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Introduction
The Feeds Regulations, 2024 were published in the Canada Gazette, Part II (CGII) on July 3, 2024. To provide stakeholders time to adjust to the new and amended regulatory requirements, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has chosen a staggered coming into force for the Feeds Regulations, 2024 over a period of 18 months.
Licensing, which is a new feed regulatory requirement, will come into effect on December 17, 2025, 18 months after CGII publication. Under the Feeds Regulations, 2024, many livestock feed (feed) businesses will need a licence based on the feed-related activities they conduct.
A licence will be required for 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
A licence is not required for feed businesses that conduct a prescribed activity with a prescribed feed within the same province or territory. In addition, if the feed is registered, a licence is not required. Even though a licence may not be required, a feed business can choose to voluntarily apply for a licence.
Purpose
This document provides a general overview and is intended to guide feed businesses in understanding the new licensing requirements in the Feeds Regulations, 2024.
Additional guidance on licensing, including which feed businesses may require a licence, determining if your business needs a licence, how to apply for a licence, and fees for licences will be published closer to when the licensing provisions come into force.
What is included
This document provides information on:
- roles and responsibilities
- what type of businesses are required to obtain a licence
- what type of activities require businesses to obtain a licence
- an overview about how to get a licence and its period of validity
Roles and responsibilities
Feed businesses that conduct livestock feed-related activities are responsible for complying with the applicablerequirements in the Feeds Regulations, 2024. They must demonstrate compliance by ensuring that feeds and processes employed at the establishment meet all regulatory requirements.
The CFIA verifies the compliance of a feed business by conducting activities that include inspection and surveillance. When non-compliance is identified, the CFIA takes appropriate compliance and enforcement actions.
Licensing
Businesses that may need a licence
Businesses that the Feeds Regulations, 2024 apply to, and therefore may need a licence based on their activities, include the following:
- feed ingredient manufacturers and suppliers
- mixed feed manufacturers and suppliers (for example, commercial feed mills, specialty feed manufacturers, etc.)
- rendering facilities manufacturing feed
- feed retail outlets
- livestock producers (on-farm feed mills)
- feed importers
- feed exporters
Activities that need a licence
Under the Feeds Regulations, 2024, you will need a licence if you conduct any or all of these prescribed activities alone or in combination:
- manufacturing, storing, processing, packaging, labelling or selling a livestock feed that is to be sent or conveyed from one province/territory to another
- manufacturing, storing, processing, packaging, labelling or selling a livestock feed that is to be exported
- storing, processing, packaging, labeling or distributing a livestock feed that has been imported for sale
Exemptions
A licence is not required if:
- the feed is registered under the Feeds Regulations 2024
- the feed is made by a livestock producer for their own animals
- the feed is manufactured and sold within the same province or territory
- the feed is imported for personal use, not for sale (however the livestock feed must be registered)
- the feed is made on-farm and then is sold off-farm but stays within the same province
- the prescribed activities take place at a rendering facility that has a permit to operate under the Health of Animals Regulations, or
- the prescribed activities take place at a grain elevator
Note: if a livestock producer has a farm that is located in more than 1 province they will not require a licence to convey or send feeds to their own animals.
Examples
Example 1: a feed business is conducting a prescribed activity (for example, selling a feed from Alberta to Nova Scotia) with a registered feed
- a licence is not required
- a feed business will not need a licence to conduct prescribed activities with a registered feed, domestic or imported
Example 2: a feed business is conducting prescribed activities with a registered feed and would also like to apply for a licence
- a licence is not required since the feed is registered, however, a feed business can choose to voluntarily apply for a licence
Example 3: a feed business purchases and then repackages and relabels a feed for sale within the same province
- a feed business will not require a licence to relabel or repackage a feed made in Canada that will be sold only within the same province
- feed businesses will require a licence to relabel or repackage an imported feed, even if it will be sold only within the same province, unless the imported feed is registered
How to get a licence
Additional guidance on how to obtain a licence, how to set up a My CFIA account and best practices will be provided closer to when the licensing requirements come into effect (that is, 18 months post CGII publication).
The licensing process for livestock feed businesses will follow a similar approach to what is already in place for food businesses under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. To obtain a licence, the applicant will need to determine which prescribed feeds and activities they conduct. A feed business may choose to apply for 1 licence that covers all of its feed establishments, prescribed activities and types of feed, or multiple licences that would cover different combinations of feed establishments, prescribed activities and types of feed. An inspection prior to the issuance, renewal, or amendment of a licence may be required depending on the risk of the feed type and compliance history of the establishment. Initially, it is anticipated that if a feed business applies for a licence, the CFIA will issue it upon request.
Fee and period of validity of a licence
Feed licences will be valid for 2 years from the day of issuance. The licensing fee will be reflected in the Fees Notice and further consultation will occur before that fee is set.
Benefits
Licensing will enhance the oversight of feeds being imported, exported, and traded inter-provincially, and will align better with other regulations administered by the CFIA (for example, licensing requirements under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations). Licensing requirements will provide the CFIA with the type of oversight that foreign competent authorities would like to see when feeds are being imported into their countries. This may result in greater access of Canadian feeds to international markets. In addition, licensing will help to identify feed establishments in Canada, and assist in better identifying feed safety risks. Enforcement actions such as suspending or cancelling a licence could be taken to help control feed safety risks when regulatory requirements are not met. The suspension or cancellation of a licence will only take place if there is a significant non-compliance and after following an established process which will align closely with the Food Program.
Licensing will reduce the number of mixed feeds requiring mandatory registration. Feed establishments that have been issued a licence will no longer have to register most imported mixed feeds.
Note: once the licensing requirements come into effect 18 months post CGII publication, imported feeds must be imported by a licence holder, if not registered.