Feed regulatory modernization

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is in the process of reviewing all of its regulations for food safety, plant and animal health to improve their consistency, reduce their complexity and strengthen consumer protection. As part of a multi-year, structured and comprehensive review of its regulatory frameworks, the agency aims to ensure that safety is the overarching consideration and that regulations align with leading industry practices, and are outcome-based and transparent. Modernized regulations will reduce unnecessary regulatory burden; provide clarity and flexibility in regulations; and support innovation and changes in science and technology.

On this page

• Background
• Feeds Regulations, 2022
• Proposed documents to be incorporated by reference
• Fact sheets
• Guidance documents
• Related information

Background

The proposed amendments to the federal Feeds Regulations, 1983, would be a major update and aim to improve livestock feed and food safety in Canada, reflect international standards and keep up with industry innovation, science and technology.

Feed and livestock production sectors in Canada and abroad have evolved considerably since 1983, operating in an environment influenced by several changing factors such as: nutritional advancements, feed manufacturing and distribution changes, innovation in feed manufacturing technologies, emergence of new pathogens and disease agents, heightened consumer awareness of food safety, climate change, and increased globalization of trade.

Amendments to the Feeds Regulations are required to establish a feed framework that includes hazard analysis, preventive controls, traceability, increased record-keeping requirements, and licensing. These changes will better align with international regulatory frameworks and best practices. This will enable the CFIA and regulated sectors to better understand and manage risks that livestock feeds pose to animal health, human health and the environment, and will support proactive practices for managing those risks.

The ultimate objective is to develop a modernized risk- and outcome-based regulatory framework for feeds that:

• protects public, animal and plant health, and the environment
• reduces unnecessary regulatory burden, overlap and redundancy for stakeholders
• addresses gaps, weaknesses, and inconsistencies
• better aligns regulatory frameworks with the strategic objectives of the CFIA and the government's priorities related to economic prosperity and border security
• supports fair and competitive trade in the market
• allows for innovation and flexibility through outcome-based regulations

Feeds Regulations, 2022

As part of the process to modernize the feed regulations, the CFIA sought feedback on proposed changes to the Feeds Regulations, 1983. The changes were pre-published in the Canada Gazette, Part I and included a number of documents to be incorporated by reference.

• Read the proposed documents incorporated by reference
• Read the fact sheets and guidance documents to better understand the proposed regulations

Input gathered through this consultation will help shape changes to the proposed Feeds Regulations, 2022.

Proposed documents to be incorporated by reference

The proposed Feeds Regulations, 2022 include a number of documents to be incorporated by reference. Incorporation by reference (IbR) is a drafting technique that introduces the content of a document into a regulation without having to reproduce the document's text in the regulation. If a document is incorporated by reference, the incorporated wording has the same effect as if it appeared in the regulations. The following 9 IbR documents are being proposed as part of this feed regulatory initiative.

• Canadian Feed Ingredients Table

  Single ingredient feeds approved for use in livestock feed in Canada. Currently, referred to as Schedule IV and V

• Compendium of Medicating Ingredient Brochures

  Medicating ingredients that are allowed to be added to feed, the intended livestock species, level of medication, directions for use as well as the labelling requirements for feeds containing medicating ingredients

• Compendium of Non-Feed Product Brochures

  Non-feed products (for example, veterinary biologics, veterinary health products), and the conditions in which they are allowed to be added to feed

• Tables of Nutrient Guarantees and Conditions for Feed Labels

  Mandatory and optional guarantees, and the conditions for each guarantee that is allowed

• Tables of Permissible Claims for Feed Labels

  Permissible claims and the conditions for each claim that is allowed on a feed label without requiring product registration

• List of Weed Seeds and Maximum Levels for Feeds

  Weed seeds and the maximum levels allowed in feed

• Tables of Maximum Nutrient Values for Feeds

  Maximum values for macro minerals, trace minerals, and vitamins in the total diet for livestock species and different classes of livestock

• Tables of Maximum Contaminant Levels for Feeds

  Maximum levels of certain contaminants allowed in feed for livestock species and different classes of livestock

• List of Prescribed Deleterious Substances

  Deleterious substances in Section 4 of the current Feeds Regulations

Fact sheets

Fact sheets have been developed to help regulated parties understand the requirements within the proposed Feeds Regulations, 2022.

• Commercial feed mills
• Feed exporters
• Feed importers
• Feed retail outlets
• Hazard identification and analysis
• Licensing
• On-farm feed mills
• Preventive feed safety controls
• Single ingredient feed manufacturers
• Traceability

Guidance documents

Guidance documents have been developed to help regulated parties understand the requirements within the proposed Feeds Regulations, 2022.

• Feed approval and product registration guidance for the proposed Feeds Regulations, 2022
• Feed import and export guidance for the proposed Feeds Regulations, 2022
• Guide to timelines for complying with the proposed Feeds Regulations, 2022
• Hazard analysis guidance for the proposed Feeds Regulations, 2022
• Labelling guidance for the proposed Feeds Regulations, 2022
• Licensing guidance for the proposed Feeds Regulations, 2022
• Preventive control plan guidance for the proposed Feeds Regulations, 2022

Related information

• Proposed changes to the Feeds Regulations: Closed consultation
  2021-10-15
  • Canada Gazette, Part I: Feeds Regulations, 2022
  • What we heard report – Consultation on the proposed Feeds Regulations, 2022, Canada Gazette Part I
• Proposed regulatory framework for livestock feeds: Closed consultation
  2020-11-15
  • Feed Regulatory Modernization – Pre Canada Gazette, Part I Publication Consultation
    2020-11-15
  • What we heard report – Consultation on the Feed Regulatory Modernization – Pre-Canada Gazette, Part I Publication
• Forward Regulatory Plan
  • Amendments to the Feeds Regulations (Feeds Regulations, 2022)
• Feeds Regulations, 1983