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/.