Ottawa is proposing changes to Canada’s livestock feed regulations that would allow certain lower risk cattle tissues to be used in non-ruminant feed, fertilizer and pet food while maintaining existing protections against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald announced Monday that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has pre-published proposed amendments to Canada’s Enhanced Feed Ban in the Canada Gazette. The changes are intended to bring Canadian requirements more closely in line with those of the U.S. and improve the competitiveness of the domestic cattle and meat processing industries.
Canada introduced the enhanced feed restrictions in 2007 as part of efforts to control BSE, commonly known as mad cow disease. The rules prohibited most mammalian proteins from being used in feed for cattle and other ruminants.
Under the proposed amendments, all specified risk material capable of transmitting BSE would remain prohibited from human food and ruminant feed. However, certain lower-risk materials could become eligible for use in feed for non-ruminant animals, as well as in pet food and fertilizer.
The government said recent risk assessments by the CFIA, Health Canada, and the Public Health Agency of Canada concluded that the proposed uses would not increase the risk of BSE as long as existing safeguards remain in place.
The changes could reduce disposal costs, regulatory requirements and unnecessary waste for participating processors while preserving Canada’s food safety protections and access to international markets, a federal statement said.
Canada has been recognized by the World Organisation for Animal Health as having negligible BSE risk since 2021. That designation was reaffirmed under updated international standards in 2023, reflecting a sharp decline in BSE cases since the enhanced feed ban was introduced.
The CFIA will continue consulting with provincial and territorial governments, industry representatives and other affected groups. Farmers, processors and other interested parties can submit comments on the proposed amendments until Sept. 9, 2026.
Source : Syngenta.ca