Source: Chris Scott, MEATINGPLACE, 11/4/14


USDA officials and their Canadian counterparts today released common trade language proposals covering fresh beef, lamb, veal and pork designed to enhance trade opportunities between the two nations.

The new bilingual Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Whole Meat Specifications Document (WMSD) features the same meat cut nomenclature as the current US. Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications (IMPS) document and will be released “in the near future,” according to a release from the organizations. The goal is to reduce issues that hampered trade between the two countries because of different cut names and labeling requirements.

The latest revisions are contained in 11 documents addressing meat handling, refrigeration and packaging in addition to code-referenced descriptions of protein cuts and recommended quality assurance provisions.

The pilot program was first announced last year and an agreement to harmonize the descriptions and technology moved closer to implementation earlier this year under the guidance of the joint U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC).

Meanwhile, the North American Meat Association launched the 8th edition of The Meat Buyer’s Guide, which includes the first complete simultaneous update of the IMPS in 18 years. The new edition includes:
• 40 new cuts
• 84 major specification revisions
• Additional updated item names and descriptions to reflect current industry practices
• Processing options that reflect industry innovations
• Updated nutritional information
• More than 50 new photos

This edition also represents the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s new Wholesale Meat Specifications Document (WMSD), making Canadian wholesale nomenclature completely harmonized with the IMPS.

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