2025-12-01
The Feeds Regulations, 2024 (FR24) were published on July 3, 2024, with a staggered coming into force period. Many flexibilities came into effect immediately upon registration (June 17, 2024) and a 12-month transition period was provided for labelling and standards to allow businesses time to adapt. The final coming into force date is December 17, 2025, after which the Feeds Regulations, 2024 will be fully in effect.
Final regulatory requirements coming into force
The following four sections of the Feeds Regulations, 2024 will come into effect on December 17, 2025:
1. Licensing requirements (FR24 sections 18 to 33)
- a livestock feeds licence will be required for livestock feed businesses that conduct a prescribed activity with a prescribed feed that is to be:
- exported
- imported for sale, or
- sent or conveyed across provincial/territorial boundaries
- in most cases imported livestock feed must either be:
- registered, or
- imported by a licence holder
- our Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) is being updated to reflect these changes; you may already see licence-related information in AIRS, but these will not be in effect and livestock feed licences will not be issued before December 17, 2025
- additional information and details on licensing, including exemptions, is found on our preventive control plans and licences page
2. Expanded scope of livestock species (FR24 section 1(2)(b), (e), (g) and (i)
- The Feeds Regulations, 2024 will apply to an expanded scope of livestock species that are domestically raised and kept (new livestock species are in bold):
- cattle
- sheep
- goats
- bison, water buffalo, cervids, llamas and alpacas
- swine
- poultry
- ratites, pigeons, pheasants, partridges, quail, grouse, guinea fowl and pea fowl
- horses
- rabbits
- bees
- finfish intended for human consumption as food
- molluscs intended for human consumption as food
- crustaceans intended for human consumption as food
- All applicable requirements must be followed, including:
- labelling
- compositional and safety standards
- preventive control plans (PCPs)
- Livestock feed manufacturers may only use approved single ingredient feeds (SIFs), in accordance with their approved purposes, as listed in the Canadian Feed Ingredients Table (CFIT)
- All livestock feeds are subject to the Medication sequencing guideline for management of drug carryover; if there is no sequence identified for a certain livestock species/medicating ingredient then a validated flush of the system would be required
3. Export certificates and documentation (FR24 section 70)
- We will have the authority to issue additional documentation to support the export of livestock feed
- No changes have been implemented yet and you are encouraged to review RG-9 Documentation to support market access for livestock feeds for information on available support for export of livestock feeds
- As export conditions and documentation often require negotiation with the importing country, we will consult on any changes to our livestock feed export program before implementing them
4. Import of non-compliant feed (FR24 section 68)
- A new provision will allow the import of feed that does not meet Canadian requirements, only if:
- it is intended for re-export
- it will not be fed in Canada
- all prescribed activities are conducted by a licence holder
Reminder
All stakeholders must continue to meet the requirements of the Feeds Regulations, 2024, including the need for a written PCP.
For more information, visit our livestock feeds webpage.