Canadian Officials to Ban Feeding Table Scraps

July 2, 2007 — 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is proposing to ban the feeding of table scraps containing meat to swine and poultry.

The proposed Regulations amend the provisions of the Health of Animals Regulations addressing the feeding of table scraps containing meat or meat by-products by removing the provisions that allow for the permitting of this activity. Permit conditions were changed in 2001 following the outbreak of FMD in the United Kingdom. The feeding of meat or meat by-products to swine or poultry was prohibited, thereby reducing the risk of exotic disease introduction. This proposed amendment to the Health of Animals Regulations will, in effect, cancel any existing annual permits to feed these materials to swine and poultry.

Officials cite trade restrictions and the desire to decrease the likelihood of the introduction of a foreign animal disease such as FMD or classical swine fever as reasons for the amended Regulation.

Comments on the proposed changes to the Regulation will be accepted until July 16, 2007.