Alberta's cattle inspection fee will be increasing 25 cents to $1.50 per head.

General Manager of Livestock Identification Services Ltd. (LIS), Shawn McLean, says the previous fee producers paid when selling their cattle wasn't enough to cover their operating costs.

"We're (LIS) regulated through the Livestock Identification and Commerce Act on what we can charge for our inspection fee, which is our only source of income. We were working in a deficit budget for so many years, so we decided to petition the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry for an increase."

Inspection activities carried out by LIS under the Act deter theft, facilitate commerce, help protect producers and lenders and create accurate animal movement records.

They also play an active role in the tracing of animal movement in disease outbreaks and investigations.

"We do over four million head a year," McLean says. "So 25 cents adds a million dollars to our operating budget, so it'll help us enhance our program and hopefully keep costs lower."

He adds, their board is made up of industry organizations who approved this increased fee.

Alberta still has the lowest cattle inspection fee in Canada. In comparison, B.C. charges $1.80 per head and Saskatchewan's fee is significantly higher at $2.75 per head.

The change comes into effect Thursday, November 1.

 

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