Search
Better Farming OntarioBetter PorkBetter Farming Prairies

Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


New regulations proposed for Ontario's Animal Health Act

Thursday, March 15, 2012

by SUSAN MANN

Ontario’s livestock groups are planning to discuss and submit comments on Ontario agriculture ministry proposals for mandatory animal disease reporting and financial compensation.

The two regulations to the Animal Health Act, 2009 “would allow the province to respond more quickly and effectively to reduce the impact of animal disease outbreaks,” it says in a discussion paper on the proposals.

“If passed the regulatory proposal would help protect Ontario families and strengthen Ontario’s economy because they will help keep animals safe and our agri-food industry strong,” the paper says.

As part of the regulations, the ministry is introducing a list of diseases and other hazards that animal health laboratories and veterinarians are required to report to the ministry.

The proposal doesn’t require individual livestock and poultry producers to report any knowledge or suspicion of a hazard to the agriculture ministry, it says in the posting on the province’s Environmental Registry. The proposed regulation would not affect any existing reporting obligations farmers may have to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

In addition, to ensure farmers can participate in the animal health response system without fearing financial losses and to ensure diseases are reported quickly, a proposed regulation will enable the minister to financially compensate farmers whose operations have been affected by the legislation.

The regulations have been posted on the province’s Environmental Registry. Comments are due by April 27.

LeaAnne Hodgins, communications manager for the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association, says by email the organization doesn’t have an official comment at this time but it will be reviewing the document before the April 27 deadline for comments.

Ontario Pork communications manager Keith Robbins says their staff members are reviewing the discussion paper and will be presenting it to the board sometime after next week’s annual meeting. “We haven’t formed a position yet.”

If their comments are consistent with the Ontario Livestock and Poultry Council they’d be making a joint submission with that organization, he says.

Gord Coukell, chair of the Ontario Livestock and Poultry Council, says by email their members are very pleased the provincial agriculture ministry is moving forward to develop regulations under the Animal Health Act. The council’s members will be discussing the ministry’s document at its next meeting on April 13.

The council will be making a submission to the ministry “based on the feedback received from our members,” Coukell says.

The council supported the development of the Animal Health Act.

The Livestock and Poultry Council was formed in 2005 to develop and coordinate an Ontario strategy to manage foreign animal and other transmissible livestock and poultry diseases. There are 27 regular, three associate and six ex-officio members, including livestock and poultry groups, farm service, feed processing and veterinary organizations. BF

Current Issue

May 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

New board members for Ontario Pork

Friday, April 25, 2025

Ontario Pork, an association representing the 1,898 pork farms that market 5.9 million hogs in the province, has announced its new board lineup for 2025. As a Guelph, Ontario-headquartered organization, Ontario Pork is engaged in the areas of research, government representation,... Read this article online

Sheep farmers win Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers

Thursday, April 24, 2025

Sheep farmers and wool producers from Wallenstein, Ont. are Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2025. “It’s great to be recognized by your peers in the industry with an award like that,” Ryan Schill told Farms.com. “When we started the sheep farm, there were people questioning us... Read this article online

Ontario ag connections in the NHL playoffs

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

The 2025 NHL playoffs are underway, and some of hockey’s biggest names got their start on an Ontario farm or have invested in agriculture since becoming professional athletes. Farms.com went through each of the 16 playoff team rosters to uncover which players have a connection to... Read this article online

New Alcohol Trade Freedom in Ontario

Thursday, April 17, 2025

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has welcomed Ontario’s bold step in eliminating trade barriers and allowing direct alcohol sales to consumers. This new legislation aims to ease internal trade across provinces and support small businesses. One of the key changes... Read this article online

BF logo

It's farming. And it's better.

 

a Farms.com Company

Subscriptions

Subscriber inquiries, change of address, or USA and international orders, please email: subscriptions@betterfarming.com or call 888-248-4893 x 281.


Article Ideas & Media Releases

Have a story idea or media release? If you want coverage of an ag issue, trend, or company news, please email us.

Follow us on Social Media

 

Sign up to a Farms.com Newsletter

 

DisclaimerPrivacy Policy2025 ©AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Back To Top