N.S. Curtmar Farms charged with Health of Animals Act violations

Canadian Food Inspection Agency in Ottawa on Wednesday, June 26, 2019.

Curtmar Farms Limited in Nova Scotia is facing five charges under the Health of Animals Act following an investigation by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

The agency alleges the organization (doing business as Curtmar Meats) and Curtis Moxsom from Stewiacke “failed to comply with specified risk material (SRM) requirements,” which was a violation of section 6.2 and subsection 6.4(1) of the Health of Animals Regulations.

Curtmar Meats is also charged with making a false or misleading statement to an inspector, which is a violation of subsection 35(1) of the Health of Animals Act, according to a news release from CFIA dated Dec. 22.

According to the release, section 6.2 says anyone who slaughters, cuts up or debones cattle for human consumption must “ensure that the specified risk material has been removed from the cattle.”

Subsection 6.4(1) says no person -- except in accordance with a permit or licence -- can treat, store, export, sell, confine or destroy a specified risk material if it was removed from a cattle slaughtered in Canada or was removed from the carcass of a cattle that died before it would have otherwise been slaughtered.

The CFIA said Curtmar Farms and Curtis Moxsom were scheduled to appear in provincial court in Shubenacadie on Monday.

“The CFIA is responsible for the administration and enforcement of federal legislation, acts and regulations, including the Health of Animals Act and Regulations,” the release reads. “We are dedicated to safeguarding food, animal, and plant health, which enhance the health and well-being of Canada’s people, environment, and economy.

“The CFIA issues notifications of charges laid to inform the public when charges have been laid by CFIA’s Enforcement and Investigation Services (EIS). Charges are laid by EIS after the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) decides to prosecute the charges.”

The allegations have not yet been tested in court.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page