Small Scale Food Processor Association SSFPA
Growing Forward Identifier

Food Safety Systems Implementation (Processor) Program

Program Overview


British Columbia food and beverage processors are aware of the importance and economic advantages of implementing food safety systems in their operations. The purpose of the Food Safety Systems Implementation (Processor) Program is to offer education and funding for processors across British Columbia to develop food safety plans. The FSSI (Processor) Program delivers educational workshops, one on one consultations and funding to eligible food processors to implement GMP and/or HACCP plans. The Small Scale Food Processor Association (SSFPA) is pleased to deliver this program in support of British Columbia food processors like you.

The FSSI (Processor) Program is composed of two elements:

  • Outreach Element – one-day education workshops and on-site consultation
  • Implementation Element – cost-share funding to individual companies to support the implementation of written GMP and/or HACCP food safety systems.

Food Safety Planning Workshops
All food processors are welcome to attend an introductory food safety workshop to learn basic food safety for food manufacturing using food safety systems such as GMPs and HACCP. The session will include the latest information on employee hygiene and practices plus hands-on demonstrations including measuring and recording temperatures and, testing sanitizer solutions strengths. These workshops are a valuable education tool (if you’ve done the workshop before, this might be a good experience for other employees). What’s more, they offer an opportunity to network and access information that can help enhance your bottom line in these challenging economic times.

On-site Consultations
For a limited time, even more assistance with food safety planning is available as part of the Food Safety Systems Initiative (Processor) Program. Eligible companies that attend the food safety workshops may apply for FREE one-on-one site visits (counselling) by Food Safety Consultants who will help you conduct an assessment of your processing operation. This consultation is an advisory process, not an inspection. The information is entirely for your use – to help keep you and your business safe and to develop efficiencies that pay for themselves. The program is government-funded, so there is no cost to you for having our consultants work with you.

Implementation Funding
The Food Safety Systems Implementation (Processor) Program provides financial assistance to eligible food and beverage processing companies to implement their food safety system plan. This funding can be used to assist with the purchase and installation of equipment to improve food safety and to train staff in the adoption of food safety. Most expenses spent on food safety are reimbursed 90% by the FSSI (Processor) Program.

Growing Forward
The Food Safety Systems Implementation (Processor) Program – more commonly referred to as FSSI (Processor) Program – is offered as part of Growing Forward, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. Growing Forward offers programs and services to support a profitable, innovative, competitive and market-oriented agriculture, agri-foods and agri-based products industry. Growing Forward will contribute to the health and wellness of Canadians through the development, recognition and implementation of food safety systems across Canada. The Food Safety Systems Implementation includes three programs:

• FSSI (Processor) Program – processor food safety (delivered by the SSFPA)
• FSSI (Producer) On-farm Food Safety Program – delivered by ARDCorp
• FSSI (Traceability) On-farm or Processing Traceability – delivered by ARDCorp

Funding for this program has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands.

Processor Definition and Participant Eligibility Criteria

The definition of 'Food Processor':  A business that creates value-added food product(s) by cutting, blending, flavouring, thermal processing, infusing, carbonating, drying, juicing, or otherwise transforming primary agricultural and food input(s) into food or drink for human consumption. (For the FSSI (processor) program this definition is limited to non-federally registered facilities) 

FSSI (processor) Implementation Element:  The FSSI (Processor) Implementation Element provides funding for assistance to processors putting in place GMPs and/or seeking HACCP/ FSSC 22000 certification for recognized Food Safety Programs. Only the manufacturing portion of a company’s operations/facility will be eligible. Unless otherwise approved by the Food Safety Program Manager, all applicants must have attended an Outreach Workshop and have an on-site needs assessment completed.

Eligible Applicants:

An ‘eligible’ applicant to the FSSI (Processor) Program On-site Outreach & Implementation funding must:

Post Farm

  • Meet the definition of food processor (above) and may be a primary packaging operation.
  • Have a wholesale component to their business (selling to businesses other than themselves)

On Farm

  • Packinghouse operations that go beyond basic washing, grading and packaging under  on–farm food safety program or GAPs and are instead doing further processing (i.e., modifying or transforming) under manufacturing GMPs
  • Farm-gate processors that meet the definition of food processor (above) and are not covered by an on-farm food safety program.

Ineligible Applicants include:

  • federally registered food processing facilities 
  • aquaculture and seafood producers or processors
  • pet food processing/ manufacturing facilities
  • health and/or nutrition supplement processors
  • food service operations (e.g., cafeterias, dining halls, private food service providers, etc.)
  • service industries, industry associations, equipment suppliers, and/or public institutions
  • collectors, brokers, salvagers, renderers or composters of deadstock (as defined in Regulation 105/09 of the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001 as amended)
  • packaging manufacturers

I want to learn more about this program
This program is managed by the Small Scale Food Processor Association.

For more information on the overall program, please contact:
Phil Watney
FSSI (Processor) Program Manager
Toll Free: 1-866-473-7372
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For more information on the workshops, please contact:
Jane Kelly
FSSI (Processor) Program Outreach Coordinator
Toll Free: 1-866-619-7372
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Copyright 2010 Small Scale Food Processor Association

Last Reviewed August 2010

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