The CFIA has provided this clarification on slaughter facilities to certifiers. Operations should be aware of this information, so they can choose the best options available for their situation:
Part 13 of SFCR does not require operators conducting slaughtering activities to be certified. This activity must at a minimum be inspected on a yearly basis as part of the organic system plan of the certified operator (person holding the certification and retaining ownership for the livestock).
As per C.11 of the COR Operating Manual:
• operators conducting slaughtering activities and that do not own the livestock (product) can receive an Attestation of Compliance (AOC) for this activity, if they choose so.
• operators conducting the slaughtering activities who own (purchased) the livestock must be certified with an organic product certificate.
It is important to note that in all cases, it is the responsibility of the certification body (CB) to analyze all of the slaughterhouse’s relevant operational activities, product, ownership, where the product is going etc. and determine if certification (product or packaging and labelling certificate), inspection through a certified operator’s plan or AOC is appropriate. It is important that CBs make slaughterhouses aware that they have several options available to them. Please note that the same approach applies to any other AOC activity.
Under Part 13 of the SFCR post-slaughtering packaging and labelling activities require mandatory packaging and labelling certification for operators who conduct this activity on behalf of the product owner (holder of the product certificate) ( SFCR s. 342). Please note that in the case of a person acting on behalf of the certified product owner , the name of the CB that issues the packaging and labelling certificate cannot appear on the label. Only the name of the CB that certified the final product and issued the product certificate will appear on the label (SFCR s. 354 (a)).
OCIA Note: If a slaughter facility completes final packaging and/or labeling after slaughter, they would need to request the AOC and P&L. If they only package in a container for transport, and the final packaging/labeling is completed by the certified entity, the P&L would not be needed by the slaughterhouse.