Recall Procedure

updated April 1, 2011

Under the Enhanced Safeguards introduced on July 12, 2007, anyone who manufactures animal feed for ruminants, horses, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, ratites or game birds must maintain written recall procedures. This requirement also applies to anyone who imports, packags, labels, stores, distributes, sells or advertises any of these feeds.

Industry demonstrates leadership in food safety

Under the feed industry’s voluntary HACCP food safety program FeedAssure™ manufacturing establishments must have a written recall procedure in place which permits complete and prompt recall of any lot of feed that is on the market.

Consistent with the requirements of FeedAssure™, it is recommended that a proper recall program include the following elements:

The name of the person(s) responsible in the event of a recall;
Who should be notified;
Procedure for tracing/reconciling a lot of feed;
Procedure for notification of recipients;
Directions on how recovered products should be handled;
Corrective actions;
Associated records (e.g. compliant file, recall contact list, distribution records, recalled product records, recall effectiveness, etc.);
Method for verification of the recall plan (i.e. mock recall).

As a feed manufacturer, the onus is on you to demonstrate that, in the event of a problem, distribution of a product (bagged or bulk) can be fully traced in a timely manner. The distribution records must be adequate to permit you to relate complaints/problems to specific lots of feed. In cases where individual lot numbers cannot be traced, a broader recall procedure, such as those that would be conducted in the food industry, must be in place.

If you are shipping to a dealership, you must record the lot numbers of all feed in the shipment and should remind your dealer to also record the lot number, including for bagged product sold over the counter, since dealers will also need to be able to recall any feed they sell/distribute.

Guidance information on recall

"Recall" (verb tense) means for a firm to remove from further sale or use, or to correct, a marketed product that contravenes legislation administered and/or enforced by CFIA.

"Mandatory recall" means a recall as per Section 19 of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act:

"19.(1) Where the Minister believes on reasonable grounds that a product regulated under an Act or provisions that the Agency enforces or administers by virtue of Section 11 poses a risk to public, animal or plant health, the Minister may, by notice served on any person selling, marketing or distributing the product, order that the product be recalled or sent to a place designated by the Minister."

"Voluntary Recall" means a recall that is initiated and carried out by the recalling firm without ministerial order.

Food manufacturers use many controls to make sure that the products they produce are safe. Sometimes, for many different reasons, a product may be manufactured and sold which may make some people ill or injure them, or is in violation of the legislation. When an unsafe or violative food product has left the control of the manufacturer, it must be removed from the market. This process of removing the product is called a "recall". If your company has made a product which is unsafe or violative and you have sold the product to someone else, you must recall the product. If you choose not to conduct a recall, the Minister of Agriculture may order you to conduct the recall under Section 19 of the Canadian Food Inspection Act. This applies to all manufacturers which have sold an unsafe food product.