Canada: Millions invested in livestock traceability

Canada: Millions invested to develop livestock traceability

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced an investment of $7.5 million to the Canadian Agri Traceability Services to develop, implement and operate a national livestock traceability data service.

This national traceability database will collect, maintain and manage information in accordance with national standards, federal and provincial regulations, and the specific needs and requirements of industry. The project is divided into two phases. The first phase will look at the development and implementation of the traceability database. The second phase will involve seeing it into operation.

The database will reduce red tape and complement the work the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is doing through the Traceability National Information Portal, one of 90 department-specific reforms under the Government’s Red Tape Reduction Action Plan. Streamlining regulations and cutting red tape will help to spur innovation and productivity in agriculture, as well as increase Canadian competitiveness and free business to innovate, invest, grow and create jobs.

Traceability is the ability to follow an item or group of items–including animals, plants, food products and agricultural inputs such as feed, seed or ingredients–from one point in the supply chain to another.Traceability systems are key elements in helping to protect the health of animals and the public and support food safety.Canadian Agri-Traceability Services is a new not-for-profit corporation that brings together the combined experience of the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) and Agri-Traçabilité Québec (ATQ).This investment is being made through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s AgriMarketing Program, a five-year, up to $341-million initiative under Growing Forward 2.

“Our Government understands that traceability is a growing requirement for many markets around the world. Strengthening our traceability systems allows Canada’s livestock sector to continue to deliver the high-quality, safe and reliable products that consumers around the world have come to expect,” said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz.

“By making this significant investment in the new traceability database, we are taking even more steps to protect the health and safety of our citizens. Through the Red Tape Reduction Action Plan, we will continue to uphold the public trust by safeguarding our food supply, all while freeing business from unnecessary, costly, and time-consuming red tape,” stated the Treasury Board president Tony Clement.