Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food

Comité permanent de l'agriculture et de l'agroalimentaire

For immediate release

Ottawa, December 11, 2023 -

On 11 December 2023, the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food presented a report to the House of Commons on the state of animal biosecurity preparedness in Canada’s agriculture sector. This is the committee’s fifth substantive report of the first session of the 44th Parliament.

The report, entitled, “Protecting Against Animal Biosecurity Risks: The State of Canada's Preparedness”, is based on testimony from 23 witnesses that the committee heard over three meetings held between 3 May 2023 and 23 October 2023.

Animal disease outbreaks can have important consequences for animal and human health, food security, and international trade. Over the course of this study, the Committee heard from primary producers and others involved in the Canadian livestock chain on the biosecurity challenges confronting their sector and their readiness to face animal disease outbreaks.

In this context, the report presents seven recommendations on measures the federal government could take to increase prevention and protection against biosecurity threats. In particular, the government should conduct annual reviews of biosecurity protocols, work to improve access to vaccines for animal diseases, and ensure that Canada's border services have the necessary resources to protect against biosecurity threats from international trade.

The report is available on the committee's web page.