British Columbians who own or care for livestock are required to register their premises as of July 1, to support the province’s emergency response network.

Premises ID is used to support farmers and operators in an emergency. Farms with a registered premises ID may receive notification when there is an emergency in their area, such as a natural disaster or animal disease outbreak.

For example, poultry farmers are being informed of highly pathogenic avian influenza cases within 10 kilometres of their property.

The program is also used for recovery planning, such as identifying premises with animals that might need relocation, feed or water, as seen during November 2021 flooding in the Fraser Valley.

“Participation in the premises ID program helps B.C. farmers and ranchers protect their animals, support the health of their farming community and be better prepared during an emergency that affects them,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food. “The program has been very effective in helping first responders, livestock owners and communities respond to animal disease events and natural disasters, such as the wildfires and flooding we’ve seen over the past year, and in an emergency, we need everyone on board.”

“The safety and care of our farmers and their cows is paramount in any emergency,” said Jeremy Dunn, general manager, BC Dairy. “Premises ID has been mandatory on dairy farms for some time and is invaluable for BC Dairy and all agencies providing support.”

As B.C. producers prepare for the coming spring freshet and summer wildfire seasons, they are encouraged to register parcels of land where animals are kept, handled, assembled or disposed of with the premises ID program right away, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food stated in a media release.

The program is available at no cost through a user-friendly online registration system. Paper applications are also accepted.

Premises ID will be required to access programs and funding provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

Premises identification is a national program and an integral part of Canada’s livestock traceability system. Registration is mandatory in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec and Prince Edward Island.

The regulation was developed based on models adopted in other provinces, as well as input received from approximately 850 B.C. ranchers and livestock producers, local governments and industry associations in response to stakeholder meetings and an intentions paper released in 2019.

The premises ID program is part of a three-pillar national traceability system that also includes animal identification and movement reporting.

Types of premises registered with the program range from small-scale or hobby farms with a few animals to large co-mingling sites such as feedlots, auction yards and abattoirs.

Livestock that should be registered under the premises ID program:

* alpaca

* honeybees

* bison

* cattle

* chickens

* chinchilla

* donkeys

* doves

* ducks

* emu

* farmed deer

* fowl

* geese

* goats

* horses

* llamas

* ostrich

* pheasants

* pigeons

* quail

* rabbits

* sheep

* swine

* turkeys

* vicuna

* water buffalo

* wild boar

* yak

Premises ID registration.

e-KNOW file photos

e-KBOW

---

Article Share

---