CFIA revises livestock traceability rules

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Heather Brown, the CFIA’s national manager of humane transport and livestock traceability programs, said during the webinar the agency carefully considered feedback from industry groups during the pause on the proposed amendments. 

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“We’ve heard what the beef cattle producers are saying about burden and extra regulations, so we will not be introducing any new sort of regulatory burden for cattle producers,” Brown said. “However, with the traceability regulatory package that we’re trying to move forward, there are other livestock sectors that the regulations affect.”  

The new movement requirements for bison will not move forward at this time, but the changes will affect pigs, goats, sheep and cervids, such as deer and elk.  

Brown said the CFIA is only moving ahead with regulatory requirements for those other livestock species. 

“So, goats, cervids and sheep, and as well as some pig traceability amendments. We will not move forward with any changes for the beef sector that increases burden. But we do want to move the package forward and capture some of the needed changes for the other sectors,” she said.   

For goats and cervids, the updated proposal includes introducing ID requirements like those for all regulated species, and additional event reporting, such as slaughter, import, export and disposal.  

For sheep, there is a requirement to report slaughter and exports, like all other regulated species.  

For pigs, sheep, goats and cervids, producers could use provincial premises ID numbers instead of personal contact details when buying tags or reporting events. The proposal also shortens the event reporting time from 30 days to seven for abattoirs and carcass collection or disposal points.  

It also requires transporters of all regulated species to carry documentation with animals during transport, which most already do through provincial livestock manifests.  

The CFIA says the proposal would bring those livestock sectors in line with rules similar to those for beef cattle and bison. 

The agency will continue gathering feedback from other livestock groups before setting a new timeline to move the changes forward. 

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com