B.C. poultry exporter fined $100,000

A high-profile Lower Mainland poultry exporter has been fined $100,000 after he pleaded guilty in B.C. provincial courtto four counts of contravening the Meat Inspection Act.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agencysaid Monday that Bruce Arabsky of Surrey falsely claimed that poultry destined for South Africa had been tested for salmonella.

Poultry must be tested for salmonella before the agency will approve it for export.

The CFIA alleged that over two years, Arabsky submitted 31 falsified testing certificates.

"We have to gain the confidences of the importing countries back, and when something like this occurs, we are very serious [and] concerned about it," said agency investigator Ken Lowe.

"I mean, it's the integrity of the CFIA inspection system at risk."

Lowe noted that Arabsky had expressed concerns about restoring international confidence in the safety of Canadian poultry after the avian influenza outbreak in B.C.'s Fraser Valley two years ago.

Arabsky, who is well-known in the B.C. poultry industry, had been a spokesman for exporters during the crisis.