A single national database that houses livestock and poultry information has received a $7.5 million injection from the Canadian government.
Canadian Agri-Traceability Services was created in 2012 to combine the animal identification information of the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency and Agri-Tracabilite Quebec to reduce costs and make data reporting simpler.
Its system, Trace Canada, is mainly intended to provide trace-back information during a food safety situation, animal disease outbreak or natural disaster when livestock must be quickly located.
“Consumers place a higher value on products that can be traced throughout their lives. A sound, responsive system will give Canadian producers an economic edge in the marketplace,” said federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz at an Oct. 9 news conference in Calgary.
The announcement came during the animal traceability advisory committee’s semi-annual meeting, which was held in Calgary Oct. 8-9.
The committee represents industry and government.