality assurance that was developed in cooperation with the grain handling and primary processing industry
• Access to tools developed by the CGC in cooperation with industry
• Ability to choose from a number of CGC-accredited private sector auditors. These auditors have experience in the grain industry and have been trained by the CGC
• Certified company's information posted to the CGC website

Benefits of Advantage Grain

• Certification from OMAFRA, a provincial government agency supporting small to medium sized food processors'
• Certification under a provincial standard for food safety based on the World Health Organization's Codex Principles of HACCP
• Certified company's information posted to the OMAFRA webpage
• Access to tools, training materials and training workshops delivered by OMAFRA

Basic process

1. A grain company develops a HACCP program and CIPRS program if they choose, using resources provided by CGC and OMAFRA.
2. A 3rd party auditor that has been accredited by the CGC, audits the grain company against the Advantage Grain and CIPRS standards.
3. The auditor submits a report to the CGC.
4. The CGC reviews the report and decides if the grain company's program has met the requirements of Advantage Grain and CIPRS.
5. Once certified, the grain company will receive a CGC certificate
6. OMAFRA will recognize the certification and the grain company will also receive an "Advantage Grain" certification and will be listed on the OMAFRA webpage.
7. Recognized grain companies may use the CGC recognition mark and the Advantage Grain logo

Contact Information for the Advantage Grain:

Elaine Bernardin
Canadian Grain Commission
(204) 984-6979
elaine.bernardin@grainscanada.gc.ca