Proposed changes to B.C.’s Animal Health Act received first reading on April 30.
The changes would help prevent the spread of animal disease as well as improving the response to a potential outbreak. These changes are essential to meet the B.C. Agrifoods Strategy commitment to expand domestic and international markets.
The proposed changes follow consultation with B.C.’s livestock, poultry and honey producers, federal and provincial government agencies and more than 300 submissions to the ministry’s web-based citizen consultation.
Today’s emphasis on food safety and security require modernization of the act, which has not been substantially changed since 1948.
The B.C. Agrifoods Strategy includes the development of a new animal health framework as one of 49 actions that are projected to lead the B.C. agrifoods sector to becoming a $14-billion-a-year industry by 2017.
The legislative process for Bill 37, The Animal Health Amendment Act, can be followed at:
http://www.leg.bc.ca/39th4th/votes/bills-list_hansard.htm
