Red Tape Cuts for Hatcheries and Produce

Summary#

These are final regulations that change parts of the Health of Animals Regulations and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. They let the Canadian Food Inspection Agency update an import rules document more quickly, loosen some hatchery traceability rules, require Salmonella testing for some imported hatching eggs, give veal producers more time with imported calves, and relax some labelling and grading rules for fresh fruits and vegetables. The regulations came into force on September 19, 2025 and were published in the Canada Gazette on October 8, 2025.

What it does#

• Health of Animals Regulations (HAR)
  • Makes the Import Reference Document ambulatory so the Canadian Food Inspection Agency can update import conditions without changing the regulations.
  • For feeder calves imported from the United States:
    • increases the allowed time before slaughter from 36 weeks to 40 weeks,
    • raises the minimum import age from 8 days to 9 days,
    • raises the maximum import age at entry from 14 days to 21 days.
  • Requires hatching eggs imported from the United States for Canadian licensed hatcheries to come from flocks tested negative for Salmonella Enteritidis.
  • Lets hatcheries use a lot code or other unique identifier instead of requiring a provincial PID number on boxes of eggs or chicks for traceability.
• Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR)
  • Exempts some consumer prepackaged fresh fruits and vegetables (FFV) from net quantity labels when the quantity is clearly visible and is 6 items or fewer, or when packaged with a confining band.
  • Restores an exemption for FFV in a clear protective wrapper or bag so they can avoid mandatory labelling in some cases.
  • Lowers the minimum font size for key label items to 1.6 mm.
  • Makes size-designation labelling optional for FFV sent between provinces or imported.
  • Allows certain FFV (like ears of sweet corn) to be labelled by weight, volume or count.
  • Transfers responsibility for most FFV grade standards (except onions, potatoes and apples) from the CFIA’s Compendium to an industry body, the Fruit and Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corporation via a new Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grades Document, and removes mandatory grading for FFV destined to be manufactured, processed or preserved.

Who's affected#

• Licensed hatcheries and hatchery importers — fewer prescriptive traceability rules, and imported hatching eggs must meet Salmonella Enteritidis testing parity.
• Veal producers and calf importers — more flexibility on calf age at import and longer time to slaughter.
• Growers, packers, wholesalers, retailers and exporters/importers of fresh fruits and vegetables — label and grading rules change (including font size, net quantity exemptions and optional size declarations).
• Small businesses across the FFV and poultry sectors. The government notes many in these industries are small: e.g. 99.2% of poultry and egg businesses and 90% of food and beverage businesses are small.
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and industry bodies like the Fruit and Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corporation, which will maintain the new grades document.
• Consumers may notice clearer labelling in some cases and the Salmonella testing alignment aimed at food safety.

If it’s unclear who is affected for a specific product or situation, the CFIA is the contact named in the regulation text.

Why it matters#

• Faster updates for import rules: making the Import Reference Document ambulatory lets the Canadian Food Inspection Agency react quicker to new scientific or trade developments without slow regulatory changes.
• Practical relief for industry: hatcheries get simpler traceability options; FFV businesses face fewer prescriptive labelling and grading rules, which can save time and packaging space and reduce administrative steps.
• Trade and competitiveness: aligning some rules with U.S. practices (for example Salmonella testing of hatching eggs and flexible labelling) aims to level the playing field for Canadian businesses and reduce trade friction.
• Small business impacts: regulators expect net savings and fewer ministerial exemption requests for processors who use ungraded produce; the rules are intended to reduce red tape without adding new costs.
• Food safety: the SE testing requirement for imported hatching eggs brings import rules in line with domestic standards to reduce the risk of Salmonella Enteritidis spreading through the poultry supply chain.

If you want details for a specific product or business process, the regulation text lists the CFIA contact for follow-up.