The following is provided by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
This message is to advise licenced food importers of the updates and upcoming changes being made to imported meat product conditions within the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS). These updates support the operating of the Importer Risk Assessment (IRA) model.
What is the IRA model?
Following the same scientific principles as those used for the development of the Establishment-based Risk Assessment (ERA) models, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has developed the IRA model. The IRA model is a quantitative, science-based risk assessment tool designed to evaluate the food safety risk associated with food importers licenced under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. The objective of this model is to help the agency better prioritize its inspection resources and inform the level of oversight required by inspectors for food importers.
The IRA mathematical model was finalized in 2022 and the performance assessment of the algorithm is underway. Research regarding the IRA model development will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals in the coming months.
Upcoming Changes to Imported Meat Product Conditions
As input for the IRA model, information is taken directly from the Integrated Import Declaration, where the product is identified based on the Harmonized System Other Government Department (HS OGD) code and subsequently mapped to a category based on its food safety risk.
Upon investigation, a gap was identified when certain codes do not allow to distinguish the meat structure (for example, whether the meat product is intact, non-intact or comminuted). This impacts the IRA model capacity to accurately assess the risk of food importers, so in consultation with stakeholders, the CFIA has created a new registration type to address this gap.
Updates to the AIRS system
Between August 1st and October 31st 2023, AIRS Notifications are being published concerning the updates to specific meat HS OGD codes in a phased roll out. The identified codes are being updated to include a new registration type which will ask importers to identify the state/structure (intact, non-intact, or comminuted) of the meat product being imported.
An information session was held with industry associations and their members on July 12th 2023, to provide an update on the implementation of this registration type to specific meat codes. A request for a copy of the presentation recording can be made by contacting the IRA team. Additionally, AIRS notifications will be distributed throughout the phased roll out to notify when changes are being published within the AIRS system.
Additional information can be found on the CFIA external website.
For more information
Licence holders who have questions can contact the IRA team at cfia.eramodel-modeleere.acia@inspection.gc.ca.