BC PREMISES ID

As of July 1, 2022, Premises ID registration is   mandatory    for all poultry and livestock owners in BC. Whether you have a  few or a few hundred,  you must be on the books. 
Full, up-to-date information is found at the   BC Government site.
IDENTIFICATION & TRACEABILITY
(Federal: Health of Animals Regulations) 
Goats and cervids (deer) are being added to longstanding federal regulations for identification, recordkeeping and traceability. This is not optional; ALL goats in Canada will fall under these provisions.
Timeline: this has been coming for several years and after several delays, is currently slated to take effect in 2026.

Traceability Overview (intended as a summary and does not replace the extensive information  found on sites linked below):
1. Important Organizations and their roles
2. Animal Identification (tags, readers, sources)
3. Traceability
4.  Who does this affect?
5. How is it being enforced?
6. The bottom line: PREPARE!

1. Important Organizations  and their roles:
  • CFIA - Canadian Food Inspection Agency (the Federal agency driving Animal Identification and Traceability. The CFIA governs and enforces regulations regarding all plant and animal imports, exports, licensing, and approvals for food manufacture, etc.)
  • CCIA - Canadian Cattle Identification Agency  (a non-profit org that  acts as the distributor of  approved tags and manages the  tracing service)
  • CNGF - Canadian National Goat Federation (non-profit membership organization that communicates with CFIA and CCIA on behalf of goat producers - BCGA , CGS and a  number of other accredited goat orgs belong to the CNGF and provide input and receive updates from the CFIA and CCIA for distribution to our respective members)
  • CGS - Canadian Goat Society (membership org for all who register dairy goats and angora goats, CGS provides advocacy and education resources)

2. Animal Identification:
For goats, two types of ear tags and a leg band that are currently approved for permanent identification. These are either visual only (printed numbers only), or  can be purchased with RFID chips within them  for use with scanners. 
The three forms of tags currently approved for goats, and found on the CCIA web store. These can all be purchased with visual numbering only  or with an embedded RFID chip, which allows for scanning with a reader. All tags can be used for visual identification, and the number on each is unique, and registered to your home as the point of origin. 
The Shearwell ASET ear tag, with or without RFID for scanning. In a LaMancha, it is recommended that it be placed in the tail web,  which is not ideal. 
When applying the tag,  be careful not to obliterate an existing ear tattoo. Likewise, you need leave space for an ear tattoo to be  applied for an animal to be registered with CGS/CLRC.
The Shearwell ASET matching tag system, with a small RFID tag, and a larger matching tag on which you can write a name or identifying numbers. One would go in each ear (large tags not suitable for LaManchas or miniature goats).
This combo system is most often used in meat herds or grazing/brush clearing herds.
The  Datamars leg band. These can be visual only or with RFID chip. While the leg band can theoretically be increased in size (it's very, very difficult to pull the pin and reset it after it has been on for some time), it cannot be decreased. It is not suitable for  young standard goats or many miniatures, due to the large size of the opening and inflexible sizing options.
If you go with a tag with RFID (recommended), you will need to choose between FDX and HDX chips. 
In most cases, FDX is preferable - lower range, but readable on a broader range of scanners.
HDX is most useful in feedlots or dairies where distance is a factor, and there is a lot of metal that may interfere with readings.
Applicators (needed) and  RFID readers (optional):
Shearwell applicator for  their small eartags. It is relatively inexpensive at under $20.00 through CCIA.
Shearwell applicator for their large flat ear tags. This will not work for the small tags. More expensive, just under $40.00 through CCIA.
The handheld reader is the smart choice for most herds.
Portable, convenient and more affordable than the fixed devices. There is a very broad variation in reader prices from under $50 to $695 (Allflex pocket reader, shown above) or more! We will happily publish reviews for those you try!
​
Fixed location readers are useful in  commercial situations such as large dairies, feedlots, etc., places with a lot of metal.
They are powerful and very expensive, and    impractical to use if you need to move them from place to place.
The CCIA has a   very helpful booklet  to assist you in choosing your reader. All brands they recommend  are listed - buyer beware if you decide to take a chance on a cheap imported device.   Always look for "ISO11784/11785 15-digit" in the description.  There is a huge variation in reader price range.

3.  Traceability:
This is a program that follows a goat from its point of origin and throughout its life. The expressed purpose of the program is to protect animal health and food safety during disease outbreaks or disasters requiring evacuation.
  • Owners are required to maintain good records of all animals added or removed from the premises.
  • When goats are moved to or from the property for any reason, the movement must be reported  within 7 days via  CLTS (Canadian Livestock Tracing System): sales, trades, gifts, shows,  4-H rallies,  breedings, veterinary care, disposal of carcass, etc. The only exception is in the case of evacuation during a disaster such as a fire or flood.
  • You must register for the CLTS (Canadian Livestock Tracing Service) before you can access the website or app to report movement. 
 CLTS information page and links to the software registration application  (requires BC Premises ID  !)
  • CLTS website login
  • CLTS MOBO (mobile app): search your app store for CCIA MOBO, and download it (34.5MB)
    • Bluetooth enabled for Android only
  • The CCIA manages CLTS - if you have any questions, call them at 1-877-909-2333 or email them at [email protected]

4. Who does this affect? 
  • All goat owners, including those who keep a goat or two as pets, small hobbyists and commercial operations. (Some discussion is ongoing to address potential adjustments for pet owners, but for now, consider yourselves part of the goat industry at large.)

5. How is this being enforced?
  • The CFIA is the agency in control of inspections and  investigations of violations.
  • It is not clear at this time how this program will be enforced. CFIA is a federal agency that can inspect any property or shipment. It is likely that violations will involve a warning, then fines of increasing size, and potential criminal charges for extreme cases. 
  • We do not yet have a firm date for Traceability to come into effect, and there have been numerous delays since the regulations were being planned.
  • Currently, education and preparation are the focus.

6. The bottom line:
  • We recommend that all goat owners prepare NOW for the program - sheep, cattle and pigs have been on it for years, it IS coming for goats in 2026.
    • Bookmark the links above, and watch for updates to CFIA, CCIA and CLTS. The BCGA will also update our site as programs evolve.
    • Register for a BC Premise ID  as soon as possible
    • Create an account at the CCIA site, to order tags when the time comes
    • Create a CLTS account so that you're ready to file movement reports


Questions? Comments? Join BCGA and hop in on the discussion in  our members discussion group on Facebook! 
You can also email us at [email protected]
Our goals are to increase public awareness of the value of goats and goat producers, circulate information about breeds of goats and their care, and encourage young people with their involvement with goats and 4-H clubs."​ 
British Columbia Goat Association (c) , BC Goat Association (c) ,  bcgoat (c),  BC-Goat (c), are copyright of the British Columbia Goat Association.