A program to help Alberta livestock producers age verify their livestock has been renewed through federal and provincial money.
A $2. 34 million grant was renewed for the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency. It will be used to hire mobile field representatives to help livestock producers’ age verify their animals for the next two years.
Darcy Eddelston, CCIA chair, said 12 field representatives in Alberta are stationed at auction markets across the province to help farmers’ age verify or cross reference tags if there are problems.
The field reps also attend trade shows and go to dealer locations if there are problems with age verification, premise identification and livestock movement. They can also help producers with uploading information into the CCIA’s Canadian Livestock Tracking System.
As well, they can help producers with other livestock species, he said.
The program proved so popular, Saskatchewan has hired three customer service representatives to help their producers with traceability programs.
