The Canadian Cattle Association has formally responded to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s proposed amendments to Part XV of the Health of Animals Regulations on identification and traceability.
CCA and the provincial associations engaged with producers through a series of provincial in-person and virtual producer meetings and an online survey, which brought more than 2,000 responses. On Monday, March 23, 2026, CCA hosted a Traceability Dialogue Day in Ottawa ahead of committee meetings and our AGM to review all of the feedback and determine a path forward.
After in-depth discussion and reviewing all feedback, CCA shared the following statement:
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After extensive producer engagement and input from provincial beef organizations, the Canadian Cattle Association does not support proceeding with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) currently proposed amendments to Part XV of the Health of Animals Regulations (Identification and Traceability).
The CCA supports livestock traceability as a core pillar of disease preparedness, market access and confidence in Canadian beef.
CCA and provincial member organizations will convene a Task Force to work for producers on a risk-based, industry-led approach to disease preparedness and emergency management.
WHY IT MATTERS: The proposed federal traceability regulations triggered an explosive industry reaction late last year. The CCA’s formal rejection signals the cattle industry wants a simpler, industry-led approach to disease preparedness rather than the regulatory path the CFIA had proposed.
CCA to form industry-led task force
The CCA does not support the proposed amendments but does genuinely recognize the importance of traceability for the industry. This may at first seem contradictory. Participants noted that traceability regulations do not leverage existing information or systems, and the varying provincial requirements were barriers to support.
Key themes we saw throughout the consultation process included the desire for a simple system that would be easy for producers to follow, the need for a clear and extensive program to provide education rather than enforcement, and the limitations of the cost-benefit analysis. Many producers also shared that they missed the public comment period in 2023, and they did not feel they had an adequate opportunity to share their feedback.
How we got here
The Canadian Cattle Association is grateful to be provided with space in Canadian Cattlemen in print and online every month to share information and updates about regulatory changes that have an impact on our industry, political concerns, our advocacy efforts and opportunities to engage.
In case you missed it, in December and January, there were several social media posts that raised concerns about proposed changes to traceability regulations that were anticipated to be announced this spring by the federal government. The resulting explosive industry-wide reaction led to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) pausing the process.
We have heard the concerns raised about the proposed regulations loud and clear. The Canadian Cattle Association has and will continue to advocate for a traceability system that works for the whole beef industry. We know that an onerous system is not practical and would not be widely adopted.
As background, in 2011, 19 cattle industry organizations from across the country convened in Saskatoon and developed what is now known as the “Cattle Implementation Plan”. This plan and the principles within it have guided the advocacy work on traceability by CCA and provincial associations for the last 15 years.
In 2023, when proposed changes to traceability regulations were published for public comment in the Canada Gazette, Part I, CCA, along with several provincial associations, provided feedback on the importance of practical regulations in order to maximize adoption.
The primary goal of a traceability system is to resume full market access for Canadian beef and live cattle as quickly as possible following an animal disease event. Our existing traceability system lacks the ability to capture a significant portion of cattle movements in a timely manner.
Given the Canadian cattle industry’s reliance on export markets, representing nearly half of all beef and live cattle sales in Canada, we need to be prepared and have tools readily available to manage animal disease events quickly and efficiently. Our ability to show swift action in response to these events is what will give our trading partners and Canadian consumers confidence in the Canadian beef supply.
An effective traceability tool will provide accurate information on the flow of cattle and ensure informed decisions to control the movements, which would contain the outbreak quickly and efficiently when an infected animal is identified. This is how to create the conditions for a speedy recovery in beef prices after a catastrophic event.
Staff and board members at CCA and provincial cattle associations spent a lot of time in January on the phone as misinformation and anger spread on social media.
Thank you to those whose first instinct upon hearing or reading about the proposed changes to traceability regulations was to reach out to national and provincial cattle associations.
Tyler Fulton
Canadian Cattle Association president
Why traceability still matters
Traceability is a key pillar of effective disease response, along with biosecurity and surveillance. These activities aim to swiftly identify exposed farms, contain disease, and limit spread. The goal of disease response is a rapid return to full market access.
We need to have readily analyzable data that allows a rapid and effective disease investigation. Our ability to contain and eliminate disease, and prove our return to a disease-free status, is what will re-open negotiations with trading partners. We understand that an effective system is both simple to understand and easy to participate in.
I would like to sincerely thank each person who called to ask questions and share their concerns. Board members, whether provincial or national, represent producers, and we need input and feedback from producers to inform policy decisions.
Thank you for reading this column and staying informed and engaged. We are always open to respectful conversations.
Tyler Fulton is president of the Canadian Cattle Association
