The Honourable Marjorie Michel

Minister of Health

Government of Canada

The Honourable Heath MacDonald

Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Government of Canada

Re: Alert Regarding Potential Circumvention of New World Screwworm Import Restrictions for Horses Entering Canada

Dear Ministers,

I am writing to bring your joint attention to a matter related to the detection of New World screwworm in Texas and the subsequent temporary import restrictions implemented by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to prohibit livestock, including horses, from entering Canada if they originated from or were present in Texas within twenty-one days prior to crossing the border. We believe that certain activities in the United States warrant urgent review of the enforcement of these disease control measures by the CFIA and the Government of Canada.

The Stronach Group (TSG) commends the CFIA for taking these precautionary measures to protect Canadian agriculture and animal health. We have recently received information about potential attempted circumvention of these restrictions within the American horse slaughter pipeline supplying buyers in Canada.

Specifically, we have been advised by individuals with credible knowledge of the U.S. slaughter pipeline that horses traditionally destined for transport from Texas to Mexico for slaughter may now be redirected toward Canadian slaughter facilities, including the Richelieu facility in Quebec, due to the current U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) layered domestic and international restrictions affecting livestock movement to Mexico associated with the New World screwworm outbreak. Such horses may first be transported to locations in other states, including Oklahoma, before being exported to Canada.

For example, we have been informed that a kill buyer operation in Texas would not keep horses in the state despite the USDA restriction on livestock movement and would instead plan to move them through alternative jurisdictions before continuing toward slaughter destinations in Canada. We understand that only contracted haulers are permitted to deliver horses to the Richelieu facility and have been advised that at least one Oklahoma-based operation currently maintains such a contractual relationship.

TSG’s principal concern is that kill buyers or their agents may establish holding facilities, assembly points, or auction channels outside of Texas for horses that originated in Texas. Once horses are moved across state lines, determining their true origin, recent movement history, and potential exposure to New World screwworm becomes significantly more difficult.

Unlike many other livestock sectors, horses and particularly Thoroughbreds often move among states through private sales, auctions, training facilities, and changes in ownership, frequently with limited traceability compared to other agricultural commodities. As a result, there may be no reliable mechanism to determine whether a horse presented for export to Canada has recently been in Texas or otherwise exposed to areas affected by the outbreak.

Although we are unable to independently verify all information received, the consistency of these reports regarding the slaughter pipeline raises legitimate concerns about traceability and enforcement. The duplicitous and purposeful intent appears clear: move horses subject to the Canadian disease control measures out of Texas and have them viewed at the Canadian border as coming from states to which those measures do not apply.

Taking into consideration the USDA’s recent confirmation of the first New World screwworm case outside of Texas in a dog in New Mexico, it is clear the range of the outbreak is truly unknown suggesting that even more caution is warranted.

We believe this situation could threaten the integrity of Canadian disease control measures and potentially pose a significant animal health risk.

We would ask you to consider requesting that the CFIA review whether existing verification and traceability measures are sufficient to ensure compliance with the intent of Canada's import restrictions related to New World screwworm and/or whether additional safeguards may be warranted for horses destined for slaughter facilities.

TSG’s positions against horse slaughter and the use of horses for human consumption are well documented. However, that is not the objective of this letter today.

I am concerned that unscrupulous individuals in the horse slaughter pipeline will attempt to sidestep the necessary disease control measures, putting the system at heightened risk. This issue is happening in real time and the number of horses involved in the potential attempted evasion of these crucial import restrictions appears to be growing rapidly.

I hope that alerting you to these urgent developments is helpful and would welcome the opportunity to provide any additional information that may assist the CFIA in evaluating this issue.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter and for your continued efforts to protect Canada's livestock industries and animal health systems.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Belinda Stronach, P.C.

Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President

The Stronach Group

Cc: The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety

Dr. Harpreet Kochhar, President, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Erin O’Gorman, President, Canada Border Services Agency

Dr. Mary Jane Ireland, Chief Veterinary Officer of Canada Diane Allan, Vice-President, Animal Health and Emergency Management, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Dr. Dionne Benson, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Juris Doctorate & Master of Science - Animal Welfare, Chief Veterinary Officer, The Stronach Group