New beef practices open for comment

A new national code of practice for beef producers is open for public comment.

“The public comment period is an important opportunity for producers across Canada to review the draft code and provide feedback on how it applies to their operations,” Canadian Cattle Association president Tyler Fulton said in a statement announcing the draft code. “Producer perspectives from across the country help ensure the code reflects the diversity of Canadian beef production systems and remains practical for producers who raise cattle.”

BC Cattlemen’s Association is encouraging all BC producers to weigh in during the 60-day comment period that ends June 12.

The existing code was adopted in 2013 and is reviewed every five years.

Developed by the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) and CCA, the new draft code is informed by a peer-reviewed scientific committee report. BC producer Andrea van Iterson served on the development committee.

Priority issues addressed in the proposed code include pain management during painful procedures such as castration and branding; weaning; various health issues throughout the life cycle, including nutrition and lameness; and end-of-life management, including euthanasia.

Though beyond the scope of the review process, the scientific committee’s report highlighted the importance of factors such as climate, extreme weather, stockmanship and low-stress handling, housing conditions and record-keeping for disease management.

Proposed changes mandate greater monitoring of cattle and prompt action to mitigate adverse effects from weather, illness or other health issues.

A final code is expected to be implemented next year. Further information on the code and development process is available at [www.nfacc.ca/codes-of-practice/beef-cattle].

The beef code of practice is one of five currently being revised. The others relate to poultry, horses, pigs and sheep. All are expected to be completed next year, except the code for pigs, which is scheduled for completion in 2028.

All content on this website is copyrighted, and cannot be republished or reproduced without permission.

2 days ago

... See MoreSee Less

View Comments

Likes: 2
Shares: 0
Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Forty-six regions in BC are eligible to participate in the federal livestock tax deferral program, announced yesterday, more than anywhere else in the country. The program allows producers who downsize their breeding herds by 15% to defer reporting the proceeds until the following year, when they buy replacement stock. But after multiple years of drought, the BC beef herd is cruising 25-year lows and some producers are calling for more support to maintain and rebuild their herds. For more, see: [www.countrylifeinbc.com/bc-leads-livestock-tax-deferrals/]

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

Likes: 22
Shares: 9
Comments: 0

6 days ago

After weeks and weeks of no moisture, there's rain in Kelowna today. While much more moisture is needed over the coming weeks and months to reduce drought conditions and the air smells of wet campfire, the slow, steady rain is very welcome for fruit grower#BCAg#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

Likes: 7
Shares: 0
Comments: 0

The first Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust Grassland Set-aside Variety Trial Field Day was held at Delta's family-owned Tecarte Farms, August 27. Co-owner Bill Bates and DFWT executive director Christine Schmalz welcomed more than 35 people to view seven acres planted to different grassland blends specifically chosen to rejuvenate the soil and support the farm's blueberries. For the Bates family, it was time to try something different following the decline of the field's blueberry bushes over the past several years. "We tried everything, and nothing worked," says Bates. The blueberries were removed in May and the grassland crops planted about a week later.

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

Likes: 17
Shares: 1
Comments: 0

7 days ago

Bessette Creek is the latest watershed hit with a temporary fish protection order this year as the province moves to protect returning Chinook salmon. A total of 131 surface and groundwater users must cease drawing water immediately, with forage producers, greenhouses and nurseries impacted. "Declining flows in Bessette Creek reached record lows in early July 2026 and have remained below the minimum level required to support fish population survival," says the province. Bessette producers have embraced voluntary cutbacks, scheduled irrigation and other measures to reduce water use, and are also waiting on funding to boost water storage infrastructure. They're the second group of producers hit with a provincial order this year. Salmon River irrigators were told to top watering earlier this month following a reprieve to address wildfire risk. Growers in both the Salmon River and Bessette watersheds are urging the province to support new water storage infrastructure in advance of next year.

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

Likes: 7
Shares: 1
Comments: 3

There is a problem... having lived in the salmon river ( silver creek ) area, I remember a fish biologist telling family members that salmon only "survive" in high iron content creeks, they do not "thrive".... salmon river ( silver creek ) is a very high iron content, would stain clothes brown when i would use bleach... So don't expect high salmon numbers off of that creek , even in ideal situations...

I just wish they would take an interest in CHASE CREEK....went bone dry...100% of trout abd other species died...smell was terrible from rotting fish. Understand this has happened many times in the past. Chase Irrigation District totally responsible for this disaster. Now fishermen are complaining about major drop in water levels at Pillar Lake.

They could not mismanage things worse than they have. It's impossible for them to. The fact that farmers that we need for our animals are now suffering the consequences our governments have not protected us from, is absolutely fucking wild.