Canada Gold Beef - The Gold Standard in Quality Beef

Questions & Answers

Question and Answers for Veterinarians Interested in Participating in Canada Gold Beef.

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What is the role of veterinarians in Canada Gold Beef?: Veterinarians are asked to help their beef cow-calf and feedlot clients: 1) implement the program requirements for Canada Gold Beef, and 2) verify their clients have implemented all of the CGB program requirements on their beef operations prior to submission of the CGB Self-Declaration Document? Your clients will have a copy of the CGB Self-Declaration Document.
Why are veterinarians the only persons currently recognized by CGB to register producers to the CGB program?: Veterinarians have been trained in disease control, prevention, treatment, animal care, and beef safety. As well, they have an understanding of environmental issues. The core pillars of CGB are age verification, source/premise identification, traceability, and production practices related to beef safety, animal care, and environmental sustainability.

Veterinarians are professionals that have a good working relationship with their clients and their clients trust them and go to them for production advice.

Based on the two factors above, veterinarians are the obvious choice to help beef producers implement program standards for CGB.
What requirements must veterinarians meet in order to participate in CGB?: Veterinarians must be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the province which the producer resides.

Veterinarians must be in good standing with their provincial veterinary association.

Veterinarians must be accredited by CFIA to export test beef cattle to the USA and be in good standing with CFIA.

Veterinarians must read the CGB program requirements and write the CGB exam and pass it (80% pass mark) before they will be recognized by CGB as being technically competent to help producers implement the CGB program.

Veterinarians must sign the CGB Self-Declaration Document for each of their clients.
Where do I find the program requirements for Canada Gold Beef: The program requirements are posted on the CGB website at www.canadagoldbeef.ca and listed in the program handbook for beef cattle producers.

Additional training materials and resource material for producers and veterinarians are also found at the CGB website.
Where do I find the program requirements for Canada Gold Beef?: The program requirements are posted on the CGB website at www.canadagoldbeef.ca and listed in the program handbook for beef cattle producers.

Additional training materials and resource material for producers and veterinarians are also found at the CGB website.
Where do I get a copy of the exam that veterinarians are required to take and pass before they can register their clients to the CGB program?: After you have read the CGB program handbook and sent in a CGB application form for veterinarians, CGB will provide you access to the CGB veterinary training materials and send you the vet exam. Please review the vet training materials and complete the exam and send the completed exam back to CGB. The exam will be marked and you will be advised of your test results within 1 working week after CGB receives the exam. After you pass the exam, you will be listed on CGB's website as a veterinarian approved to help beef cattle producers implement CGB.
What if I don't pass the exam and get 80%?: You will be required to take another exam. A pass mark is required before you will be eligible to register producers to the CGB program.

Producers who use veterinarians who are not recognized by CGB as official “trainers” for CGB will not be eligible to market cattle in the CGB program.
What if I don't want to participate in CGB or do not have the time to help my client implement CGB program requirements?: Discuss this matter with your client and provide them with the name(s) of another veterinarian who may be willing to help them implement CGB program requirements. A list of veterinarians approved by CGB as “trainers” is located on the CGB website.
Who pays for my services to help my client participate in CGB?: Your client. It is up to you to negotiate a reasonable professional service fee with your client to help them implement program requirements for CGB.

If you and your client already have an established herd health program in place, then there most likely will only be a few additional practices needed to meet CGB program requirements.
How often do I have to verify that my client is still implementing all of the program requirements for CGB?: The program standards require that you visit you client at least once annually to review program standards, address any program changes, and verify that he continues to meet CGB program requirement.

As part of your ongoing professional services to that client, CGB expects you to work with your client on an ongoing basis to ensure he continues to meet CGB program requirements. If you recognize areas that need improvements during one of your herd visits, then CGB expects you to work with your client to improve these areas to ensure he continues to meet CGB program requirements, as per your agreement with CGB.

Should your client refuse to continue to meet CGB program requirements and you can not convince him otherwise, then you are required to contact the CGB office immediately so that an audit can be conducted by CGB staff. Failure to inform CGB of a client's failure to continue to meet CGB program requirements, which you are aware of, will result in your removal from CGB's approved list of veterinarians.
If my client is already certified in the “Verified Beef Production” program, does he meet all of CGB program requirements?: No. The VBP program and the CGB program are two separate programs.

The CGB program requirements include the beef safety requirements in the VBP program but the CGB has additional requirements in age verification, traceability, beef safety, animal care, and environmental sustainability.
Will CGB program requirements be audited by anyone?: CGB will conduct random audits of CGB participants to verify that they are conforming to CGB program requirements.

If during those audits, non-conformities are identified, the producer and you will be informed, so that you can help your client make corrective actions to ensure his continued participation in CGB.