VFO’s regulations amended to include veal cattle sold in sales barns

Amendments provide clarity and broaden definition of veal cattle

Veal Farmers of Ontario (VFO) is pleased to announce that amendments to the VFO regulations that update the definitions of veal cattle and now include the collection of licence fees on veal cattle sold in sales barns will come into effect on January 1st, 2021.

VFO has been working collaboratively with the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission for quite some time to bring forward amendments to Regulation 58/15- Veal Cattle- Marketing Plan and Reg 272/14- Veal Cattle- Plan.

“VFO is pleased to reach this important milestone and we appreciate the support of the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission and Minister Hardeman for ensuring these amendments were completed,” stated Pascal Bouilly, VFO Chair.

The amended regulations bring forward an expanded definition of veal cattle to include an extended weight on male dairy bob calves up to 150 pounds; inclusion of started or preconditioned intact male dairy calves up to 450 pounds; and the addition of veal cattle marketed on live weight basis, weighing no more than 769 pounds, through an auction or livestock dealer. There are no changes to the definitions for those producers who market their veal cattle directly to the processor.

“This is great news for VFO. We have been working on these amendments for quite some time and it is the final piece of our licence fee collection system to be completed since we became a marketing board under the Farm Products Marketing Act on April 1, 2015,” stated Jennifer Haley, VFO Executive Director.

There are no changes to the $5.50 per head licence fee or check-off being assigned to veal cattle sold.

Prior to the amendments coming into effect, veal cattle sold in sales barns on a live weight basis would have had the Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) check-off applied. The change on January 1st, 2021 provides that the licence fees collected by the auction markets or livestock dealers on live veal cattle will be redirected to VFO rather than remitted to BFO.

“The updated definitions of what is considered veal cattle will strengthen our regulations, provide clarity to our veal definitions, and ensure equity and transparency within all segments of our markets where our VFO licence fees are applied,” stated Haley.

Bouilly also acknowledged the partnership with BFO has been key to bringing the amendments forward. “We appreciate the support and collaboration of BFO throughout this process. Both of our organizations share a common goal of ensuring licence fees and check-off are collected and remitted appropriately to each of our organizations,” stated Bouilly.

Find the full news release here.