New Deadstock Rules Give Farmers More Options

Ontario farmers will have more choices to safely dispose of their deadstock under new regulations that would come into force Friday, March 27, 2009, pending approval from the Lieutenant-Governor.

The new rules, developed in consultation with industry partners, also provide greater flexibility for the deadstock service sector and include measures that will protect the environment. Key changes include:

• Giving farmers and deadstock receivers a wider range of choices for disposing of deadstock both on and off the farm, such as anaerobic digestion and central composting
• Including poultry and other farmed animals not previously covered under the old legislation
• Establishing enhanced environmental standards that will protect our water resources, with additional requirements that safeguard animal health and public health protection

The new regulations were developed jointly by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Environment, with input from the livestock industry.

QUOTES

"We have worked with the livestock industry to modernize the regulations so that producers have more choices to safely dispose of their dead animals and to ensure we continue to have a system that is sustainable for the industry."
- Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

"Modernizing the regulations for managing and disposing of deadstock will give farmers more environmentally protective and economically viable options for the disposal of deadstock. That's good news for farmers and the environment."
- John Gerretsen, Minister of the Environment

QUICK FACT

• In response to declining markets for rendered material, the McGuinty government has provided close to $20 million in transition funding over the last five years to support an affordable deadstock collection system in Ontario.
  
  

LEARN MORE

About deadstock disposal in Ontario.

For more information, contact:

Sherry Persaud, Minister's Office, 416-326-6439
Brent Ross, Communications Branch, 416-326-9342