On Sale This Week: Beef Bacon and Beef Back Ribs

Why Changes Proposed By The CFIA Matter To You, The Consumer

written by

Mike Dougherty

posted on

January 19, 2026

The new regulations were scheduled to take effect, but due to pushback (mainly from farmers), they have been paused.

You can read more about the new regulations here if you are so inclined.

If you are interested in some farmers perspectives, here is a video of a meeting in Alberta, which speaks about what the regulations are, the perspective of a farmer who has dealt with the CFIA in the past and others who have looked into it a lot more than I have.

The new regulations essentially put more stringent requirements on farmers to track the movement of cattle (including hefty fines for non compliance). The justification is that this would be used as a tool to track down and deal with any disease outbreaks. 

The thing is that there is already a tracking system in place and there hasn't been any issues since its inception. 

The new system would add a lot of red tape, time and cost, which will be felt most by smaller producers; while critics of the proposed regulations say the hypothetical benefits aren't worth the cost.

Why should this matter to you, as a consumer? 

Regulations (while they do have their place) typically are hardest on the smallest entities involved. A large organization can pay someone to make sure all the paperwork is completed and all the boxes are checked. They can pay for the new equipment that is required and pass the costs on to the consumer. A smaller organization (or farm), does not have the same resources (personnel or cash), but do have to meet the same requirements. It is hardest on the smallest producers.

For an example of the effect of stricter regulations on small businesses, the number of abattoirs and butchers now vs. a few decades ago has significantly reduced - stricter regulation was a big part of it. The relationship between stricter regulations imposed on farming and the reduction in small farms will likely be the same.

I think the rise in popularity of our farm and business and other similar enterprises in recent years is at least in part because people want better food, they want to know where it is from, and they don't necessarily trust the commoditized and standardized food system. More control and regulations will mean fewer viable small farms and less choices for people who want to support those small farms and the food that is produced there.

I think when it comes to food, what it means to people's health and their finances, what it means to the people who produce and work in the food industry and what it means to the rural economies and cultures, we need to be very careful with how policy can affect it. 


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394265 Concession 2
Durham (West Grey), ON N0G 1R0

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(519) 710 5702

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