Canada’s Traceability Pioneers
A nation-wide livestock ID and traceability program gets off the ground
On a Tuesday morning in April 1997, almost a year before Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) was formed, a group of producers, consultants and business experts led by well-known Saskatchewan cattle producer, Carl Block of Canadian Cattlemen’s Association fame, and a true advocate of Canadian agriculture and animal health, put their heads together to lay the groundwork for a world-class ID and traceability program for Canada. Carl would be named the first board chairman of the fledgling agency responsible for administering the federal government’s mandatory cattle identification program. Known today as CCIA, the agency has since expanded its scope to include administration of bison, sheep, and pending regulation, goats and cervid identification (with some exceptions in Quebec).
Others at the table in the spring of 1997 were Bruce Hepburn of Cargill, Ben Thorlakson, Dennis Laycraft and Heidi Grogan of Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Charlie Gracey of Canadian Beef Grading Agency, Herb McLane, Canadian Beef Breeds Council, Glenn Cherry, Canadian Dairy Breeds, John Kellar, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Matt Taylor, Alberta Agriculture Livestock Inspection, Ted Hanley, Canada Beef Export Federation, Jim Wideman, Livestock Marketing Association of Canada and Dr. Kee Jim, Feedlot Health Management Inc. The early years met with lots of opposition but agency pioneers like Block maintained it was the right direction for industry to take, especially considering what was happening at the time in the United Kingdom with the foot-and-mouth epidemic.
To learn more about the people who roll up their sleeves for animal health and safety, visit canadaid.ca.
Comments