The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is proposing to modernize the Feeds Regulations, 1983 to: safeguard feeds and the food production continuum, reduce overlap and redundancy in regulatory requirements, increase regulatory responsiveness to industry changes, address regulatory gaps, weaknesses and inconsistencies and align Canadian feed requirements with those of our trading partners.
Here below is an overview of the proposed changes to the Feeds Regulations and expected outcomes of proposed regulatory changes.
- The proposed regulations would move towards an approach that is less prescriptive and more focused on the overall health and safety outcomes.
- Licensing requirements would be created for individuals engaged in activities associated with feeds that are to be sent or conveyed inter-provincially, have been imported for sale or are intended for export. Licensing would not be required for individuals that are importing a feed that is not intended to be sold.
- Under this proposed approach, feed operators would be required to conduct hazard identification, and put in place preventive controls and preventive control plans to address risks (e.g., human and animal health) posed by identified hazards.
- It would introduce a strong, more transparent feed ingredient assessment and authorization process to support a safe and competitive feed supply chain.
- Feed registration requirements and exemptions would be updated, including the reduction in the number of feeds requiring mandatory registration.
- Labelling requirements would be updated to reduce prescriptiveness and rigidity, provide better information to purchasers. Health and safety labelling requirements would appear in both official languages.
- Traceability requirements would require more detailed record keeping requirements to better support risk management along the feed supply chain, especially where timely responses to incidents of risks to public or animal health are involved.
The proposed changes and expected outcomes are also available in the Agency’s Forward Regulatory Plan (FRP). The anticipated timeline for pre-publication in Canada Gazette, Part I has been revised, from spring 2019 to winter 2020.
Future opportunities to comment
This Notice of Intent serves to inform and/or update Canadians, members of the public and stakeholders.
Based on feedback received from previous consultations, the CFIA is currently finalizing the regulatory proposal and is proposing to bring it forward for comment through pre-publication in the Canada Gazette, Part I in winter 2020.
A public comment period of 75 days will be available for Canadians and other interested parties to provide feedback on the regulatory proposal, once it is pre-published in the Canada Gazette, Part I.
Contact us
If you wish to provide any comments or have questions related to this Notice, please submit them to:
Laura Scott
National Manager – Feed Program Coordination and Outreach Section
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
59 Camelot Drive
Ottawa ON K1A 0Y9
Canada
Telephone: 613-773-7527
E-mail: laura.scott@canada.ca