The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is dedicated to safeguarding food, animals and plants to enhance the health and well-being of Canadians, the environment and economy.
Livestock traceability is the ability to follow an animal or group of animals during all stages of its life. There are three main pillars to livestock traceability systems:
Identification of livestock with an approved indicator;
Identification of premises where livestock are kept, assembled or disposed of; and,
Reporting events related to livestock such as movement of animals from one premises to another.
The goal of the livestock traceability system is to provide timely, accurate and relevant information to reduce the impacts of a disease outbreak, food safety issue or natural disasters originating from and/or affecting livestock.
The Livestock Identification and Traceability Program (TRACE) has been administered jointly by CFIA and industry since 2001. The program is regulated and enforced under Part XV of the Health of Animals Regulations, made under the authority of the Health of Animals Act.
For more information about the Livestock Identification and Traceability program, as well as the latest updates on the proposed amendments to the Health of Animals Regulations, visit www.inspection.gc.ca/traceability.