Reading Time: 2 minutes There are things that beef producers need to look out for in the coming months when it comes to herd health and biosecurity. “We do know that there are changes in play that will require all medically important antimicrobials to become prescription only,” said Rob McNabb, general manager of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. Some medically […] Read more
Put antimicrobials, traceability, and biosecurity on your to-do list
All three areas are undergoing changes that producers should be aware of, says the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association
Livestock premises ID participation strengthens Canadian agriculture
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is considering changes to the Health of Animals Regulations for livestock traceability, the agency announced during PremisesIDWeek July 26, a federal release says. The changes would require all Canadian operators of premises where livestock may be loaded or unloaded from a vehicle to have a valid premises identification number for […] Read more
A full and robust traceability system still years away
Alberta is one of the few provinces with mandatory premises identification, but some livestock owners still aren’t registered
Reading Time: 2 minutes A national traceability system covering the entire country would pay major benefits — but it currently has far too many gaps, says a senior traceability official. “The creation of a system has to be national in scope,” said Rick Frederickson, director of animal welfare and national traceability initiatives with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “We need […] Read more
New era of traceability needs to involve the consumer
A system created to deal with food safety issues should also be a ‘conduit’ connecting consumers and farmers
Reading Time: 3 minutes One of Canada’s best-known food experts says that while farmers and the ag sector are trying hard to connect with consumers, they’re not pulling it off. And they’ll need to do better because customer engagement is critical in the new “era of supply chain transparency,” Sylvain Charlebois told the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency’s inaugural Traceability […] Read more
Ottawa to back P+H’s Hamilton flour mill
Winnipeg agrifood firm Parrish and Heimbecker has lined up more government financing for its planned new flour mill at Hamilton, this time from the federal level. Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay on Thursday announced a $10 million “repayable investment” in the project from the AgriInnovation program, part of the Growing Forward 2 ag policy funding framework. […] Read more
Traceability poised for next step: Auto tracking of cattle
The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) is tapping into new technology to make traceability fast and easy
Reading Time: 3 minutes Automated tracking of cattle may soon be a reality. During the coming year, the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) will be experimenting throughout the province with data loggers installed at farms, feedlots, and auction markets to track cattle as they move through the value chain. “Movement is very difficult to track, especially when animals are […] Read more
Fines now an option for pig traceability enforcement
Canadian hog producers who don’t follow the federal requirements for animal identification and tracking of animal movements could now be fined for non-compliance, though it’s expected such fines would be a “last resort.” The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Wednesday announced new amendments to the Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations, allowing CFIA-designated officials […] Read more
Cattle traceability symposium coming to Calgary
Two-day event to be held, Nov. 2–3
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency will hold the inaugural Traceability Symposium 2016 in Calgary on Nov. 2-3. The two-day event will address traceability’s role; regulations and compliance; challenges and solutions; other assurance systems; and lessons learned. It is expected to draw attendees from Canada, United States, European Union, Australia and New Zealand. Well-known food expert […] Read more
Taking cattle tag reading to the next level
Forget reading one tag at a time, this technology can track every member of a herd going down an alley at once
Reading Time: 3 minutes Cattle producers could save themselves a fair bit of time and money — if they’re willing to make the shift from standard low-frequency RFID tags to a new ultra-high-frequency alternative. “The typical button tag has been around for a long time and works very well, but it’s in a low-frequency spectrum and the read range […] Read more
Cattle ID workshops coming in 2016
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Cattle Identification Program is putting on traceability workshops in seven Alberta communities for cow-calf producers, backgrounders, and feedlot operators. There will be presentations on the impact of age verification and how that impacts Canadian beef in international markets, discounts suffered by feedlots, determining age at packing plants, and the importance of premises ID. […] Read more
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