Maple Program
Legislation Update:On July 1, 2011 the Ontario government introduced new regulations with regard to food safety, grading, packaging and labelling of fruit and vegetables, honey and maple products. Ontario Regulation 119/11 - Produce, Honey and Maple Products under the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001 replaced Regulations 378 - Grades, Fruit and Vegetables, 384 - Honey and 386 - Maple Products in the Farm Products Grades and Sales Act. The information for this link is currently being updated to reflect the new changes. A copy of O. Reg. 119/11 can be found at: We request your patience while we update this page. In the meantime, if you have any questions or need specific information, please contact:
Foods of Plant Origin Program Description:Program staff prepares and disseminates educational material for producers regarding requirements legislated by Regulation 119/11 of the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001 which includes labeling, grade standards and adulteration. Under the Food Safety Monitoring Program, maple product samples are collected for analysis. Positive test results for lead levels in excess of Health Canada guidelines and those in non-compliance with Regulation 119/11 requirements are communicated to the producers and/or other government agencies, as required. When necessary, a Risk Management Specialist works with non-compliant producers to investigate and resolve issues related to maple labelling, quality and food safety. Compliance and enforcement action may be taken in the event of serious and/or repeated non-compliance. Staff continually liaises with industry and government agencies to address concerns of the Ontario maple industry. Educational material and advice is provided to individual maple producers and to industry associations. The Maple Program also supports development of industry-wide food safety and quality assurance programs by providing materials and resources to assist in their development and review. Contacts:If you require further information on: Quality and Food Safety - contact...Production and Forestry - contact... Todd Leuty Maple Regulations - Canada Agricultural Products Act - contact... Eric Prud' Homme Sal DeMonte Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association Office Administrator The OMSPA website contains a wealth of information for both consumers and maple producers. For consumers:
For maple producers:
Additional Information:To help Ontario maple syrup producers produce high quality, safe maple syrup, the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association (OMSPA) has developed a Best Practices Program which is relevant to today's production methods, quality standards and food safety requirements. This voluntary program is open to all maple syrup producers in Ontario through OMSPA. The Best Practices Manual provides clear guidelines for best management practices and includes a self-assessment feature to help producers identify strengths and weaknesses in their operation. For more information regarding the Best Practices Manual, please contact the OMSPA Office Administrator, Rhonda Roantree, at 1-866-566-2753. For further Maple Products information available on the ministry's website, just click on the links below:
For more information: Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300 Local: (519) 826-4047 E-mail: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca
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