Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) is a not-for-profit, industry-initiated and led organization. What is it? Why is important? How does the system work?
CCIA is an industry-initiated and led, not-for-profit organization built to establish a national livestock identification program to support efficient traceback and containment of animal health and safety concerns. It was incorporated to establish a national beef and dairy cattle, bison and sheep identification program to support efficient trace back and containment of serious animal health and fo
od safety concerns in the Canadian herd. The agency is led by a board of directors made up of representatives from all sectors of the livestock industry and it manages the Canadian Livestock Tracking System (CLTS) database, which is a trace-back system that maintains radio frequency identification (RFID) tag information related to herd of origin information. The CLTS database allows producers to record tag information pertaining to the three pillars of traceability (i.e., animal identification, premises identification and movement), as well as value-added information (e.g., age verification). The CLTS database was developed and is wholly owned by Canadian Cattle Identification Agency. While the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) provides full regulatory enforcement for animal identification as defined in the Health of Animals Regulations, CCIA administers the identification program for beef and dairy cattle, bison and sheep. All herd of origin information associated with each tag number is maintained within the CLTS database. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency states that traceability is the ability to follow an item or group of items – including animals, plants, food products and agricultural inputs such as feed, seed or ingredients – from one point in the supply chain to another. The purpose of implementing a traceability system is to ensure the protection of animal health, public health and food safety; improve response times in emergency situations (e.g., disease outbreak, tornadoes, floods, fires, contaminated feed supplement); as well as limit economic, environmental and social impacts. Traceability also provides the means to increase market share for domestic and international markets by creating confidence in Canadian products. A strong and credible traceability program will help to ensure Canada remains a leading producer and marketer of beef and dairy cattle, bison and sheep, with a stable demand for products at all times. A fully functional traceability system is based on three pillars:
1. Animal identification – Associating a unique animal identification number to an animal (e.g., applying an approved CCIA radio frequency identification (RFID) tag to an animal’s ear)
2. Premises identification – The assignment of a unique identification number to a physical land location (i.e., by a provincial/territorial premises registrar)
3. Movement – Recording the change in location (i.e., unique premises) of a uniquely-identified object at a specified time/date
1 + 2 = 3
In order to track movement and facilitate a fully functional national traceability system, every livestock premises must have a valid premises identification number (PID) issued by the corresponding provincial/territorial PID registry in Canada, including:
• Cow-calf operations
• Feedlots and backgrounders
• 4-H clubs, exhibitions, fairs and rodeos
• Veterinary clinics, artificial insemination centres, test stations, pathology labs, quarantine facilities, research facilities
• Auction marts, buying stations and assembly yards
• Rest, feed, water sites and airports (in transit)
• Public or private community pastures, federal and crown grazing land
• Abattoirs
• Any party that receives or sends livestock
Social Media Terms of Use & Full Social Media Guidelines
Purpose and Use
CCIA uses its social media accounts to share information, engage with producers and the community, and provide an additional channel to access services. Platform downtime may occur and is outside CCIA’s control. CCIA’s social media activity is highest during head office hours (8:00 AM–4:00 PM MST). External Links and Advertising
Posts may include links or advertising that lead to external websites. These are provided for user convenience only. CCIA is not responsible for the accuracy, reliability or content of external sites. Follows, Likes and Shares
CCIA’s decision to follow, like, subscribe to, share, or repost content from another account does not constitute endorsement of that account, its views, or its content. Comments and Engagement
CCIA reviews comments and may participate in conversations when appropriate. Comments must remain respectful, relevant, and lawful. CCIA may remove comments and block users without notice if content:
• Contains personal, confidential or protected information
• Violates intellectual property rights
• Is racist, hateful, sexist, homophobic, profane or defamatory
• Includes obscenity
• Threatens, harasses, intimidates, or attacks individuals
• Makes serious, unverified or false allegations
• Comes from anonymous, impersonated, or automated accounts
• Violates Canadian laws
• Involves advertising, solicitation, spam or repetitive postings
• Is off topic, unintelligible or irrelevant
• Encourages or promotes criminal activity
• Otherwise violates these guidelines or the platform’s terms of service
CCIA may report users or content as required, including reporting suspected criminal activity to law enforcement. Privacy
CCIA may collect personal information through social media interactions, which can include:
• Name and contact details
• IP address
• Social media profile information
• Likes, reposts, or similar engagement data
CCIA may also collect opinions or background information as part of consultations or outreach activities. This information may be used to:
• Respond to inquiries
• Compile statistics and reports
• Conduct consultations
• Support outreach initiatives
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and best practices
• Assess and evaluate programs
If inappropriate content is posted, CCIA may remove it and may use necessary personal information to block or report the user. CCIA may make social media interactions publicly available when participants are notified in advance. Personal information collected through social media will not be used to make decisions that directly affect individuals. Your Rights
While platform-level profile information may be recorded automatically by the social media provider, you are not required to provide CCIA with additional personal information. Refusing to do so may limit your participation in certain activities. You may request access to personal information you have provided or that was generated during your interactions with CCIA. Because CCIA does not retain this information in a searchable format, please provide the date, time, and details of your interaction to assist with retrieval.
06/22/2026
🎉CCIA Board Member Association Spotlight!
This week we are showcasing the Canadian Meat Council. The CMC provides evidence-based advocacy on behalf of its members and works to secure and improve Canada’s global meat competitiveness. We thank them for their continued support in Canadian agriculture!
Happy Father’s Day to the dads who manage it all—on and off the farm .
06/17/2026
CCIA's office will be closed on Wednesday, June 17 from 11 am (M.D.T) to close. If you require assistance during this time, please visit our CLTS Resource Centre ➡️ https://support.canadaid.ca/
06/15/2026
Notice: Temporary Call Centre Closure
CCIA’s Call Centre will be closed for staff training from Tuesday, June 16 through Thursday, June 18. We’ll be back to our regular hours — 7 AM to 5 PM (MDT) — on Friday.
Need support in the meantime? Visit our CLTS Resource Centre for helpful training guides, or connect with our Chatbot assistant 24/7 for assistance. ➡️ support.canadaid.ca
06/15/2026
🎉CCIA Board Member Association Spotlight!
This week we are showcasing the Canadian Cattle Association. The CCA is the voice for Canadian beef farms and feedlots. They are founded by producers and run by a board elected by producers themselves. They pride themselves in helping to find solutions to issues that concern the Canadian beef industry.
Thank you to the CCA for all that you do for the Canadian beef-cattle industry! https://www.cattle.ca/
06/11/2026
CCIA is out and about! Come visit us at booth 297 at the Cypress Farm and Ranch Show, located at the Cypress Centre in Medicine Hat. We will be there June 11 & 12, so stop by to learn about the CLTS, ask us questions or purchase tags!
See you there🐂
06/10/2026
CLTS AUCTION MART TRAINING — ONLINE
Get hands-on guidance and practical tips to strengthen your CLTS skills.
CCIA is delivering no-cost virtual training sessions to support auction marts using the Canadian Livestock Tracking System (CLTS). These sessions are straightforward, flexible, and focused on real-world reporting needs.
Session highlights include:
-A clear overview of how the CLTS works
-How to access tools and help in the CLTS Resource Centre
-An explanation of designation categories and current reporting rules
-A guided, live CLTS demo showing each step as you follow along
If you want clearer reporting, fewer errors and more confidence using the CLTS, this training is for you—whether you’re brand new or just need a refresher.
Sign up today.
To register, contact:
📞 1-877-909-2333
📧 [email protected]
06/08/2026
Come visit us at the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Convention in Swift Current! We will be at booth 4 at the Kinetic Park from June 8-10. Stop by to purchase tags and learn more about the CLTS.
To learn more about the convention, visit https://skstockgrowers.com/
06/08/2026
🎉CCIA Board Member Association Spotlight!
This week we are showcasing the Canadian Bison Association. The Canadian Bison Association provides guidance on marketing, animal health, research, trade, the bison registry, conservation and much more. We thank them for all of their honourable efforts.
Notice:
Please be advised that CCIA's Call Centre is currently experiencing connectivity issues due to weather-related disruptions. As a result, calls to our Client Support Team may be interrupted or disconnected. We are working to resolve this issue. The CLTS, CCIA Website and Resource Centre remain available at this time.