A Saskatoon company that pools producer buying power is helping individual producers import ivermectin, at least for the short term.
In a bulletin to its members, Farmers of North America began offering generic ivermectin last week.
The generic is a lower cost alternative to the brand name versions of the livestock parasite control product.
Despite its 60 percent lower cost and identical amount of active ingredient to the brand name product, it is not for sale in Canada because of federal licensing restrictions. The American maker of the product has not tested the product in Canada.
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However, for a few more months Canadian farmers will be allowed to import the generic product from dealers in Missouri and other U.S. states under a Health Canada “own-use” policy.
The rule allows food animal producers, but not retailers or distributors, to import a 90 day supply of ivermectin and many other unrestricted livestock drugs, not licensed in Canada, for their own use.
Earlier this year, FNA imported on producer’s behalf generic gylphosate ClearOut 41 from the U.S. under a similar own-use provision issued by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency.
A five litre jug of the generic ivermectin, produced by Phoenix Scientific of Missouri, will treat about 100, 1,100 pound cows, a dosage similar to brand name versions of the product.
At about $130 per jug, the generic version is about $290 cheaper than the brand name product. Regional and volume sales affect the brand name price.
Jason Mann of FNA says federal authorities plan to remove the rule that allows producer imports of unlicensed veterinary drugs beginning in 2006.
