Canadian Radio Frequency Identification Reader Program - Cattle

The Canadian Radio Frequency Identification Reader Program (CRFID Reader Program) reimburses eligible applicants who first purchase an eligible RFID reader and then apply for reimbursement.

Eligibility Criteria

An individual, organization, business or facility beyond the farm gate:

• Slaughter and processing plants
• Sales Barns/Stockyards/Auction Markets
• Veterinarians
• Veterinarian Schools and Universities
• Pathology Labs (private)
• Mobile Butchers
• Dead Stock Operators
• Commercial Livestock Truckers*
• Commercial Feedlots*
• Grazing Co-operatives/Community Pastures*

* Commercial Livestock Truckers, Commercial Feedlots, Grazing Co-operatives and Community Pastures are only eligible for readers purchased after March 24^th, 2006.

Deadline

2007-12-31

Summary

Reimbursement

Reimbursement can be obtained for the reader(s), and costs related with reader installation and the associated hardware and software such as traceability data sorting software and traceability data sorting terminals.

Reimbursement is up to 50% of the total actual costs of the reader less the refundable portion of GST or HST up to a maximum of $1 000 for each hand-held RFID reader and up to a maximum of $3 000 for each panel RFID reader. With acceptable documentation, as noted in the Eligibility Criteria, all eligible applicants can apply for more than one reader.

A detailed explanation of costs must be provided to determine the eligibility of items claimed.

Goal

The CRFID Reader Program is an important component of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) tracing and tracking strategy. The Reader Program's overall goal is to ensure that the cattle industry has the necessary equipment to fully participate in the comprehensive tracking and tracing system in support of traceability initiatives.

Benefits

• RFID readers provide a more effective way of receiving information stored on the RFID tag.
• RFID readers enable facility operators to receive and then upload RFID tag information to computer-based equipment.
• Facility Operators can then upload the information directly to the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency’s or Agri-Traçabilité Québec’s databases.

Quebec Contact(s):
See National Contact.

---

National Contact(s):
Canadian Radio Frequency Identification Reader Program
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Room 408
1800 Hamilton Street
Regina, Saskatchewan  S4P 4L2
Toll-free (information): 1-800-667-8567
Web site: http://www.agr.gc.ca/index_e.phtml