Quick reference guide – Feed retail outlets

The Feeds Regulations, 2024 impact a variety of stakeholders, including:

  • single ingredient feed manufacturers and suppliers
  • mixed feed manufacturers and suppliers (for example, commercial feed mills, specialty feed manufacturers, etc.)
  • rendering facilities manufacturing livestock feed ingredients
  • feed retail outlets
  • livestock producers (on-farm feed mills)
  • feed importers
  • feed exporters

Feed retail outlets are businesses that sell livestock feed in the Canadian marketplace. They may sell pre-packaged and labelled feeds or they may re-package and label feeds on site. Feed retail outlets who manufacture mixed feeds would be considered a commercial feed mill and should also refer to the quick reference guide – commercial feed mills. Feed retail outlets who manufacture single ingredient feeds (SIFs) are considered a SIF manufacturer and should refer to the quick reference guide – single ingredient feed manufacturers. Feed retail outlets who export feed or import feed, should also refer to the quick reference guide – feed exporters or quick reference guide – feed importers, respectively.

This quick reference guide applies to you if:

  • you sell livestock feed that you did not manufacture
  • you re-package, label, and sell feed that you did not manufacture

Regulatory requirements that apply to you

Hazard analysis and preventive control plans

You must prepare, keep, maintain and implement a written preventive control plan (PCP) which includes:

  • the identification and analysis of hazards associated with your livestock feed establishment, equipment used, incoming materials, livestock feeds or your processes
    This would include receiving, re-packaging, handling, storage or distribution, and measures to prevent cross contamination
  • the control measures used to prevent, eliminate or reduce the hazards identified
  • preventive controls you implement to meet other regulatory requirements such as general and safety standards, labelling, recalls, complaints, and record-keeping and traceability

This is a new regulatory requirement that will come into effect on June 17, 2025. Please refer to the preventive control plans – general overview and hazard analysis – general overview for additional information.

Licences

You require a licence if the livestock feeds you re-package, label, or sell are sent or conveyed across provincial borders, are to be exported or if you import feeds for sale.

This is a new regulatory requirement that will come into effect on December 17, 2025. Please refer to the licensing – general overview for additional information.

Record-keeping requirements

You are required to keep records of the livestock feeds you receive and sell.

These updated requirements came into effect on July 3, 2024. Any livestock feed manufactured on or after July 3, 2024 must follow the updated record-keeping requirements and retain the records for 2 years.

Traceability

You are required to keep records related to traceability, which include records for feeds that you receive which must indicate from whom they came and for feeds that are sold, to whom they were sold. The records must include the name of the feed, date, and contact information.

This is a new regulatory requirement that will come into effect on June 17, 2025. Please refer to the quick reference guide – traceability for additional information.

Product registration

It is unlikely you would be required to register the livestock feeds you sell. If you are re-packaging and rebranding a registered feed, you may also need to register it under your brand.

The manufacturer is usually responsible for product registration, but you should ensure that any livestock feeds you are offering for sale are appropriately registered. You should be aware that some mixed feeds still require mandatory product registration.

These updated requirements came into effect on July 3, 2024. Please refer to RG-1 Regulatory Guidance for additional information.

Product labelling

You are required to properly label the livestock feed that you offer for sale. Although the manufacturer is usually responsible for labelling their feeds, you should ensure that any feeds you are offering for sale are appropriately labelled. If you are re-packaging or re-labelling feed you are responsible for ensuring the feed is properly labelled.

The labelling requirements are updated in the Feeds Regulations, 2024, and came into effect on July 3, 2024. However, there is a 12-month transition period (until June 17, 2025) in which you can label a feed with the old labelling requirements under the Feeds Regulations, 1983 or you can label a feed with the new labelling requirements under the Feeds Regulations, 2024.

Refer to Labelling of livestock feeds for detailed information of the labelling requirements under the Feeds Regulations, 2024.

Benefits

The Feeds Regulations, 2024 are outcome-based and risk-based regulations with the focus on feed safety and compliance through modernized regulatory requirements (for example, hazard analysis, preventive control plans, traceability, and labelling requirements) and permissions (for example, livestock feed approval and registration, and licences). The benefits of the Feeds Regulations, 2024 include:

  • safeguarding livestock feed and the food production continuum
  • attaining the most effective and efficient balance between fair and competitive trade in the market; and
  • minimizing regulatory burden
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