The Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA) has welcomed the government’s announcement that it will introduce new animal feed restrictions to further strengthen Canada's safeguards against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

The government intends to require the removal of bovine specified risk materials, which harbour the BSE agent in infected cattle, from the animal feed chain. These tissues are already removed from all animals slaughtered for human consumption. Canada introduced its feed ban in 1997, prior to the discovery of BSE in North America. This announcement will further strengthen Canada's argument as being a controlled risk country according to the guidelines set by the World Organisation for Animal Health.