A study funded by the National Beef Industry Development Fund (NBIDF) provides an assessment of opportunities and constraints for traceability systems in the Canadian beef industry.

The industry already has a now well-established animal identification system that allows traceback from slaughter to the farm of origin, notes Rob McNabb of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association. This can provide rapid and effective response to potential animal health and food safety issues. But the industry now faces the increasingly complex and difficult question of where to go from here.

"We know we need to move further ahead on traceability, to meet increasing expectations and maintain the head start we've achieved over some of our competitors," says McNabb. "The analysis provided by this study will help advance some of the things we need to do in the next three to five years."

To help Canada's beef industry navigate this rapidly evolving traceability area, NBIDF supported a study by Dr. Jill Hobbs and Kim Sanderson of the University of Saskatchewan, Department of Agricultural Economics.

Among the study's key components, the researchers explored the feasibility and implications of extending the current cattle identification system to a full chain traceability system, from farm to retail. They also examined the network effects and economic implications of combining traceability with more comprehensive information management systems for quality verification.

"Our analysis found that the current cattle ID and traceability system is functioning well," says Hobbs. "The recent BSE cases we've dealt with are one example of how this system has greatly benefited the industry."

In this respect, Canada is well ahead of the U.S., which doesn't yet have a national cattle ID system in place, she notes. "The U.S. has approached traceback on more of a state-by-state basis. It appears Canada's approach has worked much better."

There are a number of considerations when evaluating a potential next step for Canada to expand its ID and traceability system into a full chain system ? one that extends beyond the slaughter level to the retail level.

Chief among these considerations is technology. "Our industry consultations revealed that the technology exists to extend traceability along the supply chain to the retail sector, and that is already happening on a small scale," says Hobbs. "However, the high speed of commerce within the broader industry creates a challenge for implementing complete farm-to-fork traceability on a large scale."

The current technology is better suited to lower cattle numbers and slower processing than exists in the industry right now, she explains. "As a result, developing and implementing effective technology is a critical hurdle to a more extensive industry-wide system."

Another constraint is integration at the regulatory level, she says. "The development of programs by different levels and jurisdictions of governments could make it difficult to establish a broader integrated national program for traceability."

There is little doubt traceability and quality verification will continue to increase in importance, says Hobbs. "It's up to Canada's beef industry to determine how it will meet the many challenges and opportunities that traceability and quality verification poses."