Ottawa: After extensive industry consultation, the Harper Government is further strengthening Canada's livestock sector by enhancing its capacity to track animals from farm to slaughter through a mandatory national pig traceability system. The related amendments to the Health of Animals Regulations have been published in Canada Gazette, Part II.
The regulations come into force on July 1, 2014 for all domestic pigs that are farmed for food production, including those that die on farm and cannot enter the food chain. Effective July 1, 2015 the regulations will be extended to also include farmed wild boars.
The Government has amended the Health of Animals Regulations to require pig farmers and other pig industry custodians to keep records and report all movements of pigs, from birth or import to slaughter or export. The regulations also detail how farmed pigs and farmed wild boars are to be identified.
The amendments are based on a series of consultations with a broad range of stakeholders, including swine industry associations, provinces and territories, and other federal departments.
Quick Facts
In Canada, mandatory identification systems are already in place in the cattle, bison and sheep sectors.
The amended regulations brings national consistency in the pig sector by building on what is already in place in some provinces, such as Alberta's Swine Traceability System that was launched in 2011.
Quotes
"A national pig traceability system will help protect the safety of our food supply and the health of the sector. It will also help reduce economic impacts associated with any future disease outbreaks and contribute to the reopening of export markets should an event occur."
– Gerry Ritz, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister
"For many years, the Canadian hog industry has enjoyed an excellent herd health status. Animal health and foreign animal disease preparedness are key priorities for our industry and these new measures will strengthen our industry's ability to respond to any future disease outbreaks."
– Oliver Haan, Chair of the Canadian Pork Council's Traceability Implementation Committee
Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency