Question Period Note: BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY (BSE)

Q1 – Why are there differences between Canada and the United States in the measures to mitigate bovine spongiform encephalopathy risk? Q2 – What has been done to harmonize the Canadian feed ban with the feed ban in the United States?
Q3 – How does the future detection of cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Canada affect the risk status designation? Q4 – How does Canada’s negligible risk status for bovine spongiform encephalopathy affect trade?

R.1 - Both Canada and the United States are currently recognised by the World Organisation for Animal Health as having a negligible risk status for bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

Protecting human and animal health, along with maintaining our negligible risk status is a priority for the Government of Canada.

Canadian regulations require the removal of a broader list of cattle material (specified risk material) from the animal feed and fertilizer production chains contrary to the United States. These stricter controls have enabled Canada to mitigate the risks in the livestock industry to achieve negligible risk status.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency engages with key industry stakeholders, including the Canadian Cattle Association, the Canadian Meat Council, the Animal Nutrition Association of Canada, and the Canadian Renderers Association, to better understand possible risks of harmonizing Canada’s feed ban with the United States. This work also serves to help determine if such changes would affect Canada’s negligible risk status. Further work is required to determine if there may be any impacts on current international markets for Canadian cattle, beef products and by-products. R.2 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has provided financial support and scientific expertise towards the completion of a risk assessment on feed ban harmonisation. This assessment has been peer-reviewed by international experts to verify its credibility and defensibility. The risk assessment was recently completed, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is reviewing it to determine whether additional work is required to ensure that any potential changes to the feed ban do not impact Canada's negligible status.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has also established an industry working group to assess the feasibility of feed ban harmonisation, its trade and economic implications, and the regulatory steps required for implementation. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has also consulted with industry and partners in the United States to find ways to align our approach to specified risk material. R.3 - In 2023, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) revised its bovine spongiform encephalopathy standards so that the detection of a case – whether domestic or imported, atypical or classical – no longer leads to the automatic suspension of a country’s official bovine spongiform encephalopathy risk status. Canada is only required to submit an epidemiological report within 90 days if the case involves classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy in a domestic animal born after 2007.

However, some international trading partners may choose not to follow these new standards and may impose trade restrictions regardless. R.4 - Having negligible bovine spongiform encephalopathy risk status helps ease trade negotiations and expand market access. Since achieving this status, Canada has secured approvals to export bovine meat and bone meal to Mexico, and beef to several countries including Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, and is finalizing negotiations with Australia.

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, is a progressive, fatal disease of the nervous system of cattle that is associated with the presence of an abnormal form of a prion protein. In infected cattle, prions concentrate in certain tissues known in Canada as specified risk material (SRM).

There are two distinct types of BSE. The first type of BSE is the classical strain, which emerges from the practice of feeding cattle with concentrated sources of cattle protein and is transmitted through prion-contaminated feed. The second type of BSE is the atypical strain that occurs sporadically in all cattle populations at a very low rate and has only been identified in older animals.

The disease continues to pose an extremely low risk to human health. The Government’s actions have also led to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) upgrading Canada’s risk status from “controlled” to “negligible” in May 2021. Trade restrictions, however, are still imposed on Canadian animals and their products by some trading partners, such as China. Other countries have opened the door to some cattle commodities, while maintaining some restrictions, such as South Korea. The Canadian Government is working to regain and expand market access for live cattle and products derived from them, based on our negligible risk status.

Atypical BSE case

On December 17, 2021, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) notified WOAH of a case of atypical BSE in a beef cow on a farm in Alberta.

The detection and reporting of an atypical BSE case has not affected Canada’s negligible risk status.

Following the detection of this atypical BSE case, Canada engaged key trading partners to provide information and maintain confidence in Canada’s BSE safeguards.
According to WOAH standards, the occurrence of atypical BSE cases should not affect Canada’s status as long as the case is disposed of in a way that mitigates the risk for humans and other animals. Some countries, however, have stopped imports regardless.

BSE - specified risk material

Each country holding a BSE risk status must identify and report its unique risk factors for BSE entry and exposure, and measures to mitigate these risks to WOAH. Canada achieved its negligible BSE risk status from the WOAH in May 2021, based on the risk mitigation program in place at that time.

On March 21, 2025, the CFIA launched a redesigned BSE Surveillance Program.
To maintain negligible risk status for BSE, WOAH requires evidence that such efforts are undertaken to find and sample appropriate cattle.

Canada must publicly demonstrate that effective controls are in place to prevent the risks of entry and recycling of BSE within the Canadian livestock feed chain. The CFIA is analyzing the feasibility of harmonising with the United States’ list of cattle-derived materials that can be fed to non-ruminant animals. The beef industry estimates that differences between the United States and Canadian feed bans cost the Canadian packing industry approximately $25 million annually. Harmonising with the United States would reduce these competitive disadvantages for this Canadian sector.

The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) commissioned risk assessment has been peer reviewed by experts to ensure the methodology and final report are scientifically rigorous and defensible from an international perspective. The CFIA is currently undertaking an in-depth review of the recently completed risk assessment and preparing information to share with trading partners.

The CFIA is engaging with key stakeholders, including the Canadian Cattle Association, Canadian Meat Council, Animal Nutrition Association of Canada, and the Canadian Renderers Association, to explore risks, and possible future policy and regulatory options.

Feed ban controls are integrated into several regulatory frameworks, including the Health of Animals Regulations, Feeds Regulations, Fertilisers Regulations, Food and Drug Regulations and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. Any changes to the Canadian feed ban will likely involve regulatory amendments, including public consultation and careful consideration of stakeholder input to balance the protection of human and animal health, food safety, competitiveness, cost benefit, risk management, and market access.

• The Government is committed to maintaining and expanding international market access for Canadian cattle, beef products and by-products.
• Protecting human and animal health while maintaining Canada’s negligible risk status continues to be a priority.
• In March 2025, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency launched a redesigned Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Surveillance Program and updated its bovine spongiform encephalopathy case response policy to align with the latest international standards.
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recently completed a risk assessment on feed ban harmonisation and is reviewing it to determine whether additional work is required to ensure that any potential changes do not impact Canada's negligible status.
• In doing so, the Agency is also working with industry on options to reduce unnecessary costs and improve competitiveness while continuing to protect animal health and maintain Canada’s international trade access.