WOODSTOCK, N.B. (July 8, 2005) — McConnell Transport Ltd. of Woodstock, N.B. became the first company in Canada to achieve compliance under the new national HACCP based Trucking Food Safety Program (TFSP).

The TFSP — the first food safety program designed specifically for the Canadian trucking industry — was developed through the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) with support from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

The program is based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles. Developed for the U.S. space program, HACCP follows an internationally recognized methodology allowing for the identification, control and documentation of hazards which could potentially compromise food safety. HACCP is currently mandatory for processing meat and seafood products, and is becoming increasingly in demand from processors, distributors and retailers who rely on trucks to move food commodities.

“We are extremely proud to be the first company to receive compliance recognition.” McConnell Transport President Larry McConnell stated in a press release. “The program will become recognized as the industry standard. We can now confidently prove to our customers that we have taken all reasonable steps to ensure food safety within our system”.

Brad MacCallum, President of Kasar Canada Ltd., the authors of the TFSP, said the program has been pilot tested in a number of trucking firms across Canada and the early response has been strong. “It is becoming recognized as the best practices for companies wanting to ensure food safety, and improve credibility in the marketplace,” he said.