H T T O YO U BY T H E M D O F LES S ER S LAVE R I VER
LIVESTOCK ANTIBIOTICS
PURCHASES ARE CHANGING
As of December 1,
2018, Health Canada
will require all
Medically Important
Antibiotics (MIA),
for therapeutic
use in livestock, to
be purchased by
prescription only.
To ensure that area
farmers/producers
received accurate
information on
this significant
change in practice,
the Agricultural
Service Board, in
cooperation with
PACO, the Fawcett and area Agricultural Society, hosted Free
Livestock Lectures, on November 14, at Flatbush and Smith.
Dr. Robert Lawrence, DVM, presented details of the changes
and the reasons why Health Canada and the World Health
Organization are making practice changes. He outlined the
way livestock producers will be able to purchase and use
antibiotics. He included that a prescription from a licensed
DVM, will be required to purchase medicated feed, even if
the farmer is raising chickens for their own use.
no .
124
2
ALBERTA FARM HEALTH AND
SAFETY PRODUCER GRANT
PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
Program helps producers implement on-
farm programs.
The Alberta Farm Health and Safety Producer Grant
Program was recently announced by Alberta Agriculture
and Forestry. The program can assist Alberta producers
to offset some of the cost to implement an on-farm
health and safety program to align with Occupational
Health and Safety (OHS) legislation which takes effect on
December 1, 2018.
The intent of the program is to implement individual
operations Farm Health and Safety Programs. The
program is designed to supply direct financial support to
eligible employers (must have waged, non-family workers
and a WCB account) for eligible costs to improve health
and safety in their operations. The agricultural operation
must be producing at least $10,000 worth of agricultural
commodities annually. The grant is offered on a cost-
shared basis to cover up to 50 per cent of approved
eligible expenses by an applicant to a maximum of $5,000
per applicant, per year, and $10,000 per applicant over
the program term.
Dr. Lawrence stressed the need to have a vet-client-patient
relationship (VCPR), so that obtaining a prescription can be
an easy, simple process to obtain livestock antibiotics in the
future. Dr. Lawrence impressed upon the 30 some attendees
to, prior to the busy calving season, consult with their chosen
Veterinarian practice to establish this relationship and if a
farm visit is required, to talk to their neighbors, to decrease
mileage costs.
Change will not be expected to happen overnight but will
be phased in over 6 months to a year. Farmers/producers
who are. raising any livestock, are encouraged to establish a
VCPR, so that the future purchase of antibiotics is a simple;
easy process.
For further information, please contact Barry at the MDLSR
sub-office at 780.681.3929 or Toll-Free 1.866.681.3929, or
visit mdlsr.ca/Agriculture.
Full details of the program can be found at
[email protected] assistance with
farm safety planning, resources and/or templates, please
contact AgSafe Alberta at www.agsafeab.ca.