Livestock feeds: Recall procedures

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Introduction

All livestock feed businesses in Canada must have a recall procedure in accordance with the Feeds Regulations, 2024 (section 63) and the Health of Animals Regulations (sections 167.1 and 170). This guidance document provides an overview of industry obligations and our role in enforcing compliance with these responsibilities.

Purpose

This document provides guidance concerning regulatory requirements related to:

  • the development of recall procedures
  • the implementation of these procedures

Scope

This document includes regulatory requirements for both livestock feed and animal food.

"Animal food" is defined in the Health of Animals Regulations and means food containing an animal product or animal by-product for chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, ratites, game birds, ruminants, swine or horses.

Livestock feed is captured under the Feeds Act and Feeds Regulations, 2024 and is a broader term that refers to a substance or mixture of substances manufactured, sold or represented for use for consumption by livestock. Livestock species are designated in the Feeds Regulations, 2024 and include a broad list of animals that are raised for human consumption.

While the Feeds Regulations, 2024 pertain to livestock feed and the Health of Animals Regulations pertain to animal food, it is important to remember that:

  • livestock feed is the broader term and includes those products considered to be animal food
  • the key difference in the regulatory requirements between livestock feed and animal food is the retention time for records, which is 2 years for livestock feed and 10 years for animal food

This guidance applies to all livestock feed businesses which include any person that manufactures, stores, packages, labels, sells, imports for sale or exports a feed. For the purposes of this guidance, which considers the requirements of both the Feeds Regulations, 2024 and the Health of Animals Regulations, this term also includes those businesses who import animal food.

Regulatory authority

The Feeds Regulations, 2024 and the Health of Animals Regulations require that all livestock feed businesses have recall procedures in place and implement them as appropriate. These requirements are outlined under section 63 of the Feeds Regulations, 2024 as well as sections 167.1 and 170.1 of the Health of Animals Regulations.

Industry's role

Livestock feed businesses are required to have a preventive control plan (PCP) in place that includes a description of how recalls are addressed in a manner that complies with the Feeds Regulations, 2024.

Procedures

Livestock feed businesses must have recall procedures that:

  • enable the effective recall of a livestock feed/animal food
  • identify the name of a contact person who is responsible for the procedures
  • identify the name of a contact person who is responsible for conducting recalls

It is the responsibility of the livestock feed business to ensure that their recall procedures are effective. This may include conducting a mock recall; however, this is not required.

Implementation

If a recall is required, it must be implemented by the livestock feed business immediately. The business must also:

  • prepare a document that sets out the details of the recall, including any information that substantiates its effectiveness
  • keep the prepared document mentioned previously for a minimum of 2 years after the day on which the recall was initiated and 10 years if the feed is considered an animal food

Reporting

If a livestock feed is recalled because it represents a risk of harm to human or animal health or the environment, the business is required to notify us.

Our role

Routine inspection

We conduct routine, risk-based inspections of livestock feed establishments. Such inspections can include confirming that a livestock feed business has an appropriate PCP in place, which includes a description of how recalls are conducted.

Follow up inspection

If a livestock feed is recalled because it represents a risk of harm to human or animal health or the environment, we may conduct an inspection of the associated livestock feed establishment. The purpose of this inspection will be to verify that the business:

  • conducted a sufficient investigation
  • took risk mitigation actions that were appropriate
  • implemented an effective recall

Compliance and enforcement actions

If a non-compliance is identified during any inspection, we may take follow up actions as described by the compliance and enforcement policy.

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