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Annex S: Users' Manual of the The Canadian Program for Certifying Freedom from Growth Enhancing Products (GEPs) for the Export of Beef to the European Union (EU)
Module 4 Auction market procedures

4.1 Enrolment procedures

  • In order to apply to this program as an auction market, the auction market representative must contact a CFIA Approved Veterinarian for information and request an on-site GEPs assessment

    If the request comes to a CFIA office, they will be instructed to contact a CFIA Approved Veterinarian.

  • Auction markets wishing to participate in the program will be required to have a CCIA, ATTESTRA or provincial premises identifier assigned to them by their respective organization
  • The CFIA Approved Veterinarian will review and explain the program to the auction market representative including requirements for identification and segregation of eligible animals and development, implementation, maintenance and review of written programs

    Approved Veterinarian will explain the need to have written programs completed at the time of enrolment including an organizational structure along with delegations of authority for various tasks in the program

    It would also include as a detailed program for identification and segregation of eligible animals.

  • The CFIA Approved Veterinarian will issue the Annual Certificate of Compliance (Annex R7.1) upon completion of the first successful GEPs on-site assessment report (Annex R12)

    Once issued, the auction market manager and the CFIA Approved Veterinarian will complete an enrolment form (Annex R3) which must be signed by the individual with designated authority over the operation as well as the CFIA Approved Veterinarian.

  • The application form must accurately reflect the name of the auction market, the address, and the premises identifier

    All future Transfer Certificates and GEPs on-site assessment report (Annex R12) must also be completed with this same information.

  • The CFIA Approved Veterinarian will report the enrolment of auction markets to CFIA by forwarding the original enrolment form (Annex R3) to their local CFIA District Veterinarian's office

    Once reviewed, approved and signed by the CFIA District Veterinarian the original application will be kept in the auction market's file at the CFIA District Office. Copies will be distributed to the auction market and the CFIA Approved Veterinarian.

  • An enrolment form and owner/responsible person's declaration (Annex R3) must be completed and signed each year.

    On-site assessments will be conducted by the approved veterinarian at least 1  time yearly, depending on compliance history and sales volume through that facility.

  • Every time an application is received at a CFIA District Office, the CFIA District Veterinarian will review it and if satisfied, approve, and sign the application

    The CFIA District Veterinarian will maintain a register of enrolled auction markets in their operational area including their CCIA, ATTESTRA or provincial premises identifier.

  • Cattle received prior to enrolment will not be eligible for inclusion in this program
  • The auction market representative is responsible for contacting his CFIA Approved Veterinarian and asking for an assessment within 1 month before expiration of the Annual Certificate of Compliance (Annex R7.1)

    If the visit is performed within this 1 month time frame the same annual expiry date can be maintained (does not need to be adjusted from the date of assessment). For each veterinary on-site assessment, the CFIA Approved Veterinarian will ensure compliance to the program and fill out and sign the Growth Enhancing products (GEPs) on-site assessment report (Annex R12).

4.2 Record keeping requirements

  • The auction market must maintain an organizational chart indicating who in the operation is ultimately responsible for different elements of the program as well as a listing of roles and responsibilities designated to other individuals within the operation

    In the case where tasks associated with this program are delegated to individuals other than the owner or responsible individual trained by the CFIA Approved Veterinarian, the auction market must also maintain a record indicating how and when training was delivered to the individual who is delegated to perform a task.

  • If GEPs are utilized on the premises, the auction market must maintain a manual of procedures which addresses what types of GEPs are used (implant, feed), the procedures for use and the timing of use

    This program must also incorporate a tracking system for the GEPs which accounts for inventory purchased or received and usage or disposal on an individual basis.

  • If the auction market purchases any mixed feeds or feed supplements from a commercial feed mill, the operation must obtain a letter of guarantee from the mill indicating the feed does not contain any residues of GEPs in the feed, such as MGA, ractopamine or zilpaterol
  • If the auction market produces any mixed feeds containing GEPs, they must be able to demonstrate to the CFIA Approved Veterinarian that the feed fed to eligible animals does not contain any residues of GEPs in the feed, such as MGA, ractopamine or zilpaterol

    The procedures used to ensure compliance must be part of the operator's written program.

  • When feeding products containing GEPs at the auction market, a written plan to ensure segregation has been developed, implemented and monitored must also be in place to prevent animals in neighbouring enclosures from accessing these products
  • The auction market must maintain a written program which requires program animals to be identified and segregated
  • Records including Enrolment Forms, Transfer Certificates, Tag Replacement Reports, GEP administration associated records, GEPs on-site assessment reports (Annex R12)and Certificates of Compliance must be kept for a minimum of 2 years after the date the cattle were received
  • Copies of manuals or documents mentioned above must be made available to the CFIA Approved Veterinarian or any CFIA or EU official upon request

4.3 Eligibility, receiving, identification and segregation of cattle

  • The auction market may only receive cattle from a registered birth farm or feedlot in order to maintain them in this program

    All cattle received by the auction market for inclusion into the program must arrive with a completed, signed Transfer Certificate identifying the animals individually as being enrolled and maintained within the parameters of this program. Eligible animals must move directly from the farm of origin to the auction market in a dedicated conveyance or compartment within a conveyance.

  • The Transfer Certificate (Annex R7 or equivalent) must contain the required declaration statement and a listing of the eligible animals

    In order to accommodate already existing farm records and electronic inventory programs used by cattle producers and to prevent transcription errors, the identification of animals may be done by way of an industry record. CFIA accepted transfer documentation would still be required to be signed by the designated individual. If this procedure is used, the documents must:

    • be linked together by using a unique reference number generated by the farm that includes a premises identifier. (that is PremisesID-2010-0001)
    • contain the minimum information required by this program (see definition of CFIA accepted transfer documentation)
    • the producer declaration will be signed and dated by the designated individual and all other pages initialled

    Additionally, all Transfer Certificates must be accompanied by a copy of a valid Annual Certificate of Compliance (Annex R7.1) which has been previously completed by the CFIA Approved Veterinarian.

  • There are 2 methods of listing the animals on the Transfer Certificate:
    • the listing of animals contains only the animals being shipped
    • the listing may be a more comprehensive list (can only include eligible animals) but in this case the shipper and receiver must have a mutually agreed upon procedure which will provide feedback to the shipper within 14 days of initial processing in the feedlot or arrival at the EU approved federally registered slaughter establishment

      Based on this feedback, the shipper must update their animal's inventory list to accurately reflect what remains on his premises.

  • In the case of a discrepancy between an animal's identification and the listed identifications on the CFIA accepted transfer documentation, the receiving auction market must segregate the animal and contact the farm of origin to determine if the animal is eligible for the program or not.

    If the animal was eligible prior to the transfer, the farm of origin would provide a supplemental CFIA accepted transfer documentation for that animal. If the animal was not eligible for participation in the program and shipped in error with program animals, the animal must be removed from the program at the current location, properly identified and segregated and considered non-eligible to participate in the program at any future time or returned to the farm of origin.

  • If a decision is made to remove an animal from the program for any reason, the non-eligible animal must be managed appropriately (segregated and identified) according to the program

    The appropriate records must be amended in order to document this occurrence, unless this animal is directed to a beef production stream that is not producing GEP free product for the EU.

  • Cattle enrolled in the program cannot be commingled with cattle not enrolled in the program from the time they leave the farm of origin pass through the sales ring and depart for their new destination

    Eligible animals must be shipped directly from the auction market to the feedlot or EU approved federally registered slaughter establishment in a dedicated conveyance or compartment within a conveyance.

  • Each lot of eligible cattle to be sold may only be sourced from 1 birth farm or feedlot but once sold can be commingled with other eligible animals

4.4 Lost tags

In compliance with section 184 of the Health of Animals Regulations, the person who owns or has the possession, care or control of an animal that loses its approved tag or bears a revoked tag shall immediately apply a new approved tag to it.

  • In the event that an approved tag is lost or that the animal bears a revoked tag, replacement may be done by a designated individual at the auction market

    Replacement tag records must be kept.

  • However, in order to maintain the animal in the program, the designated auction market employee must segregate the animal and physically inspect the animal (that is check for implants in the ear) and review records to ensure the animal was never fed any feeds containing GEPs

    The responsible individual must record the tag change activity on a Tag Replacement Report (Annex R9) or similar document or management database used in the operations management program. This report must be generated in addition to the regulatory requirement to report this to the CCIA or ATTESTRA database. The report must include what approved tag was previously present in the animal and what information (alternate identification) was used to confirm this. If the previous identification cannot be confirmed, the animal must be segregated and removed from the program.

  • At the time of loading for transport to another registered operation or an EU approved federally registered slaughter establishment, animals must be inspected to ensure that approved tags are present

    This will ensure animals are transported in compliance with the Health of Animals Regulations as well as reducing the likelihood of having to take confirmatory measures regarding identification later at the receiving destination.

4.5 Transfer of cattle out of the auction market

  • Following the sale of each lot of eligible cattle and prior to their departure from the auction market, CFIA accepted transfer documentation from the auction market to feedlot or EU approved federally registered slaughter establishment must be prepared and the declaration signed and dated by the auction market designated official

    This would include a copy of the auction market's valid Annual Certificate of Compliance (Annex R7.1). The original copy of the auction market's outgoing CFIA accepted transfer documentation and a copy of the incoming CFIA accepted transfer document will accompany the cattle to the feedlot or EU approved federally registered slaughter establishment. A copy of the outgoing CFIA accepted transfer documentation will be provided by the auction market to the farm of origin within 3 working days of the sale. A copy of both the incoming and outgoing CFIA accepted transfer documentation must be maintained by the auction market.

  • Eligible animals can only be transferred from an auction market to a registered feedlot or EU approved federally registered slaughter establishment in order to continue within the program
  • The Transfer Certificate (Annex R7 or equivalent) must contain the required declaration statement and a listing of the eligible animals

    In order to accommodate already existing electronic programs and to prevent transcription errors, the identification of animals may be done by way of an industry record. CFIA accepted transfer documentation would still be required to be signed by the designated individual. If this procedure is used, the documents must:

    • be linked together by using a unique reference number generated by the auction market that includes a premises identifier. (that is PremisesID-2010-0001)
    • contain the minimum information required by this program (see definition of CFIA accepted transfer documentation)
    • the producer declaration will be signed and dated by the designated individual and all other pages initialled

    Additionally, all Transfer Certificates must be accompanied by a copy of a valid Annual Certificate of Compliance (Annex R7.1) for the auction market which has been previously completed by the CFIA Approved Veterinarian as well as a copy of the incoming CFIA accepted transfer documentation from the farm of origin.

  • There are 2 methods of listing the animals on the Transfer Certificate:
    • the listing of animals contains only the animals being shipped
    • the listing may be a more comprehensive list (can only include eligible animals) but in this case the shipper and receiver must have a mutually agreed upon procedure which will provide feedback to the shipper within 14 days of initial processing in the feedlot or arrival at the EU approved federally registered slaughter establishment

      Based on this feedback, the shipper must update their animal's inventory list to accurately reflect what remains on their premises.

  • Feedlots and EU approved federally registered slaughter establishments purchasing cattle at auction markets must agree to provide feedback to the auction market and farm of origin for cattle received within 14 days of initial processing at the feedlot or slaughter at the EU approved federally registered slaughter establishment when comprehensive lists are received
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