The Premises Identification Program is the responsibility of Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives Chief Veterinary Office and became mandatory under the Animal Diseases Act in September 2010.

David Hunt, the Agri-Food Traceability Coordinator with MAFRI, explains the program links livestock and poultry to geographic locations for the planning and management of animal health emergencies and it's a critical component of a national traceability system.

David Hunt-Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives

The type of information, it's actually the same for all livestock and poultry species.

The information collected is based on a national standard.

All it entails is a legal land description so, if it's a quarter section for example, we need a section, township and range.

We ask for the types of livestock that are on that piece of land, the maximum number of animals and then just the contact information of the individual.

In terms of emergency management, which is the immediate benefit of the premises identification program, it allows us to notify producers, livestock and poultry producers or owners, if they're at risk of some type of animal health emergency whether it's disease based or an environmental emergency.

It also helps prepare for animal health emergencies.

If there is an emergency it will help us track animals.

As well, because we can be proactive, it reduces the impact of an emergency if one does occur.

It is also part of a traceability system, along with animal identification and movement recording, so as these traceability systems become developed it's going to be a critical component of that.

Mr Hunt says producers have been supportive of the program and participation among commercial poultry, swine and dairy operations is at 100 per cent while the associations for sectors such as sheep, goats and horses are assisting in promoting the program.