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Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

British Columbia Premises Identification for Livestock and Poultry

Premises identification links livestock and poultry to their geographic locations for planning and managing emergencies.  Although the national traceability system encompasses all livestock and poultry species produced in Canada, the current priority for British Columbia is to register farms and ranches producing cattle, hogs, sheep or poultry in the BC premises database.  It is recommended that owners of other livestock species (see Premises Identification Registration Form) should also apply for premises identification numbers.

A premises is a parcel of land where animals, plants or food are grown, kept, assembled or disposed of and includes such places as:

  • Farms/Stables
  • Hobby Farms
  • Feedlots
  • Pastures
  • Community Pastures
  • Hatcheries
  • Abattoirs
  • Assembly Yards
  • Auction/Livestock Sale Facilities
  • Rendering Plants
  • Zoos/Petting Zoos
  • Exhibition/Fair Grounds
  • Race Tracks/Competition Facilities
  • Veterinary Hospitals/Labs
  • Insemination Centres
  • Research Facilities

Owners of livestock and poultry will receive a unique premises identification number that is unique to the parcel of land.

Premises Identification:

  • allows for rapid notification of livestock and poultry stakeholders
  • helps prepare for animal health, natural disaster and food safety emergencies (e.g. livestock disease)
  • facilitates rapid evacuation of animals in a natural disaster emergency (e.g. flood, fire)
  • helps track animals in an emergency
  • reduces the impact of an emergency
  • helps maintain or provide for greater market access

British Columbia supports the National Livestock and Poultry Traceability Performance Targets that identify the outcomes that are necessary for rapidly and effectively managing emergencies. B.C.’s goal is to implement a Premises Registry system that is capable of meeting these targets.

B.C. livestock and poultry owners are invited to provide basic land and contact information for their premises by completing a Premises Identification Registration Form and submitting it to B.C. Ministry of Agriculture.  There is no cost to participate in the program.  Information collected will assist both industry and government in the planning and management of animal disease outbreaks or other emergencies threatening animal or human health.

Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more information.  If you have additional questions, email BCPID@gov.bc.ca or call 1 888-221-7141 or (604) 556-3001 and ask for a Premises Identification Program Representative.