Animal Care Program and On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program Regulations (N.S. Reg. 44/2013)

Animal Care Program and On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program Regulations made under Section 9 of the Natural Products Act R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 308 N.S. Reg. 44/2013 (February 13, 2013, effective June 16, 2013) Citation 1 These regulations may be cited as the Animal Care Program and On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program Regulations. Definitions 2 In these regulations, “Animal Care Program” means the Animal Care Program developed by the Chicken Farmers of Canada in 2008, as amended; “auditor” means a person chosen by the Commodity Board to perform audits in accordance with the Animal Care Program and the On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program; “certification agent” means an agent appointed by the Commodity Board for the purpose of deciding whether to grant certification to or suspend or terminate the certification of a producer within the requirements of the Animal Care Program and the On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program; “Chicken Farmers of Nova Scotia Regulations” means the Chicken Farmers of Nova Scotia Regulations made under the Natural Products Act; “Commodity Board” means the Commodity Board as defined in the Chicken Farmers of Nova Scotia Regulations; “existing producer” means a producer who has submitted a Farm Information Form; “Farm Information Form” means the form to be submitted by a new producer as a requirement of the Animal Care Program and On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program; “interest in base quota” means interest in base quota as defined in the Chicken Farmers of Nova Scotia Regulations; “licence” means a licence as defined in the Chicken Farmers of Nova Scotia Regulations; “marketing period” means a marketing period as defined in the Chicken Farmers of Nova Scotia Regulations; “new producer” means a producer who has not submitted a Farm Information Form; “On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program” means the “Safe, Safer, Safest” On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program developed by the Chicken Farmers of Canada in 1998 in consultation with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, as amended; “producer” means a producer as defined in the Chicken Farmers of Nova Scotia Regulations. Application of these regulations 3 These regulations apply only to producers who have an interest in base quota. Producer must meet program requirements 4 (1) Each producer must meet and continue to meet the requirements of the Animal Care Program and the On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program. (2) Before a licence is issued to a new producer, the producer must confirm their commitment to implement and meet the requirements of the Animal Care Program and the On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program by filing a completed Farm Information Form with the Commodity Board. Program audits 5 (1) An existing producer must arrange for audits to be conducted as required by the Animal Care Program and the On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program to determine whether the producer meets or continues to meet the requirements of the programs. (2) An audit must be conducted on a date agreed to by the auditor and the producer being audited. (3) After conducting an audit, an auditor must submit the completed audit report to the Commodity Board. (4) After the Commodity Board receives an audit report, the certification agent must determine whether or not the audited producer meets the requirements of the Animal Care Program or the On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program, as applicable. Consequences of failure to meet program requirements 6 (1) If a new producer fails to submit a Farm Information Form, the Commodity Board may refuse to issue a licence to the producer until the producer submits the form. (2) If an existing producer fails to meet or continue to meet the requirements of the Animal Care Program or the On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program, the Commodity Board may (a) refuse to issue a licence, in whole or in part, to the producer for future marketing periods until an audit is conducted and the certification agent certifies that the producer meets the requirements of the program, in accordance with Section 5; or (b) recommend to the Council that the Council suspend or revoke the licence until an audit is conducted and the certification agent certifies that the producer meets the requirements of the program, in accordance with Section 5. (3) The Council may suspend or revoke a producer’s licence on receiving a recommendation under clause (2)(b). Producer responsible for costs 7 All costs incurred by a producer in meeting the requirements of the Animal Care Program and the On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program are the responsibility of the producer.