Farm biosecurity needs to be worked on

  • National Newswatch

CFIA could be more helpful.Ottawa-Anyone interacting with farm livestock should be fully aware of the biosecurity measures put in place to protect the animals from diseases, says Pierre Lampron, Second Vice-President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.Livestock associations have been working to inform and educate people about the biosecurity consequences and risks, he told the Commons agriculture committee. “As we've seen on the ground, when people are well educated, they take good biosecurity measures. We have to give them information.”The responsibilities of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency need to be better known. “This must be part of the general information to be given to producers, and even to the public. They need to be told to pay attention to biosecurity.”Strong biosecurity measures have been adopted by livestock organizations “to protect our animals, our livelihood as farmers, as well as our economy. Generally speaking, from our perspective the most effective strategy to deal with biosecurity threats is prevention. Here in Canada, across all livestock sectors, farmers have put strict biosecurity protocols in place to ensure the health and safety of their animals.”Another important facet of this issue is facilitating communication and coordination nationally and across other jurisdictions, he said. Animal diseases do not recognize borders and everyone is better served by fostering clear communication and sharing best practices.While a lot has been done to advance traceability, work on it needs to continue, Lampron said. “Producers are making a huge effort, but in my opinion, traceability measures need to be put in place in concert with the government and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.”Traceability could also be improved with respect to tracking diseases from the farm to the table. “For example, it would be good to know where the animal came from and how it was raised, right up to the moment it's sold to the consumer.”Traceability now is regulated up to the slaughterhouse but not after that. “Some things are done voluntarily, but there are no longer any regulations so that the consumer can know where the animal came from.”When it comes to CFIA and border officials co-operating in disease monitoring along borders, Lampron said while they want to a good job, “they need additional resources in terms of personnel, knowledge and training. They need training, among other things, on what to look for.”The goal should be to keep animal diseases from entering the country. “We have to check wildlife and animals coming across the border. We have to be on our guard all the time and do as much as we can.”