Beef Cattle Levy Definitions Updated

Summary#

The Order Amending the Beef Cattle Research, Market Development and Promotion Levies Order updates how certain classes of cattle are defined for levy purposes and clarifies when levy payments are due. The order took effect on August 22, 2025 and was published in the Canada Gazette on September 10, 2025.

What it does#

• Repeals the old definition of “feeder calf.”
• Replaces several animal-class definitions with new, clearer rules that use live-weight cutoffs and the seller’s province of residence:
  • bob calf — dairy or dairy-cross calf sold in Ontario at 68 kg or less, or in Quebec at 109 kg or less.
  • started calf — dairy or dairy-cross calf sold in Ontario weighing more than 68 kg but no more than 204.1 kg, or sold in Quebec weighing more than 109 kg but no more than 348.8 kg.
  • fed veal — dairy or dairy-cross animal marketed for slaughter and sold in Ontario weighing more than 204.1 kg but no more than 348.8 kg, or sold in Quebec weighing more than 109 kg but no more than 348.8 kg.
  • fed cattle and cull cow — reworded to cover finished cattle and animals marketed for slaughter.
• Adds new definitions:
  • beef breed (cattle of Bos taurus or Bos indicus that are not dairy breeds).
  • dairy breed (the Order lists specific dairy breeds such as Holstein, Ayrshire, Jersey, Brown Swiss, Milking Shorthorn, Guernsey and Canadienne).
  • dairy-cross (offspring of a dairy breed mated with a beef breed).
  • feeder cattle (animals marketed for finishing before slaughter that are not bob calves or started calves).
• Updates the levies table so the seller’s province of residence is used in the category for feeder cattle (technical change to section 4 of the Order).
• Changes the payment rule: levies must be paid by negotiable instrument in Canadian dollars within 15 calendar days after the invoice date.

Who's affected#

• Cattle sellers and producers, especially those selling dairy, dairy-cross and beef animals.
• Sellers in Ontario and Quebec, because the weight cutoffs for some categories differ by province.
• Feedlots, finishing operations and slaughter/processing businesses that buy, sell or handle animals classified under these categories.
• The Canadian Beef Cattle Research, Market Development and Promotion Agency, which administers and invoices the levies.

If you sell or buy cattle and are unsure which category your animals now fall into, this order could change how levies apply to your animals. The Gazette text does not list other provinces, so it’s unclear how sales from other provinces are treated by these specific new weight rules.

Why it matters#

• Definitions determine which animals are subject to research, market development and promotion levies. Changing the definitions can shift which sellers pay levies and when.
• The province-based weight cutoffs mean identical animals could be classified differently depending on whether they are sold by a resident of Ontario or Quebec. That affects billing and possibly who pays the levy.
• Tightening the payment rule to 15 calendar days after invoice affects cash flow for sellers and buyers who handle levy payments.
• Overall, this is mainly a technical change to clarify categories and payment timing rather than a change in levy rates. If you are in the beef or dairy supply chain, check how your animals fit the new categories and review invoice timing.