Despite broad industry support for the goal of a mandatory national livestock traceability system, many in the industry question whether the 2011 deadline set by agriculture ministers is too ambitious.
“We are concerned about the potential for downloading costs onto producers but we also don’t see the technology in place to record and register every movement in the system at a speed that will not slow the system down,” Ryder Lee, manager of federal-provincial relations for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. “To commit to a deadline before proven technology is in place does not make sense.”
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West Quebec producer Gib Drury, president of the Canada Beef Export Federation, was a Quebec farm leader when the province implemented a mandatory traceability system.
Despite strong provincial producer support and generous government funding, it took years to get the system in place for cattle and it is a work in progress for some other species.
“I would say that 2011 at the producer level will not be accomplished,” he said. “We have had 10 years of mandatory in Quebec and we are still ironing out the kinks.”
At a federal-provincial agriculture ministers’ meeting July 10, ministers were almost unanimous in signing the commitment. Only Saskatchewan’s Bob Bjornerud refused to sign.
“They agreed that a mandatory comprehensive national (traceability) system for livestock will be in place by 2011 and that implementation will be supported by national funding and regulatory framework,” said the communiqué issued at the end of the two-day meeting.
Federal minister Gerry Ritz said Canada has no choice. Important markets are starting to require traceability and Canada has fallen behind competitors such as Australia and Argentina in providing it. Australia implemented a system in 2005.
Critics in Canada complain that at $3 or more per ear tag, it will be another cost for a livestock sector facing financial woes.
“The flip side is that if we don’t do it with the speed of the Australians and Argentineans, and now the Americans are coming onside, we are being left behind so a fight to save $3 at the farmgate will mean we have lots of animals here we can’t export,” Ritz said.
Bjornerud objected to the cost and the practicality of the deadline.
“The timelines are awfully tight,” he said after the conference. “That’s a little over a year away and we’re supposed to be up and running. Really?”
At an Ontario industry-led agency that is involved in implementing traceability programs including premises registry, the short deadline also was questioned.
“There was surprise at the speed they expect to do this,” Brian Sterling, chief executive office of OnTrace Agri-Food Traceability said in a July 20 interview. “I think technologically, it is doable. But what will be required is co-operation between players throughout the chain and I think making those relationship arrangements will be much more difficult.”
Both Drury in Quebec and Australian veterinary services official Rob Williams from the Australian embassy in Washington, D.C., said industry support and consensus were key to implementation of mandatory systems in their jurisdictions.
“With the CCA stance and Saskatchewan, that consensus clearly is lacking here right now,” said Sterling. “Clearly the challenge, and with little time to do it, is to get everyone on board.”
He said that while understanding the CCA concern about costs, the cattle lobby should reconsider its position.
“I don’t think the CCA view is the majority view anymore in the broader industry and they might see this as a chance to get a leg up over their American brethren,” he said.
Gary Stordy from the Canadian Pork Council said the industry supports a phased-in traceability system. The current tattoo system needed for payment settlement once a hog is sold provides record of place of origin and movement, he said. A premises registration program also is in place.
“We expect more developments in slaughter plant traceability in the next year so we are broadly supportive,” he said.