Canadian Hog Producers Required to Implement On-Farm Traceability [July 1, 2014]</

Nov 07, 2013

Canadian Hog Producers Required to Implement On-Farm Traceability [July 1, 2014]

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

Come summer 2014, Canadian hog farmers will be expected to implement pig movement reporting on-farm. PigTrace, a federal traceability program has been in development since 2002, with full implementation coming into effect by July 1, 2014.

A regulatory amendment to the federal Health of Animals Regulation, which is also expected to be announced July 1st, has prompted the move. The traceability program aims to enhance the process of managing disease outbreaks and food safety emergencies. Information, which will be tracked through PigTrace, will provide government officials with the most accurate information regarding animal identification and movement of pigs.

In the New Year, the Canadian Pork Council will launch an outreach campaign aimed at helping producers transition over to the new requirements. Hog farmers will be able to choose from a variety of reporting tools that will work best for their farming operation, while still meeting federal requirements. More information about PigTrace can be found at: http://pigtrace.ca/.

Video: Finding a Balance of Innovation and Regulation - Dr. Peter Facchini

Regulations help markets and industry exist on level playing fields, keeping consumers safe and innovation from going too far. However, incredibly strict regulations can stunt innovation and cause entire industries to wither away. Dr. Peter James Facchini brings his perspective on how existing regulations have slowed the advancement of medical developments within Canada. Given the international concern of opium poppy’s illicit potential, Health Canada must abide by this global policy. But with modern technology pushing the development of many pharmaceuticals to being grown via fermentation, is it time to reconsider the rules?

Dr. Peter James Facchini leads research into the metabolic biochemistry in opium poppy at the University of Calgary. For more than 30 years, his work has contributed to the increased availability of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthetic genes to assist in the creation of morphine for pharmaceutical use. Dr. Facchini completed his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at the University of Toronto before completing Postdoctoral Fellowships in Biochemistry at the University of Kentucky in 1992 & Université de Montréal in 1995.