Jeff Clark who handles regulatory issues for the Canadian Pork Council is urging producers to become informed about ear tag regulations proposed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
He expects farmers will have lots of objections to the proposals. They can air their views during a comment period that’s still open until June 16.
The National Pork Council in the United States is objecting because producers there don’t want the Canadian ear tags in weaner pigs they buy to raise in their barns.
Clark told the annual meeting of the Manitoba pork board that piglets and other border-crossing pigs are now commonly stamped with an identity tattoo.
“Ear tattoos are an amazing way to identify pigs going south,”he said.
Farmers and assembly yard operators are also being asked to pay attention to the regulations that could require all market hogs to be ear tagged.
“Their rationale for that is that it’s too hard for the inspectors to verify that they’re identified properly,” said Clark. “We will push back significantly on that. It’s a non-starter.”
