Proposed changes to livestock tracing rules are not popular with agricultural societies and at least one livestock commodity group.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is revamping its regulations on how livestock tracing is managed. According to one local agricultural society leader, the changes will put onerous responsibilities on agricultural societies that they do not have either the human or financial resources to uphold.
Traceability protocols, usually through ear tags, documentation, and databases are required for all cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, and cervids (domestic deer).
According to the CFIA, each premises, such as a fairground, an animal travels to would have to be identified with a specific premises identification number.
Valerie Allen is an Associate Director of the Vankleek Hill Agricultural Society and the District 1 Director for the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies (OAAS), which is the provincial organization of the agricultural societies which host fairs and exhibitions in communities across the province. Allen said the new regulation will require each agricultural society to collect and submit information on all cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs that enter their grounds. That means all livestock used for shows and exhibits at agricultural fairs and exhibitions.
“We’re really concerned about the logistics and the time involved,” Allen said.
Currently, all livestock tracing information is the responsibility of individual farmers who bring their animals to fairs.
Allen is concerned the extra work will lead some agricultural fairs to cancel their livestock shows and exhibits.
She said the agricultural societies have been lobbying the CFIA and Members of Parliament to not burden fairs with the extra responsibility because it is something farmers already look after.
“It shouldn’t change when they come to a fair,” Allen said.
To meet the extra CFIA traceability requirements, agricultural societies would need many more volunteers to look after the administration of traceability at fairs and other events. Allen said that is not always possible. She understands the CFIA’s role in tracing any potential animal diseases but said local implications of new regulatory measures are not always understood.
The consultation period on the new CFIA traceability requirements ended on June 16.
The Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) has also expressed its concern over the new traceability requirements and the extra costs the industry would incur as a result.
“On behalf of Ontario’s beef farmers, BFO has very strong concerns regarding the cost the proposed regulations will have on our sector,” reads a letter sent from BFO President Jack Chaffe to the CFIA. Chaffe also referred to the extra responsibilities and costs the new requirements would mean for agricultural societies.
