October 22, 2010

Canada's Alberta signs livestock traceability pact

The Alberta government of Canada and representatives of the province's beef cattle industry have reached an agreement that will provide the foundation for livestock traceability in the province, according to a release.

The pact was also seen as a key to expanding market access and managing animal health and food safety issues.

The Guiding Principles for Beef Cattle Traceability establish an acceptable common understanding of traceability among government and industry partners as they move towards a national beef traceability system, the release from the provincial government said.

"In July 2009, the federal and provincial agriculture ministers agreed to move forward on a comprehensive national traceability system for livestock," said Jack Hayden, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. "This agreement helps move this system forward."

Joining Hayden in signing the agreement were representatives from the Alberta Beef Producers, the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, the Beef Industry Alliance, the Canadian Beef Breeds Council, the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency and Livestock Inspection Services.

"All these organisations recognise the importance of the three pillars of traceability: premises identification, animal identification, and animal movement tracking," said Hayden. "A strong traceability system enables producers to enter valuable foreign markets, China being a recent example, and receive the premium prices that their high-quality products deserve."