The Canadian Sheep Federation (CSF) has recently received proposed policy changes from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for the importation of sheep from the United States. Producers who are planning to import rams from the US to Canada must become familiar with the impending changes to import policy in regards to Scrapie.
The proposed changes will primarily affect the conditions surrounding the imports of rams.
Currently, the importation of rams from the U.S. to Canada can take place with only general certification and required health testing. Enrolment in a Scrapie certification program by either the importer or the exporter is not required.
With the proposed regulation changes, Canadian producers will be able to import rams from the US only if one of the following criteria is met: 1) both the Canadian and the US producer are on an approved equivalent Scrapie program (ie. approved by both United States Department of Agriculture and CFIA), 2) the rams are of the genotype 136AA/171RR or 136AA/171QR, or 3) if the rams are sourced with a flock of minimum risk status. Minimum risk status is assessed for flocks that have met the following criteria for a minimum of 5 years: all sheep are permanently identified and records maintained for traceability to birth, all movement of sheep in and out of the premises are documented, introduction of live animals and embryos is restricted to those of equal or higher level of recognition (semen used in accordance with 14.9.8 of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code), the flock is inspected and records are audited once a year by an accredited veterinarian, the premise is not subject to any scrapie control or eradication action or contain high risk animals, animals in the flock to not have access to animals of lower status, and all on-farm deadstock over 18 months of age have had samples collected and analysed for TSE strains.
Currently, there are total of 36 Canadian sheep producers enrolled in the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program (VSFCP), with 28 of those being able to meet the proposed requirements for importing rams. The US has 2 flocks that would qualify for minimum risk status, with another 31 pending.
To import females, the new regulations will require (at minimum), that the exporting US herd has been enrolled in an appropriate USDA Scrapie certification program for 3 years instead of the current 2 years (with 3 annual inventories having taken place). The importing Canadian flock will be to have been enrolled in the VSFCP for a minimum of 2 years (with 2 annual inventories having been completed).
Jennifer MacTavish
Canadian Sheep Federation www.cansheep.ca Tel. 888-684-7739 or 519-824-6018