Thinking about EU certification?

News of Canadian Beef hitting shelves in Spain was an encouraging step in the right direction when it comes to trade with the European Union (EU). Producers across the province may have some questions regarding the eligibility of their herd and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) has developed resources to streamline the process. Recognizing that costs associated with adjusting your herd management practices may discourage some producers, CCA continues to press the Government of Canada to make EU certification more accessible for producers.

Cow-calf producers and feedlot operators must meet specific production requirements for cattle used to produce beef for export to the European Union. These components are part of the Canadian Program for Certifying Freedom from Growth Enhancing Products (GEPs) for Export of Beef to the EU.

Producers will need to contact a CFIA Approved Veterinarian for information and to request an on-farm GEPs assessment. If you pass inspection, your veterinarian will issue a Certificate of Compliance. Once issued, the producer and the veterinarian will complete an enrolment form that must be signed by the person who has authority over the herd, as well as the approved veterinarian. On-farm assessments for cow-calf producers must be done once a year and feedlot operators must be assessed twice a year.

If producers purchase any mixed feeds or feed supplements from a commercial feed mill, they must obtain a letter of guarantee from the feed mill indicating the mill doesn’t contain any residues of GEPs in the feed, such as MGA, ractopamine or zilpaterol.