The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will continue allowing up to 3,000 mg/kg of zinc in starter swine feeds while it reviews additional information from the pork industry.
The CFIA had planned to lower the maximum to 300 mg/kg under the new Feeds Regulations, 2024, which took effect in July. The agency said the lower level would better match standard nutritional requirements for pigs.
However, the feed and swine industries raised concerns that the reduced limit could create problems for feeding young piglets. In response, the CFIA extended the interim maximum and will evaluate new data before making a final decision.
“We will continue to work closely with associations from the swine and feed industries on this issue,” the agency said in a notice dated Oct. 16.
Under previous regulations from 1983, the zinc maximum for swine feed was 500 mg/kg. Feed mills could exceed that level through a customer formula exemption, which allowed them to produce higher-zinc feeds at a customer’s request.
The 2024 regulations removed that exemption and set most swine feed maximums at 300 mg/kg. The CFIA established the temporary 3,000 mg/kg limit for starter feeds to help producers transition to the new rules.
The agency said it’s now reviewing information submitted by the Canadian Pork Council about how zinc works in piglet feeds. Current scientific evidence shows no safety concerns with maintaining the interim maximum during this review.
The CFIA said any future changes will be shared with the industry well ahead of implementation to allow time for planning and adjustments. Stakeholder engagement will continue throughout the process.
The temporary maximum provides flexibility for pork producers while the CFIA conducts its evaluation of the technical and scientific data.
