The Canadian Sheep Identification Program
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The Canadian Sheep Identification Program is an industry-led initiative to develop a trace back system that will address producer concerns about sheep health and meet consumer expectations for quality assurance and food safety.
The Canadian Sheep Identification Program began January 1st, 2004. The program is mandatory.
All sheep and lambs must bear an approved CSIP ear tag before they leave any premises - see below for approved tags.
This includes animals leaving the premises temporarily (for example: exhibitions, veterinarian clinics, community pastures). It is illegal to transport untagged animals.
Sheep producers are required to:
- Ensure that an approved CSIP ear tag is applied to all sheep and lambs before they leave your farm.
- Keep a record of:
- All sheep or lambs entering your flock for breeding purposes.
- All sheep 18 months or older leaving your farm, other than those sold directly to a federally or provincially inspected abattoir.
- Imported sheep must have a Canadian approved national identification tag applied within 7 days of arrival.
- All animals purchased must bear an approved CSIP ear tag. If a tag is subsequently lost, you must immediately apply a new approved CSIP ear tag and record the identification number with as much information about the origin of the animal as is known.
- Approved CSIP ear tags must not be removed from any live animal or tampered with for any reason and must not be re-used. If an animal dies on your property, the tag should be removed, saved and recorded with the cause of death if known.
- The CSIP tagging system is monitored by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and anyone who does not comply may face legal consequences. Since January 1, 2004, it is illegal for processing plants, truckers, auction markets to accept sheep or lambs not bearing CSIP tags
In Alberta, CSIP tags are purchased from the Canadian Co-operative Woolgrowers 1-800-567-3693 (call toll-free)
CSIP Approved Tags
Producers may choose from the options below.
| PINK Ketchum Kurl Lock #3 |
 |
Shearwell SET Radio Frequency Identification tag* |
 |
PINK Plastic Allflex dangle tag |
 |
YELLOW Allflex Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) button |
 |
YELLOW Allflex RFID and dangle |
 |
To order CSIP tags for Alberta please contact: the Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers at 1-800-567-3693.
In Alberta, Alberta Lamb Producers service charge is added to tags at time of purchase.
Download a copy of the Alberta Lamb Producers fact sheet CSIP in Alberta.
For full details of the Canadian Sheep Identification Program, please visit the Canadian Sheep Federation website
For more information on RFID in Quebec please contact:
- The Canadian Sheep Federation at 1-888-684-7739 or
- Agri-Tracabilité Quebec (ATQ) at 1-866-270-4319
Growing Forward
To access Growing Forward funding – you need to register NOW!
When the funding is actually available, it will be allocated on a first come first served basis, so register now and be ready.
or call the Ag Info Centre at 310-FARM (3276)
From the Growing Forward website:
Growing Forward is a new commitment from Canada’s Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Agriculture to develop an Agricultural Policy Framework that better positions the agriculture industry for success.
Producer Focused Programs – to read more on any of these programs, please go to www.growingforward.alberta.ca
Water Management
The purpose of this program is to provide technical assistance and incentive for the creation of a “long term water management plan” at the farm level and financial assistance for producers towards specified improvements identified in this plan towards water security.
Food Safety - OFFS (Producer)
The Food Safety program is designed to enhance food safety by facilitating Alberta producers’ adoption of commodity specific national on-farm food safety programs that have been technically reviewed under the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) lead recognition program or have been developed but not yet technically reviewed.
* producers who are enrolled on Food Safe Farm Practices (by completing the training at a workshop or on-line) qualify for this funding: “Payment to producers will be up to $5,000 on a funding basis of 70/30 government and applicant.”
How to Apply
You must first complete a work plan and submit it for approval prior to beginning work on projects. To find out more about the program or to be put in touch with an ARD specialist contact the Ag-Info Centre at 310-FARM. “ but first you need to be registered!
Business Opportunity Grant
The Business Opportunity Grant program is designed to provide assistance to Alberta primary agriculture producers, and small agri-business organizations in accessing one-to-one expertise that will contribute to helping their business adapt to the changing business environment. It is aimed at individuals and small business organizations that are looking to transform their operation to meet market and consumer demands. Contracting services such as, independent risk management consultants, advisory and business opportunity analysis services that will contribute to making informed and calculated business decisions will be supported.
Leadership Development Grant
The Leadership Development Grant program is designed to support continuous learning and education opportunities that will develop and build leadership skills in the agriculture industry.
The grant will also be made available to industry organizations or third parties whose aim is to develop comprehensive leadership development programs in Alberta.
Appropriate learning events will develop leadership skills, learning and critical industry networks as well as encourage implementation of leadership activities in the Alberta agriculture industry.
Stewardship Plans
Stewardship Plans are designed to help producers demonstrate their environmental practices and plan for operational improvements that will reduce their environmental impact. Producers will be required to complete an Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) and a risk report based on their EFP which will direct them to one of three management plans that best suit their operation. Opportunities to complete an EFP will be available through Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.
Business Risk Management Suite
The Business Risk Management Suite, a Growing Forward initiative to facilitate effective risk management.”
Canadian On-Farm Food Safety Program (COFFS)
The Canadian Sheep and Lamb Food-Safe Farm Practices program is designed to facilitate an effective recording of good production practices, to address producer concerns about potential on-farm food safety risks, and meet consumer expectations for food safety. Nine producer training workshops have already been held throughout Alberta. We have found that many producers are already following the practices and keeping the records required by this program.
The On-Farm Food Safety program complements the Canadian Sheep Identification Program, and is based on internationally recognized HACCP principles.
The Alberta Livestock and Meat Strategy originally called for the OFFS program to be mandatory in Alberta. Alberta Lamb Producers encourages producers to get involved in this program which verifies and records good production practices. However, Alberta Lamb Producers advocated with ALMA for a voluntary program, available to those producers who could take advantage of niche opportunities requiring OFFS verification. The status changed from mandatory to voluntary in the August ALMS review.
Get started now:
- Go to http://fsfp.cansheep.ca and take the training on-line
- Contact OFFS (information below) and ask for a binder to be mailed out to you
New implementation plans are now being created; watch this site and ALP mail outs for more information.
The Food-Safe Farm Practices producer training manual is available for download.
The Canadian Sheep and Lamb Food-Safe Practices Program is a national program and has a national co-ordinator. All questions and forms should be submitted to:
Barbara Caswell
National Coordinator, On-Farm Food-SafetyCanadian Sheep Federation
130 Malcolm Road
Guelph, ON
N1K 1B1
Phone: 510-824-6018 / 888-684-7739
Fax: 866-909-5360
Alberta Environmental Farm Plan (AEFP)
Sustaining production, managing risks, providing a healthy landscape for the next generation, and maintaining market access. These are just a few of the reasons for creating an Environmental Farm Plan (EFP).
The EFP process helps you identify and address environmental risks and opportunities in your operation. This plays a key part in safeguarding your local environment. A healthy environment is essential to the success of Alberta's agricultural producers.
Ensuring a healthy environment is also a crucial element in marketing our agricultural products. Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about the safety and quality of the food they eat and about how that food is produced. Our reputation for producing good food in a healthy environment helps Alberta products compete in world markets.
For more information about the EFP program, please visit the Alberta Environmental Farm Plan website.
National Scrapie Surveillance Program
Scrapie is a fatal disease that affects the central nervous system of sheep and goats. It is classified as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). While the exact cause of scrapie is unknown, it is thought to be associated with the presence of an abnormal protein called a prion.
Other countries, including the USA and Great Britain, are already working to reduce the incidence of scrapie and eventually eradicate it from their flocks. In order to remain competitive and maintain market access, it is in Canada's best interest to increase resistance to scrapie and to establish prevalence of this disease so that it does not become a trade barrier in the future.
The Canadian Food and Inspection Agency (CFIA) and several provincial agricultural ministries have launched a surveillance program to detect scrapie in the national sheep flock and goat herd. The goal of this program is to identify infected animals in Canada to ensure that proper steps can be taken to completely eradicate the disease from our country. General requirements include reporting deads on farm over the age of 12 months and complete brain testing.
Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program (VSFCP)
The SFCP National Standards were developed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), in collaboration with the sheep industry, as the basis for Canada’s on-farm, voluntary scrapie control program. It is intended to be a long-term, internationally recognized flock/herd scrapie control program for the sheep and goat industries. This program is unique as a CFIA approved disease control strategy. The CFIA only provides a guiding hand in ensuring that the program retains key requirements to meet international standards. The day-to-day management and verification is placed in the hands of industry. If shown to be effective, the SFCP may be used as a template for other industry-led TSE control programs.
National Genotyping Survey
This project got underway in early summer 2005. In June 2005, agreements were reached with five laboratories from across the country to analyze blood samples. In late June and July of the same year, invitation letters were mailed to over 900 purebred sheep producers nationwide, informing them of the opportunity to get involved with the project.
By mid-July 2005, blood samples were beginning to be received by the participating laboratories. As samples are received they are forwarded to the national database being developed by the Nova Scotia Agricultural College (NSAC), in Truro, Nova Scotia. Scrapie Canada is currently working with NSAC to develop an extension program to interpret genotype results and help producers use the genotype information when making breeding decisions.
Sample collection was ongoing until December 16, 2008 and the project officially came to an end on March 31, 2009. In total, about 9,300 Canadian purebred sheep were genotype tested through this project. These results were added to the national genotyping database established by the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. Also in this database are genotyping test results from other various provincial genotyping projects.
As of March 31, 2009, the total number of farms and sheep with genotypes in the database was 18,966 sheep from 496 farms.
For more information on Canada’s scrapie programs, or scrapie in general, please visit www.scrapiecanada.ca.
Alberta Voluntary Scrapie Surveillance Program
In September 2007 Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) implemented a post mortem method project on sheep and goats that died on farm and were delivered by producers to an ARD laboratory. If carcasses were deemed suitable, a pathologist performed a post mortem and the producers were reimbursed $50.00 per carcass by ARD.
Producers have submitted enough carcasses to allow ARD to complete its post mortem method project. As a result, effective May 22, 2009, post mortems will no longer be conducted under this project on sheep or goat carcasses.
On the scrapie surveillance side, ARD still accepts heads and/or whole carcasses at the 4 provincial labs to collect the brainstem for scrapie testing at no cost to the producer. However, it must be understood that there is NO payment from any source.
We would like to thank the sheep and goat producers who submitted carcasses for ARD’s post mortem method project. A summary of the causes of mortality will be communicated to the sheep and goat industries in the future.
For further information contact Dr. Brian Miller at 780-427-820, brian.miller@gov.ab.ca
Other Programs
Lakeland Carcass Sire Project
For more information, please visit “Lakeland Carcass Sire Project” (link through Ropin’ the Web, Research)
Research Projects
Alberta Sheep Industry Research Projects
Alberta Sheep Industry Development Strategy
A collaboration between Alberta Lamb Producers and Alberta Agriculture & Rural Development to provide a comprehensive strategy for the development of the sheep industry.
