Licence Fees

• a) Male calves or freemartin female calves of any dairy breed or dairy crossbreed, each weighing no more than 150 lbs. (68 kg)
• b) Intact male calves of any dairy breed or dairy crossbreed, each weighing no more than 450 lbs. (204.1 kg)
• c) Calves of any breed, each weighing no more than 769 lbs. (348.8 kg), that are to be sold for slaughter at an auction or through a livestock dealer
• d) Calves of any breed that are sold for slaughter to a processor to be processed into a veal carcass within the meaning of section 304 of the Safe Foods for Canadians Regulations (Canada)

(Livestock and Livestock Products Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter L.20, section 1 definitions) 

A “livestock dealer” means a person engaged in the business of buying or selling livestock as a principal or as an agent. 

(Farm Products Payments Act, OR 321/11, section 1 definitions) 

A “licenced dealer” means a dealer licenced under the Livestock and Livestock Products Act. 

Effective July 1, 2024, VFO licence fee/check-off will be $7.50/head for every head of veal cattle sold as outlined in VFO’s regulated definitions.

• Effective July 1, 2024, $7.50/head is to be remitted to VFO.
• Licence fees/check-off for ALL male and freemartin female dairy breed or dairy crossbreed calves (bob) will be directed to VFO (regardless of how they were sold). It does not matter if they go into a veal or beef program, all bob calf licence fees/check-off are remitted to VFO.
  • Please do not send any licence fees/check-off on bob calves to Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO). ALL bob calves are to be remitted directly to VFO including bob calves originating in Quebec but were sold in Ontario.
• Licence fees for ALL veal cattle regardless of breed sold by veal producers direct to slaughter will be directed to VFO, regardless if they grade as veal or not (this includes both milk-fed and grain-fed veal). This also includes all veal processed as custom kill or for the freezer trade.

Veal licence fees/check-off will be sent to:

Veal Farmers of Ontario
130 Malcolm Road, Unit 2, Guelph, Ontario, N1K 1B1

inspection@vealfarmers.ca

Yes. VFO has implemented a 2.5% reporting commission. The total reporting commission is determined by calculating 2.5% of the total gross licence fee/check-off before HST.

Yes. VFO licence fees/check-off are subject to 13% HST.

Yes, VFO is able to accept electronic transfers. Please contact the VFO office to set-up. This is our preferred method of payment.

If you purchase bob calves directly from another farmer (eg. dairy farmer) this is called a “private treaty” sale. $7.50/head must be deducted from these calves. It is the responsibility of both the buyer and the seller to ensure that licence fees/check-off are deducted and remitted to VFO. That does not mean that the calves are paid on twice, but that both the buyer and the seller have the equal responsibility so it will be important that you determine which one of you will remit. As the buyer, and the farmer who is finishing the veal cattle, you may decide to remit on behalf of your calf suppliers. You would deduct $7.50/head VFO licence fee/check-off from your purchase price and remit the sellers information on Form 5 since you are remitting it on their behalf.

If you wish to become a licenced dealer, contact Agricorp.

email: contact@agricorp.com

phone: 1-888-247-4999

Yes. Regardless of whether the bob calves are being put into a veal or beef program, VFO licence fees/check-off are to be remitted on all bob calves as per the regulation.

Yes. There is a 10 cent per head fee payable directly to the Livestock Financial Protection Board where cattle are purchased from a producer or country dealer.

Licence fee/check-off remittance forms for veal can be found at the top of this page.

You will need to complete both Form 4 and Form 5 every time when remitting licence fees/check-off.

As part of VFO’s regulations, you are required to remit producer data (name, full address, class of veal cattle) that corresponds to each seller of veal cattle. This information is collected on Form 5 List of Veal Cattle Sellers Information Report. Form 5 must be completed and submitted each time. If you have challenges in collecting this information please contact the VFO office to discuss.

You are remitting $7.50/head on behalf of the farmer from whom you purchased the calves. Therefore, these farmers are also members of VFO and are entitled to receive all the same communications, benefits, and information about the VFO. This is a requirement under Ontario Regulation 58/15 Veal Cattle Marketing, Section 24.

VFO will make an exception for small producers (<50 male dairy calves) per year. These are to be remitted by December 31. If there is reason to suspect this information is not true an inspection will be conducted.

The sales barn will have deducted the $7.50/head licence fee/check-off on behalf of the seller, therefore, you are not required to do anything more on this transaction.

The licence fees/check-off are to be paid and remitted to VFO for the province they are sold in (Ontario) at the rate of the province the calves were born in. For example, if a calf was born in Quebec and sold in Ontario, the licence fees/check-off will be remitted to VFO at the Quebec provincial rate. This applies to all provinces selling veal cattle which includes bob calves, preconditioned/started calves, and marketed/finished veal. VFO will remit the provincial levies to the Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency for distribution. These calves are not eligible for the Seven-Day Dealer Exemption.

Yes. Because you have bought and assembled the calves in Ontario, the VFO licence fees/check-off are still owed regardless of where the calves are being shipped to.

All veal cattle raised in Ontario and sold out of province are still required to remit licence fees/check-off to VFO.

Effective April 1, 2025, the rate for finished veal cattle from Quebec sellers is $20.70 and effective November 1, 2025, the rate for bob calves/male dairy calves and started calves is $9.95. Licence fees/check-off are to be paid and remitted to VFO for the province they are sold in (Ontario) and at the rate of the province the calves were born in.

The provincial levy rate for veal cattle which includes bob calves, preconditioned/started calves, and marketed/finished veal is:

British Columbia – $5.00

Alberta – $4.50

Saskatchewan – $5.25 (effective August 1, 2025)

Manitoba – $5.50

Newfoundland and Labrador – $2.50 (effective August 1, 2025)

Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island – $6.00

Veal cattle sold on a live weight (up to 769 lbs.) in a sales barn, auction market or by a livestock dealer are now remitted to VFO.

No, when purchasing a finished veal animal at a sale barn and having it custom harvested at a licenced processing plant, there should be no additional licence fees/check-off deducted. The required licence fees/check-off are deducted at the time of sale by the sale barn and are remitted accordingly.

Your packer/processor will be responsible for deducting $7.50/head on all veal cattle that they purchase from you and remit to the VFO on your behalf.

No, there is no exemption. Licence fees/check-off are due on veal cattle that may also be processed on a custom basis, including veal processed for the freezer trade.

Licence fees/check-off are to be remitted to VFO for the sale of ALL intact pre-conditioned/started male dairy calves and freemartin females up to 450 lbs.

Yes. There is an exemption that applies to a licenced livestock dealer who sells veal cattle (all classes, including bob calves) within seven business days of having purchased them, provided the cattle are both purchased and sold in Ontario. The licenced livestock dealer may apply to the VFO for a rebate with proper documentation including completed Forms 4, 5 and 6.

The seven-day dealer exemption only applies to licenced dealers who are current and compliant with their remittances, including a completed Form 5. There will be no exceptions.

The seven-day dealer exemption only applies to a licenced selling dealer if the Ontario licence fees have been collected and remitted by the purchasing dealer.

Licence fee rebates will not be issued until the licence fees from the purchasing dealer have been received at the VFO office.

A Seven-Day Dealer Exemption is considered late when it is not submitted by the 15th of the following month. If the Seven-Day Dealer Exemption application is three months overdue the request will not be considered. If the Seven-Day Dealer Exemption is submitted after January 15 for the previous year, the request will not be considered.

Veal cattle remitted by sale barns on behalf of Quebec producers are ineligible for the Seven-Day Dealer Exemption.

VFO operates under Regulation 58/15, specifically Regulation 58/15 3(c), which is established under the Farm Products Marketing Act. VFO has been granted authority to inspect records, documents, properties, and veal cattle related to those involved in the production or marketing of veal cattle. Additionally, VFO is empowered to enter properties used for veal cattle production and conduct cattle counts. These inspections include dealers, licenced or not, sales barns, and farms. VFO conducts routine inspections to ensure compliance with industry standards.

To maintain fairness and equality within the industry, all calves, even no sale calves, are to have the licence fees/check-off remitted on.

Yes. VFO maintains a very strict privacy policy that is designed to protect personal information collected under regulations. Membership lists are not shared with anyone including board members, private companies, etc. and are used solely for the purposes of conducting business of the organization.