After extensive industry consultation, Canada announced Feb. 26 that it is 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 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, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
The federal 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, CFIA said.
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.
Source: AASV