Canada Adopts New Federal Food Safety Law

Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government has won the unanimous consent of the House of Commons for Canada’s new federal food safety law. With its earlier passage by the Senate, that means the Safe Food for Canadians Act, Bill S-11, now becomes law with the routine “Royal Assent.”

                                                                         
Unanimous votes among the 308 Members of Parliament (MPs) in Commons are not seen often in Ottawa and Canada’s multiple parties rarely agree on anything but the crisis at the XL Foods plant in Brooks, Alberta helped bring unity for the food safety law sought by the Prime Minister’s government.

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the new federal law:

• makes food as safe as possible for Canadian families;
• protects consumers by targeting unsafe practices;
• implements tougher penalties for activities that put health and safety at risk;
• provides better control over imports;
• institutes a more consistent inspection regime across all food commodities; and strengthens food traceability.

Additionally, CFIA outlined the improved food safety oversight, better legislative authority, and improved access to international markets as advantages of the new law. Specifically the agency said the new law promises:

1. Improved food safety oversight to better protect consumers/New prohibitions against food commodity tampering, deceptive practices and hoaxes
2. Streamlined and strengthened legislative authorities/Modernization and simplification of existing food safety legislation
3. Enhanced international market opportunities for Canadian industry

Crowd sourcing exemplifies social media at its best:

Social media is a valuable tool to solicit and engage potential customers - let them create and pick the next Big Thing. Think of crowd sourcing as an online tool or think tank of ideas followed by a social media vote for the best idea.  Rewarding the winner can really drive success.

Examples are endless: Samuel Adams asked their consumers to create a new crowd sourced beer. Arizona Iced Tea is asking consumers to create its next flavor.

 

 

 

Outside of the US, McDonald's has crowd sourced burger recipes and Lay's create-a-chip contests produced Caesar Salad flavored chips is Australia, Shrimp chips in Egypt Sausage-flavored chips in Poland.

Lay's is now launching a $1 Million winner campaign through it's "Do us a Flavor" Facebook vote.  Facebook is changing its rules with the familiar "Like" button being replaced with an "I'd Eat That" button. Lay's will select three finalists - all of which will be developed into flavors and sold in early 2013. Then a final Facebook vote will decide on a winner.

Food for thought: What a tremendous way to create a buz with a head-to-head flavor showdown.  Try it!

Social Media Marketing: Lessons for Success Part 6

9. The government can be your partner.  There are many funding programs available in Canada and the US as cost sharing or tax incentives that can help you offset the huge costs of entering a market.  For example, INAC Services Ltd. can assist you in obtaining grants and interest free loans for export marketing, plant expansion, energy reduction, product development, R&D, employee training, human resource development and much more. 

                                                                          

10. There are angels out there.  Find a venture capital firm to get financing.  For example, Loewen & Partners Inc. is a privately-owned corporate finance firm serving business owners needing access to sophisticated corporate financial services.  Instead of taking a year to find money, with your eye off the ball and giving many often demoralizing presentations to inappropriate investors; you could outsource your financing needs to Loewen & Partners.  They can match your company  with the best investors at the right price, and all of this within a far shorter time frame.   Their focus is on high-growth firms that require any of the following services: Equity, Debt, and Mezzanine private placements; Growth financings; Management buy-outs; Recapitalizations; Strategic acquisitions; or Family business advisory services.