Manitoba cattle producers broke ranks with their national organization last week over the issue of importing generic livestock drugs from the United States.
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association wants to close off the federal own-use provision when it comes to livestock products such as generic ivermectin for parasite control.
But Manitoba cattle producers said last week the loss of that Health Canada regulation would rob them of a cost-saving measure for their farms. Those buying generic ivermectin from the U.S. find it costs much less and they consider it equivalent to products available in Canada.
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“It’s ironic that we will not allow the importation of the ivermectin product but the Americans can use it and we will import their beef,” said Bill Campbell of Minto, Man., during the annual meeting of the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association in Brandon.
Don Guilford of Clearwater, Man., quipped that the money he saved by importing generic ivermectin during the past two years likely will be greater than any payment he can expect under the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization program, “if we get one.”
The system for licensing products in Canada is slow and onerous, said Guilford, and it needs to be streamlined.
“They’re depriving Canadian cattle producers, grain producers and Canadian agriculture of these products that would help make us more efficient.”
The CCA wants regulations that require any product used on Canadian livestock to be approved according to Canadian protocol, said Betty Green, speaking on behalf of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. Any bending of those rules “is opening the door for misuse in many other cases,” she said, citing the CCA’s position but noting that it runs contrary to her views.
The own-use provision was never intended to be applied to livestock, said Green, a cattle producer from Fisher Branch, Man. It was instead meant to benefit Canadian snowbirds who spend their winters in the U.S. and cross the border while carrying prescription drugs for their personal use.
“That is the CCA’s position and they would like the own-use policy removed or restricted to exclude all livestock products.”
The Manitoba Cattle Producers Association will lobby its national organization and the federal government to maintain the own-use provision that allows imports of generic drugs and parasiticides, as well as farm pesticides.
A resolution was also passed at the MCPA annual meeting urging that it lobby Ottawa and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association “to fast track the registration of equivalent agricultural products between Canada and the United States.”
