Agenda

Canada’s new food safety regime is expected to enhance Canada’s trade and investment opportunities as well as modify the rules for doing business in agri-food sectors. Advance your understanding of how your company can achieve higher levels of growth and better adapt to a changing regulatory environment. Develop a blueprint for your company’s strategic direction by hearing about:

• The changes that the new regime will introduce to make Canada more attractive to foreign capital investors in the food industry
• The size of the international markets that will now be easier to access through trade agreements because of greater harmonization with global standards
• The potential for increased industry growth and employment in agri-food sectors
• The challenges that may arise from a changing regulatory environment in Canada’s agri-food laws

Understand the potential increase in business and ways to adapt to a changing regulatory environment that the new regulations represent for your company.

The U.S. is a key market for Canadian food producers and has also been re-vamping its food safety regulations by introducing its FSMA. Perfect your North American strategy for business development. Take back to your office strategies to:

• Be prepared for potential new action from the new U.S. administration
• Respond when labelling compliance will likely be enforced in the U.S.
• Apply these insights into the improved regulatory harmonization to your company’s export development plans

Improve your export process and potential North American sales.

Technology plays a crucial role in the management of your food regulatory and compliance efforts. This session provides an overview of food and beverage industry standards, compliance, key customer quality data, and how to track and report on this data within the Plex Manufacturing Cloud. This session will also cover quality process, exception tracking, mock recalls, and standards compliance.

• Seamlessly integrate a compliance management system
• Employ traceability solutions to be recall-ready
• Expand the way you work with vendors

Utilize ERP technology to efficiently manage your compliance duties.

Meet thinkers, doers, and trailblazers in food regulation. Break the ice and get to know fellow compliance and quality assurance executives during quick three-minute rotations. Start your day off right and make connections that will help you connect the dots and find ways to address compliance challenges.

Once its Front-of-pack labelling consultation process is complete, Health Canada will be introducing its regulatory proposals, which are expected this fall. Position your company to stay in front of these new regulations as they unfold. Create a roadmap for:

• Assessing the potential impact of the proposed regulations on your company and its products
• Determining whether the potential impact of the proposed regulations will mean product re-formulation is the best response
• Creating a blueprint for a marketing and consumer communication strategy

Get the latest information to prepare your company for the new Front-of-pack labelling regulations.

The three new labelling initiatives undertaken by Health Canada and the CFIA have created challenges for companies in determining their best approach to compliance. Listen to your peers as they discuss their coping strategies for this regulatory uncertainty. Walk away with an action plan to:

• Prepare your company for compliance with minimum disruption and expense
• Manage your company’s compliance timetable to develop coordinated and cost-effective compliance strategies covering all three initiatives
• Evaluate whether consumer perception of any of your products is likely to change under the proposed Front-of-pack labelling regulations and if re-formulation could be considered

Bolster your strategy for navigating Canada’s three new labelling requirements.

Heighten your awareness of the impact that livestock nutrition and medication affects the integrity of the food chain. Prepare your company to respond as improvements in this sector unfold by:

• Understanding the new regulations and policies for veterinary drug products, including the prudent use of antibiotics in animals
• Getting the latest information on the regulations for animal feed that are on the horizon

Understand the impact that greater oversight of what farm animals ingest will have on the food chain and your products.

Under the proposed Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, traceability standards will be taken to new levels and will now apply to all companies involved in food manufacturing and retailing. Sourcing top-quality suppliers has never been more important. Develop a blueprint to:

• Review the practices of your current suppliers and customers to determine if they meet the new standards of transparency
• Establish whether improvements are needed to your current method of record keeping
• Develop or revise your Preventive Control Plan (PCP) that can be kept, maintained and implemented as needed

Know what you need to do to meet your customers’ needs and expectations under the new traceability regulation.

The CFIA’s proposed amendments to the Transportation of Animals rule, and the FDA’s Sanitary Transport rule under FSMA effective April 1, 2017, bring mandatory higher standards. Advance your company’s strategy for improving animal transport methods and monitoring systems for refrigerated products. Adopt best practices to:

• Ensure your livestock and food products arrive in optimal condition and enhance your brand
• Understand the scope of shipper and carrier responsibilities; what is and what is not included
• Perfect your monitoring system for carrying refrigerated goods across the border under FSMA

Align your company’s transportation policies with growing public concern about the humane treatment of animals and food safety to improve your bottom line.

The SFCA includes more stringent requirements for importers and exporters, with smaller importers expected to feel the greatest impact. Enrich and transform your current food safety protocols to meet the new standards. Create a roadmap to:

• Understand and address the gap between your current standards and the standard your company needs to achieve
• Learn what existing programs can help your business overcome administrative hurdles, such as the CBSA’s Single Window Initiative
• Engage with the CFIA and learn how the new tools they’re developing will advance your company’s expertise and readiness for the new regulations

Be regulation-ready to retain your company’s customers and preserve your bottom line.