Provincial officials say they want to cut red take and reduce the regulatory burden in the agri-food sector.
Minister of Agriclture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ernie Hardeman, says farmers and food processors are dealing with out of date requirements.
Some of the proposed changes under the Food Safety and Quality Act will reduce paperwork and fees and encourage additional business opportunities for provincially-licensed meat processors.
Meat-plant licences would no longer need to be renewed, saving operators up to $300 every three years and the process will also be simplified for owners who no longer want to operate meat plants and voluntarily give up their licences.
The government is also proposing to reduce the regulatory burden under the Milk Act to promote growth, innovation and job creation in the dairy sector. Under current regulations, small dairy processors, such as artisan cheese makers, can spend up to one-third of their construction budget on outdated building requirements.
The proposed amendments are now on the Regulatory Registry, with comments accepted until January 10.
