Food Safety
Animal Health and Food Safety

The Canadian deer and elk industry remains committed to maintaining the highest standards associated with animal health and food safety. It is our goal to continue expanding upon the strengths in our current programs and to develop new strategies to address emerging issues.

Through our current management practices and our involvement in the implementation and development of programs, consumers can feel confident knowing their Canadian raised deer and elk products are safe.

These include:

• Code of Practice
  Recommended Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farmed Deer
  
  
• Regular Monitoring and Inspection Services
  The Canadian Food Inspection Agency monitors deer and elk herds throughout Canada and inspections are required every three to five years.
  
  Canadian deer and elk herds are tested for tuberculosis and brucellosis at regular intervals, however the occurrence of either of these diseases are rare.
  
  In many provinces, deer and elk farms are inspected at regular intervals to ensure compliance to legislation requirements.
  
  
• Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance and Monitoring
  The Canadian Cervid Alliance along with provincial governments have worked with the CFIA to develop standards for a voluntary chronic wasting disease herd certification program. Participants are required to adhere to a strict set of guidelines and regulations that help to ensure early detection and containment of the disease. In addition, the Canadian government has made CWD a Reportable Disease under the Health of Animals Act. This requires that anyone with any knowledge of the possible occurrence of CWD must report that information to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). CFIA will then take the appropriate measures to determine if the disease is present and then to take all the necessary measures to restrict spread and ultimately eradicate the disease.
  
  

Animal Traceability

The Health of Canada Act requires that all cervids must be identified and that all movement is tracked through Cervid Movement Permits. Many of the provinces required import/export permits based on approval of herd health status. Antler and meat products are processed in inspected and approved facilities and exported velvet antler must bear an identification tag prior to shipping. Industry organizations are developing enhanced Traceability systems for animals and products, in cooperation with all levels of government, and the financial assistance of Agriculture and AgriFood Canada.

Food Safety

The Canadian Cervid Alliance is developing a Food Safety and Quality Program specifically designed for cervids. This program will afford our producers an opportunity to ensure that best practices are followed and recorded to ensure the continued safety of deer and elk products.

Our animals are raised naturally, without the use of growths hormones or stimulants. They are raised in natural, free ranging environments to promote healthy and normal development.

Deer and elk feed is free from animal by-products or antibiotics. Cervid farmers provide their animals with the opportunity to graze naturally. Farms are spacious and incorporate a wide variety of flora. While feed does need to be supplemented, particularly during the winter months, animals are able to consume the grass and plants they naturally prefer.

All meat sold within Canada is processed in either provincially or federally inspected premises. All exported product is processed in either federally or European Union approved facilities.

All velvet antler is processed in plants approved and monitored by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)