REGINA — The Canadian beef industry has established a traceability task force to come up with a clear sector position as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announces it is going ahead with regulations for other species. The National Cattle Feeders Association said it’s disappointed there were no additional requirements for beef but will work with the task force. Many producers, particularly in Saskatchewan and Alberta, remain concerned about animal movement reporting, saying they need better technology before it can be implemented.
A recent webinar hosted by the Saskatchewan Cattle Association and attended by about 95 people indicated distrust of regulations and the regulator. Sixty per cent of respondents to polls during the webinar said Canada is adequately prepared for a disease outbreak, while 70 per cent said traceability is a critical component of disease preparedness. They identified tag retention as a main challenge.
Despite their concern, 80 per cent said they would support full traceability if improvements were made. Why it Matters: The CFIA had planned to publish new traceability regulations governing animal movement this spring, but an outcry on social media, fuelled largely by misinformation, led to a halt. Although the regulations were in the works for years and part of the Cattle Implementation Plan, cattle organizations subsequently also called for a stop.
The CFIA said it will update traceability requirements for goats, sheep and cervids to bring them in line with where cattle and bison already are. Pig traceability requirements, supported by the industry, are also coming. These requirements include adding event reporting, such as slaughter, import and export, shortening the event reporting time from 30 days to seven for abattoirs and carcass collection points, and requiring transporters to carry manifests.
“New movement reporting requirements for cattle and bison will not move forward at this time,” the agency said June 2, as it pledged to work with industry. The task force, announced June 9 by the Canadian Cattle Association , the NCFA and the Canadian Beef Breeds Council , includes 14 people from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario who will sit independently and not on behalf of any organization. The first order of business is to define the outcomes that a traceability system must meet to protect the industry and serve producers.
“Subsequently, the task force is mandated to propose a clear, practical traceability framework for beef cattle that meets those outcomes,” the announcement said. “In their work, the task force will consider if outcomes are best achieved through regulatory requirements, an industry-led approach or a combination of both.” The goal is a clear, complete plan for both industry and government. “Traceability itself is important and beneficial,” said SCA chair Chad Ross at the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association annual meeting.
“However, regulation and implementation is where the concerns lie.” Some of that comes out of recent investigations into bovine tuberculosis cases in the province. Ross said as a result of challenges with the CFIA, the SCA is calling for significant reform of the agency. “They have to incentivize, not criminalize, our producers in these disease outbreaks.
And if they want us to do our part as an industry, we expect them to step up and do their part,” he said. He also said producers have questions for the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency and how its Canadian Livestock Tracing System works. They worry about their data and whether it’s protected.
As well, producers want technology that’s easy to use. Ross said Mexico, Australia, Brazil and Argentina are all improving their traceability systems, and there could be lessons for Canada. Outgoing SSGA president Jeff Yorga, who was named to the task force, said until the animal health portion of CFIA’s mandate is returned to the agriculture department from the health department, producers will face more regulations.
In his report to members, he said the CFIA is the largest barrier to industry growth. The NCFA said traceability allows rapid identification and response to food safety issues, disease outbreaks and emergencies, which can mitigate economic and production risks. “Canada’s entire beef industry needs an all-encompassing traceability system strong enough to protect market access and confidence in Canadian beef,” it said.
The Livestock Markets Association of Canada also recently passed a resolution supporting traceability, said Ross.
