Why are new regulations respecting meat plants and meat processing plants necessary at this time?
Our current regulations (1990) were developed to follow the previous act which was voluntary in nature. In 1996, a new Meat Inspection Act came into effect which made meat inspection mandatory at the retail level in Nova Scotia. Since then, our department has been talking to industry and listening to consumers to help revise meat plant and processing regulations that would align with the mandatory nature of the 1996 act, enhance public health protection, and follow the national meat inspection template. Other than updating the regulations to be compatible with the new Act, how do these regulations differ from the current regulations? The proposed regulations, which are non-prescriptive in style, define outcomes or performance-based expectations. This type of regulation focuses on a goal or objective (i.e. the safety of meat or meat products) rather than the methods to achieve it. Outcome-based regulations provide industry with more flexibility to meet standards using new technology and
