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Rules to be tightened for halal label claims
6-04-2014
We applaud the federal government announcement on April 30, 2014 to tighten the rules surrounding Halal food, and Halal food labelling, which to include the name of the Halal Certifying body. This landmark decision by the federal government to amend the food and drug regulations that is meant to provide consumers with “assurances that (halal) food meets a certifying body’s standard” will restore public’s confidence in halal food industry. The time has arrived for the BC Muslim Association, BCMA, to position itself as the leader in halal certification industry in Canada, which would eventually assist raising much needed funds to support the community, at the same time capitalize on job creation project for the Muslim community in BC, as well as Canada.
“The amendments, published in the Canada Gazette on April 23, are to come into force two years after the day they were registered” states the Attorney General’s website. “The new requirements will apply to both domestic and imported products,” the government said.
Specifically, the new regulation will ban anyone from using, either in labelling, packaging, advertising or selling a food, the word “halal” or any letters of the Arabic alphabet or any other word, expression, sign, symbol, mark, device or other representation “likely to create an impression” that a food is halal — unless the name of the person or body that certified the food as halal is indicated.
The best part about the government decision is that it will remain arm’s length from the certifying process. It added, “Stakeholders recognize government cannot take action to enforce a halal standard without consensus among the stakeholders themselves as to what constitutes halal.”
This means the halal certification will remain in the hands of the Muslim community and organizations. The government has left it up to the Muslim communities and organizations to develop their own standards of halal. The halal food suppliers and distributors will have to reach out to the Muslim Organizations to provide them with certifications. The organization with the highest credibility will garner the biggest response. The government said, “There are various interpretations of Islamic law which makes reaching a consensus amongst Canadian Muslims as to what constitutes halal difficult to achieve. It further added, “Stakeholders,” the government said in its regulatory impact analysis statement, “want a more proactive approach that will assist in alleviating this situation.”
During consultations in 2010, the government said, stakeholders in food processing and the Muslim community indicated they would have ideally wanted halal regulated through a standard.
However, it added, stakeholders recognize government “cannot take action to enforce a halal standard without consensus among the stakeholders themselves as to what constitutes halal.”
This provides numerous employment opportunities for the Muslims in Canada working within the halal certifications industry, which is fairly in infancy here in Canada. As well as it has a potential of raising much needed funds for the number of Muslim Organizations across the country to support the Muslim communities, often billed as the “Jewish Tax.” However the reality is far from fictional
This is a perfect opportunity for the BC Muslim Association (BCMA) to start working on establishing halal certification body, similar to BC Kosher, etc, by establishing the criteria, employing Muslim inspectors, to assist would be account holders, enforce the certifications, reaching out to the halal food producers, suppliers, and distributors to consider BCMA as one of the leading halal certifying body in BC and in Canada, and assist halal food product consumers.
This of course does not come without substantial financial investments. Therefore, Kosher certification bodies often charge the Kosher food suppliers with an initial registration fees, and an annual membership fees. It employees a number of inspectors to enforce halal certification, to ensure consumers are getting the halal products, and in return it charges royalties on products sold.
The Union of Orthodox Jews (U) symbol, or for dairy products, and for the meat, bills itself as the world’s largest and most trusted Kosher Certifying body in the world. It is the largest Kosher Certification body in United States, certifying 60% of Kosher products sold in U.S., covering sales of $150 Billion dollars in sales revenues, their website claims. It has 24/7 help line, have established, over 200,000 pre approved ingredients, assisting its clients who would like to get Kosher certifications. It has established lists of brand names that would bear its symbol. It has also established special instructions to handle certain equipment, have assigned Rabbinic Field Representatives to visit certified plants, and appoints a Rabbinic Coordinator (Account Executive) to each account seeking Kosher Certification. It is believed to be employing 40,000 people across U.S. to enforce and maintain Kosher Certification, and assist consumers and account holders.
In terms of Halal Certification in Canada, Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) has been the leader and has an area established similar to Union of Orthodox Jews. However, this should not be an impediment for others, such as the BCMA to come into the picture and take charge of the process, meanwhile assisting the local Muslim community growth.
Fortunately, the government has taken a lead in starting he ball rolling towards similar industry in Canada assisting Muslim consumers, this would be the right time for the BCMA to get into this industry before it is saturated.
According to the government, “Ottawa estimates the value of the market for halal food products in Canada today at about $1 billion, given a Canadian Muslim community estimated at a million people in 2006 and forecast to triple by 2031.”
We once again applaud the government initiative of establishing stringent guidelines and regulations towards the fastest growing food industry, and consumer market in Canada, as it was much needed. With the Food and Drug Administration or oversight, dubious suppliers who were capitalizing on this would certainly be eliminated.
We also applaud the government decision to stay arm length in terms of certification policies, recognizing numerous interpretations, thus leaving it up to individual Muslim consumer to select the best certifying agency which suits their belief system.
Finally we urge the BCMA to take dedicate its resources towards positioning itself on becoming the most reliable, and trusted name in Halal Certifying industry, which could translate into employment opportunities for the f Muslim community in BC and Canada.
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