Alberta meat plant reacts to XL Foods licence suspension

A spokesperson for the other major beef producer in southern Alberta, the Cargill plant just outside High River, says consumers won't see an immediate impact from the suspension of XL Foods licence at its plant in Brooks, Alta.

The Cargill plant employs several thousand people and has one of the largest kill floors in North America.

"I think short term I don't believe there should be much of an impact, it just depends how long the XL Foods plant is shut down," said Cargill spokesman Mike Martin.

Martin also says Cargill can increase its production if the Brooks plant is closed for any length of time.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's Dr. Brian Evans said at a press conference Friday morning that the countrywide recall of more than 250 products heightens the awareness factor of E. coli in all plants across Canada.

"As is normal in these circumstances when we find an event in a plant obviously we want to ensure ourselves that this is a single-event circumstance," he said.

Evans said CFIA is working with the Canadian Meat council and their inspectors on "the awareness factor."

He said the Cargill plant has a significant presence of meat inspectors present daily.