Licence Fees

A dealer is defined as a person engaged in the business of buying or selling cattle as a principal or as an agent. Find a list of licenced dealers here.

• 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)

For cattle sold beginning November 1, 2019, $5.50 per head must be remitted to VFO.

• Licence fees for ALL dairy bob calves 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 are remitted to VFO.
  • Please do not send any licence fees on dairy bob calves to Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO). ALL dairy bob calves are to be remitted directly to VFO including dairy bob calves originating in Quebec but were sold in Ontario.
• Licence fees for ALL veal cattle 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).

Veal licence fees (check-off) will be sent to:

Veal Farmers of Ontario
449 Laird Rd, Unit 12, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 4W1

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.

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.

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 before HST.

If you purchase bob calves directly from another farmer (eg. dairy farmer) this is called a “private treaty” sale. The $5.50/head must still be deducted from these calves. It is the responsibility of both the buyer and the seller to ensure that licence fees 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 the $5.50/head VFO licence fee from your purchase price and remit the sellers information on Form 5 since you are remitting it on their behalf. This is a similar process to what was required under the Beef Cattle Marketing Act (BCMA) when the funds were remitted to the BFO, however, now the funds come directly to VFO and are used to support veal cattle priorities.

Essentially, you are remitting the $5.50/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.

The sales barn will have deducted the $5.50/head licence fee on behalf of the seller, therefore, you are not required to do anything more on this transaction.

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

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

The licence fees are to be remitted in the province they are sold at the rate of the province the calves were born in. For example, if a calf was born in Quebec and bought by an Ontario dealer the licence fees will be remitted to VFO at the Quebec provincial rate. Effective April 1, 2021, for bob calves/male dairy calves from Quebec sellers, the rate is now $6.05.

VFO will then remit the provincial levies to the Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency for distribution. These calves are not eligible for the Seven Day Dealer exemption.

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.

Your packer/processor will be responsible for deducting the $5.50/head on all veal cattle that they purchase from you and remit to the VFO on your behalf.

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

Licence fees are to be remitted to VFO for the sale of all intact pre-conditioned/started male dairy calves up to 450 lbs.

Yes. VFO staff will work with you to determine the most effective reporting period based on your volume. It is possible to remit quarterly. Please contact VFO office to discuss.

No there is no exemption. Licence fees are due on veal cattle that may also be processed on a custom basis.

No, not at this time. The VFO will communicate directly with industry partners to evaluate the needs of various types of services in order to enhance and enable remittance of licence fees.

Yes. There is an exemption that applies to a licenced livestock dealer who sells veal cattle within seven business days of having purchased them provided the cattle are purchased and sold in Ontario. The livestock dealer may apply to the VFO for a rebate with proper documentation including a completed Form 6. This exemption mirrors what is already provided by BFO under the BCMA.

Yes. VFO licence fees are subject to 13% HST.

If you wish to become a licenced dealer contact the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs at 1-877-424-1300.

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.