American Meat Institute Says Pilot Program to Conduct Inspections At Plants Instead of Border Will Facilitate U.S. – Canada Trade

Washington, D.C.  – A new pilot program to conduct inspections in plants in-country will help facilitate trade between the U.S. and Canada and prevent delays at the border, according to the American Meat Institute.

 The effort was unveiled yesterday in Washington by President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.  The pilot encompasses many different industries, but the U.S. meat and poultry industry is particularly well-suited to it and stands to benefit greatly from it, as will consumers.

“We commend the U.S. and Canadian governments for this common sense pilot program,” said AMI President J. Patrick Boyle.  “Our U.S. and Canadian meat and poultry processing systems are nearly identical, as are our federal meat inspection regulations.   Our nations are uniquely suited to this kind of collaborate effort and it stands to benefit both of our countries and our citizens.”

In April 2011, AMI joined the Canadian Meat Council in filing joint comments with the Department of Commerce in support of efforts to increase regulatory cooperation among NAFTA nations that would facilitate trade and reduce unnecessary paperwork. To read the April 2011 comments, click here http://www.meatami.com/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/68549 .

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