Canada has revised its feed and animal product standards to replace outdated rules with modernized frameworks, covering meat, milk, and poultry through the implementation of new feed regulations.
Canada Replaces 1983 Feed Rules with Modern Standards
New regulations now govern feed safety for meat, milk, and poultry products.
What changed
Feeds Regulations, 1983 repealed and replaced by Feeds Regulations, 2024.
Oversight expanded to include meat, milk, and poultry feed products.
Feeds Regulations, 2022 remains in effect as foundational policy.
Ontario’s 1999 regulation incorporated for consistent enforcement.
Who it affects
Meat and poultry feed importers must comply with the new 2024 framework.
Dairy feed operators must meet expanded oversight requirements for milk products.
Key dates
Compliance Analysis: Modernization of Canada’s Feeds Regulations
Canada has replaced the Feeds Regulations, 1983 with the Feeds Regulations, 2024, introducing a modernized framework to enhance feed safety, align with international standards, and support innovation in the livestock feed sector. The new regulations expand scope, impose preventive controls, and introduce licensing, labelling, and record-keeping requirements. Below is a structured breakdown of the key changes and their implications.
1. Key Changes Under the Feeds Regulations, 2024
The Feeds Regulations, 2024 introduce the following core updates:
A. Expanded Scope of Livestock Species
The regulations now cover additional species, including:
- Newly included: Game birds (e.g., pigeons, pheasants, quail), ratites (e.g., ostriches), bison, water buffalo, cervids (e.g., deer), llamas, alpacas, molluscs, crustaceans, and bees1.
- Removed: Mink and foxes (no longer considered food-producing animals)1.
- Retained: Cattle, horses, sheep, goats, swine, poultry (chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese), fish, and rabbits1.
B. Preventive Control Plans (PCPs)
- Regulated parties must develop and implement a Preventive Control Plan (PCP) to identify hazards (e.g., contaminants, pathogens) and mitigate risks1.
- Deadline: 12-month delayed coming into force (post-publication on 17 June 2024)1.
C. Licensing Requirements
- Mandatory licensing for:
- Deadline: 18-month delayed coming into force1.
D. Traceability and Record-Keeping
- Enhanced records required for:
- Source of purchased feeds.
- Recipients of sold feeds.
- Retention period: 2 years (electronic or paper)1.
- Deadline: 12-month delayed coming into force1.
E. Labelling Requirements
- Bilingual health/safety information (English and French)1.
- Lot numbers mandatory on all livestock feed labels1.
- Transition period: 1 year for compliance1.
F. Incorporation by Reference (IBR)
- Dynamic standards for:
- Single-ingredient feeds.
- Medicated ingredients.
- Maximum contaminant levels (e.g., heavy metals, mycotoxins).
- Permissible label claims1.
- IBR documents have the same legal force as the regulations and can be updated without regulatory amendments1.
G. General and Safety Standards
- Updated to reflect current science, risks, and technology (e.g., new pathogens, production practices)2.
- Aligns with international frameworks (e.g., Codex Alimentarius)2.
H. Exemptions and Permissions
- Clarified exemptions from the Feeds Act and Feeds Regulations, 20241.
- Streamlined approvals for single-ingredient feeds and mixed feeds2.
2. Implementation Timeline
The Feeds Regulations, 2024 entered into force on 17 June 2024, but key requirements are phased in with transition periods:
| Requirement | Deadline | Authority | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labelling (bilingual + lot numbers) | 1 year (17 June 2025) | CFIA | 1 |
| Preventive Control Plans (PCPs) | 12 months (17 June 2025) | CFIA | 1 |
| Record-keeping (2-year retention) | 12 months (17 June 2025) | CFIA | 1 |
| Licensing (interprovincial/export) | 18 months (17 December 2025) | CFIA | 1 |
3. Regulatory Alignment and Objectives
The modernization aims to:
- Improve feed safety by addressing hazards (e.g., BSE, contaminants)2.
- Support trade through alignment with international standards (e.g., WTO, Codex)1, 2.
- Reduce regulatory burden via streamlined approvals and IBR2.
- Enhance transparency with clearer labelling and traceability1.
4. Compliance Resources
- Full text of the Feeds Regulations, 2024:
- Proposed Feeds Regulations, 2022 (consultation documents):
Summary Answer
The Feeds Regulations, 2024 replace Canada’s outdated Feeds Regulations, 1983, introducing preventive control plans, licensing, enhanced traceability, and bilingual labelling to improve feed safety and align with global standards1, 2. Key changes include an expanded scope of livestock species (e.g., game birds, bison), mandatory lot numbers, and dynamic standards via Incorporation by Reference (IBR)1. Compliance deadlines range from 1 year (labelling) to 18 months (licensing), with phased implementation to ease stakeholder adaptation1. The regulations reflect international best practices and aim to reduce trade barriers while supporting innovation in the feed sector2. For full details, refer to the1(https://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2024/2024-07-03/html/sor-dors132-eng.html)1.
Sources
- ↩ Repeal and replace of Feeds Regulations, 1983 with Feeds Regulations, 2024 https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/G/TBTN21/CAN645A2.pdf&Open=True
- ↩ Feeds Regulations, 2022 https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/G/TBTN21/CAN645A1-01.pdf&Open=True