{"topic_id":"cfia_rg1_2026_001","category":"ca-2026","context":"---\ntopic_id: cfia_rg1_2026_001\ncategory: CFIA-RG1-2026\ntitle: RG-1 Regulatory Guidance: Feed Registration Procedures and Labelling Standards -\nlang: en\nsource: cfia_rg1_feed_registration_2026.html\ndate_parsed: 2026-07-18\ntokens_estimated: 17841\n\nextra: {\"file_section\": 1, \"table_count\": 0}\n---\n\nRG-1 Regulatory Guidance: Feed Registration Procedures and Labelling Standards - inspection.canada.ca\n\n Skip to main content\n\n Skip to \"About this site\"\n\nLanguage selection\n\nFrançais\n\nfr\n\n /\n\nGouvernement du Canada\n\nSearch\n\nCustomize your search\n\ninspection.canada.ca\n\ncanada.ca\n\nMenu\n\nMain \nMenu \n\nHome\n\nNew\n\nPlant and Animal Health Strategy\n\nPlant and Animal Health Strategy\n\nPlant and Animal Health Strategy\n\nPlant and Animal Health Strategy\n\nYou are here\n\nCanada.ca\n\nCanadian Food Inspection Agency\n\nAnimal health\n\nLivestock feeds\n\nRegulatory guidance\n\nRG-1 Regulatory Guidance: \n\nFeed Registration Procedures and Labelling Standards\n\nTable of Contents\n\nIntroduction – Regulated livestock feeds in Canada\n\nChapter 1 – Guidance on preparing and submitting a My CFIA application for livestock feed\n\nChapter 2 – Data requirements for single ingredient approval and feed registration\n\nChapter 3 – Specific registration information by feed type\n\nChapter 4 – Labelling and guarantees\n\nChapter 5 – Research with livestock feeds\n\nChapter 6 – Sampling and laboratory requirements\n\nChapter 7 – Other relevant information sources\n\nChapter 8 – Pre-submission consultation procedures for livestock feed\n\nChapter 9 – Feed approval or registration requirements for the acceptance of a foreign approval/authorization\n\nChapter 9 – Requirements for accepting foreign feed approvals or authorizations\n\n-->\n\nIntroduction – Regulated livestock feeds in Canada\n\nImportant considerations\n\nDetermine if your product is regulated as a livestock feed\n\nRegulated livestock feeds\n\nNew information following approval or registration\n\nList of approved ingredients and registered feeds for livestock in Canada\n\nThe \nFeeds Act\n and \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n govern the manufacture, sale, import and export of livestock feeds in Canada. All feeds must be safe to livestock; to humans (by the potential transfer of residues into human food, that is, meat, milk, eggs and honey, and via user exposure); and to the environment.\n\nOur Animal Feed Program (AFP) is responsible for both pre-market evaluations (approvals and registrations) and post-market oversight, including inspections, sampling, and enforcement of livestock feeds.\n\nThis guidance is intended to help you determine whether your feed is subject to the requirements of the \nFeeds Act\n and \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n, as well as to assist you in preparing and applying for pre-market evaluation for feed ingredient or product approval or registration. Specific chapters of the RG-1 provide more detailed information on requirements for specific categories of feeds and feed ingredients.\n\nImportant considerations\n\nApplicants must submit complete applications with the required scientific data. Incomplete or poor-quality submissions may be rejected, or issuance of a decision may be delayed. If additional information is requested and not provided on time, in whole or in part, this may affect AFP's decision and could result in the application being rejected or closed.\n\nDefinition of claim\n\nOne important concept to understand in this document is what the term claim means for a feed:\n\nany representation which states, suggests, or implies that a mixed feed or single ingredient feed has particular characteristics relating to its origin, nutritional properties, nature, purpose, production, processing, quality or composition, or any characteristic that relates to animal productivity, animal health, food characteristics, food quality or the environment.\n\nDetermine if your product is regulated as a Livestock feed\n\nIf your product meets all 4 of the criteria listed below, it is considered a regulated livestock feed and the \nFeeds Act\n and \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n, apply. If it does not meet all four criteria, the \nLivestock Feeds Act\n and the \nLivestock Feeds Regulations 2024\n do not apply, but your product may be subject to other regulatory controls. To help you determine whether your product meets all four criteria, review the additional information below.\n\nExpand All\n\nCollapse All\n\nCriteria 1 – Your product meets the definition of a livestock feed under the \nFeeds Act\n\nFeeds can be any substance or mixture of substances containing amino acids, antioxidants, carbohydrates, condiments, enzymes, fats, minerals, non-protein nitrogen products, proteins or vitamins, or pelletizing, colouring, foaming or flavouring agents and any other substance manufactured, sold or represented for use;\n\nfor consumption by livestock\n\nfor providing the nutritional requirements of livestock, or\n\nfor the purpose of preventing or correcting nutritional disorders of livestock,\n\n Or any substance for use in any such substance or mixture of substances\n\nIf your product is delivered via injection, as a topical product, or by forceable administration (such as via gavage, bolus or drench) and is not intended for consumption as a feed, it would not be considered a livestock feed.\n\nCriteria 2 – Your product is fed to species listed as livestock under the \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n\nCurrently designated species:\n\ncattle, sheep, goats\n\nswine\n\npoultry (chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese)\n\nhorses, rabbits\n\nfinfish intended for human consumption\n\nbison, water buffalo, cervids (such as deer and elk)\n\nllamas, alpacas\n\nratites, pigeons, pheasants, partridges, quail, grouse, guinea fowl, peafowl\n\nbees\n\nmolluscs and crustaceans intended for human consumption\n\nNote:\n if your product is intended for \npets or wild animals\n that are not domestically raised or kept (such as wild bird food and game attractants), it is not regulated under the \nFeeds Act\n and \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n, and no feed approval or registration is required. However, products not regulated under the \nFeeds Act\n and \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n may be subject to import or export requirements under other authorities administered by the CFIA.\n\nFor information on the importation of commodities regulated by the CFIA please refer to the \nAutomated Import Reference System\n (AIRS)\n\nCriteria 3 – Your product is classified as a livestock feed\n\nOrally consumed products may be regulated by different federal departments depending on their intended use, claim and mode of action. Other types of products that may overlap with the definition of feed include veterinary drugs, veterinary health products, veterinary biologics and pest controls products.\n\nTo determine your product's classification:\n\nrefer to the \nGuidance document on classification of veterinary drugs and livestock feeds\n\nreview \nAppendix B – Drug/Feed classification flowchart\n\nconsult the \nClassification of products for use in animals\n document\n\nYou may submit a request to the Veterinary Drug Directorate at: \nclassification-vet@hc-sc.gc.ca\n for a classification assessment.\n\nA decision will be made by the appropriate authorities based on the product information you provide.\n\nIf the product is classified as a feed, the \nFeeds Act\n and \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n apply. You must then determine whether the product requires approval or registration, or if it qualifies for an exemption.\n\nCriteria 4 – Your product is a feed that is not exempt from the \nFeeds Act\n and \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n\nThe following feeds are exempted from the \nFeeds Act\n and \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n:\n\na feed manufactured by a livestock producer that is not sold and does not contain any drug or substance that poses a risk to human or animal health or the environment.\n\na complete feed, other than a novel feed, that is:\n\npackaged in containers of 10 kg or less, and\n\nis intended for livestock not raised for human consumption (such as mini pigs or pet rabbits)\n\na research feed, if:\n\nit is not \nnovel\n\nit is manufactured in Canada by or for a government, academic, or private research establishment\n\nit is fed only to livestock owned or supervised by the establishment; and\n\nthe establishment has a written plan to safely dispose of any remaining feed and livestock products\n\nRegulated livestock feeds\n\nThere are two main categories of livestock feeds: ingredients and mixed feeds. Ingredients, or single ingredient feeds (SIFs), are the defined ingredients that can be used in livestock feeds. Mixed feeds are combinations of two or more SIFs. These two main feed categories can be further subdivided into different feed types which have different regulatory requirements.\n\nSingle Ingredient Feed (SIF)\n\nA SIF is a substance approved for livestock feeding. Approved SIFs are listed in the \nCanadian Feed Ingredients Table\n (CFIT) which:\n\nis a document incorporated by reference (IBR) in the \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n\nlists and describes all SIFs approved for use in Canada\n\nStructure of the CFIT:\n\nGlossary\n\nPart 1 – SIFs approved for manufacture, sale, or import without registration if exemption criteria are met. Approvals do not expire as long as the SIF remains listed\n\nPart 2 – SIFs described in this section require that each source be registered before manufacture, sale, or import\n\nHow SIFs are classified:\n\napproved for specific purposes such as nutritional (for example, vitamins, proteins) or non-nutritional (for example, antioxidants, pH adjusters).\n\ngrouped into classes and subclasses based on purpose.\n\neach SIF has a unique ingredient number:\n\nstarts with 1 = Part 1; 2 = Part 2\n\nnext 3 digits = class/subclass\n\nfinal 3 digits = item number\n\nexample: 1-202-003 Corn bran → Part 1, Class 2 (energy feeds), Subclass 2.2 (milling by-products), item #3\n\nNote:\n A feed ingredient description is added to Part 1 or Part 2 of the CFIT following a positive evaluation and public consultation based on its profile for safety and/or efficacy. Once listed and described in the CFIT, the feed ingredient officially becomes a Single Ingredient Feed (SIF).\n\nWhen does a feed ingredient require approval and/or registration:\n\na feed ingredient requires approval/registration if it:\n\nis not listed in the CFIT\n\ncontains a novel trait\n\nis described in Part 2 of the CFIT\n\ndiffers from an existing CFIT SIF in terms of:\n\npurpose, composition, hazard, structure, nutritional quality, physiological effects, manufacturing process, target livestock species/class, or usage instructions.\n\nis listed in the CFIT but the label:\n\nincludes a guarantee not in the CFIT description\n\nmakes claims not described in the CFIT, not permitted in the \nTables of Permissible Claims for Feed Labels\n, or not meeting claim conditions\n\ncontains unrecognized statements/logos (see \nRG-12\n)\n\nuses languages other than English or French\n\nconsists of nanomaterials\n\nPart 1 SIFs: Exemption criteria from registration for single ingredient feeds\n\nPart 1 SIFs are safe and are exempt from registration provided that the SIF meets all the following:\n\ncomplies with the description in the CFIT\n\nmeets standards as defined in the regulations and further elaborated in regulatory guidance (for example, \nRG-8 Contaminants in Feed\n and \nTables of Maximum Contaminant Levels for Feeds\n)\n\nis labelled according to the \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n\nmeets other labelling requirements as per the RG-12\n\nthe label:\n\nis in English and/or French languages only\n\ncontains guarantees as outlined in the SIF description in the CFIT\n\nhas claim(s) that are:\n\ndescribed in the SIF description of the CFIT\n\nlisted and meet the conditions for an approved claim in the Tables of Permissible Claims for Feed Labels\n\nrecognized in section \n6.2 Permissible statements and logos of RG- 12\n\nOtherwise, ingredients with extra label guarantees or claims outside the SIF description require pre-market evaluation for approval or registration.\n\nFor single ingredient feeds in Part 1 of the CFIT that are not registered and are imported, exported or moved interprovincially, the storing, processing, packaging, labelling and distributing will have to be performed by feed license holders.\n\nPart 2 SIFs: Registration is required\n\nregistration is required for each source as source-specific differences are noted during the evaluation in terms of safety and/or efficacy profiles\n\neach manufacturing site is considered an individual source of the ingredient requiring a pre-market evaluation\n\nif manufactured at multiple sites, the same registration number can be assigned once the CFIA has verified that the manufacturing process, raw materials including grade, purity, levels of contaminants, quality controls and final product specifications are equivalent between these manufacturing sites\n\nonce the evaluation is completed, the ingredient description in the CFIT is verified for accuracy and consulted publicly if applicable\n\na registration number is assigned to the SIF listed in part 2\n\nan application for renewal must be sent in My CFIA before it expires\n\nMixed feeds\n\nA mixed feed contains 2 or more SIFs made with:\n\nSIFs listed and described in part 1 of the CFIT or\n\nregistered SIFs described in part 2 of the CFIT\n\nNote:\n SIFs must be used in the mixed feed formulation according to their purpose stated within the CFIT. SIFs used for other purposes require a pre-market evaluation for approval or registration (for example, flavoring ingredient being used as a gut modifier).\n\nA mixed feed may also contain:\n\nmedicating ingredients listed in the \nCompendium of Medicating Ingredient Brochures\n (CMIB) or otherwise prescribed by a veterinarian licensed to practice in the province in which the feed is to be fed to the livestock to be treated\n\npest control products (registered under the \nPest Control Products Act\n)\n\nnon-feed products (for example, veterinary health products, veterinary biologics) listed in the \nCompendium of Non-Feed Products\n (CNFP)\n\nUnder the \nFeeds Act\n and \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n all livestock feeds, including mixed feeds and specialty feeds, must be registered unless they meet the exemption criteria in subsection 6(2) and the conditions in subsection 6(3) of the \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n. Complete feeds, supplements, mineral feeds, trace mineral salt feeds, and premixes are usually exempt if they meet all safety and compositional standards and labelling requirements.\n\nMixed feeds requiring mandatory registration\n\nMixed feeds require registration if the feed are:\n\nlabelled with languages other than English and French\n\nlabelled with guarantees other than those found in the Tables of Nutrient Guarantees and Conditions for Feed Labels\n\na free-choice medicated supplement\n\na free-choice medicated mineral feed\n\na free-choice medicated trace mineral salt feed\n\ndesigned to be administrated in water to be consumed by livestock (feed added directly to the animals' drinking water)\n\nformulated with a pest control product approved to be used in feed by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (for the list of pest control product, visit the \nPMRA Label Search Tool\n)\n\nlabelled with a claim(s) that is/are not listed in tables 1 or 2 of Permissible Claims for Feed Labels or the feed and label conditions set out in these tables are not met\n\nlabelled with a claim(s) that is not related to permissible statements or logos set out in section 6.2 Permissible statements and logos of RG-12 Labelling of livestock feeds\n\na mixed feed with directions for use which are not sufficient to allow the safe use of the mixed feed (for example, premixes to be fed undiluted or free-choice)\n\na custom medicated feed that does not conform to the requirements in the \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n which are described in RG-12: Labelling of livestock feeds\n\nCustomer formula feeds\n unless they meet the exemption criteria as described in RG-12: Labelling of livestock feeds\n\na \nSpecialty feed\n unless it meets the conditions in \nTable 3 – Specialty Feed Claims\n and the feed and label conditions are met as set out in that table\n\nFor registered mixed feeds, an application for renewal of the registration must be submitted before the expiry date indicated in My CFIA.\n\nExemption criteria from registration for mixed feeds\n\nOther mixed feeds (complete feeds, supplements, premixes, mineral feeds, etc.), excluding specialty feeds, can be exempt from registration if they meet all safety, labelling, and composition standards under the regulations and if the label:\n\nis in English and/or French languages only\n\ncontains the information and conditions set out in the CMIB for each medicating ingredient \nor\n in the CNFP for each non-feed product, if applicable\n\ncontains the mandatory guarantees as set out in table 1 of the Tables of Nutrient Guarantees and Conditions for Feed Labels for that particular mixed feed type\n\nmeets the conditions set out for any optional guarantee in table 2 of the Tables of Nutrient Guarantees and Conditions for Feed Labels\n\nlists guarantees that do not exceed the maximum nutrient values for feeds when the feed is fed as directed on the label and compared to the complete feed or total diet.\n\ncomplies with the other labelling requirements as per the RG-12 Labelling of livestock feeds\n\nhas a claim that is:\n\nlisted in the Tables of Permissible Claims for Feed Labels and meets the feed and label conditions in the Tables\n\nrecognized in section 6.2 Permissible statements and logos of RG-12\n\nFor mixed feeds that are not registered and are imported, exported or moved interprovincially, the storing, processing, packaging, labelling and distributing will have to be performed by feed license holders.\n\nSpecialty feeds\n\nSpecialty feeds are mixed feeds added to livestock feed for a technical purpose, rather than for nutritional value. They are commonly used to improve feed handling, stability, or production performance, and are often referred to internationally as 'feed additives'.\n\nAs per the \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n, specialty feed means a mixed feed the purpose of which is to improve or facilitate:\n\nthe preservation of any feed with which it is mixed prior to feeding or during storage\n\nthe characteristics, qualities, flowability, pelleting or tracing of any feed with which it is mixed\n\ningredient dispersion or distribution in any feed with which it is mixed\n\ningestion, acceptability, nutrient utilization or digestion by livestock of any feed with which it is mixed\n\nthe quality or availability of nutrients in any feed with which it is mixed\n\nthe absorption of nutrients by livestock of any feed that is fed to it\n\nthe modification of characteristics of food of animal origin\n\nthe mitigation of environmental impacts related to livestock production\n\nSpecialty feeds are mixed feeds that may contain:\n\nSIFs listed in the CFIT in class 6 or 7 either Part 1 or Part 2. Class 6 and 7 single ingredient feeds are single ingredient that have non-nutritive purposes that align with specialty feed categories\n\none or more registered specialty feed(s), typically with carriers\n\none or more specialty feed(s) exempted from registration, typically with carriers\n\nWe do not maintain a list of recognized carriers. A carrier is defined in the glossary of the CFIT as:\n\na single ingredient feed or water used to facilitate the handling of a feed and its incorporation into ingredient market formulations, premixes, feed or water. The use of a carrier does not alter the feed's intended effect and purpose.\n\nA carrier cannot have any alternate purpose that may compromise the intended purpose or effect of the feed it is added to. Many commonly used carriers are listed in classes two and three of the CFIT.\n\nSpecialty feeds must be registered if:\n\nlabelled with languages other than English and French\n\nthe specialty feed claim is not listed in the table 3 of the Permissible Claims for Feed Labels or the feed and label conditions are not met as set out in that Table (for example, a flavouring agent made from flavouring ingredients on carrier(s))\n\nthe specialty feed (mixed feed) contains medicating ingredients and/or non-feed products in the Compendium of Medicating Ingredient Brochures (CMIB) or Compendium of Non-Feed Products (CNFP)\n\nSpecialty feeds are exempt from registration if:\n\nlabelled in English and/or French languages only\n\nthe product's label claim is listed in table 3 of the Permissible Claims for Feed Labels and the feed and label conditions are met as set out in that table\n\nNote:\n For registered specialty feeds, the registration number will always have 8 as the second digit (for example, X8XXXX).\n\nNovel feeds\n\nNovel feed\n means a feed that is an organism, a part of an organism or a product of an organism, or that consists of parts or products of an organism, and that\n\nis not listed in the Canadian Feed Ingredients Table (CFIT); or\n\nhas a novel trait\n\nNovel trait, in respect of a feed that is an organism, a part of an organism or a product of an organism, or that consists of parts or products of an organism, means a characteristic of the feed that\n\nhas been intentionally selected, created or introduced into the feed through a specific genetic change; and\n\nbased on valid scientific rationale, is not substantially equivalent, in terms of its specific use and safety for human or animal health or the environment, to any characteristic of a similar feed that is listed in the Canadian Feed Ingredients Table\n\nThe novelty determination process is delineated by the regulatory definitions of novel feed and novel trait. Note that for feeds with a novel trait, it is the presence of the novel trait that triggers regulatory oversight under the \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n, and not the method used to introduce the trait; hence the product derived from the organism, rather than the process, is subject to regulatory oversight. The CFIT is a key element in the novelty determination process as it is referenced in these regulatory definitions.\n\nAny ingredient derived from an organism that is not currently described or does not meet the existing ingredient description in the CFIT is considered novel. For an ingredient that may contain a novel trait, the novelty determination process must consider the use and safety of the ingredient in comparison to the similar feed described in the CFIT, as per the regulatory definition for a novel trait. The concept of use encompasses the purpose of the ingredient in the livestock animal or in the feed, the intended species or class of livestock, and the usage rate of the ingredient in the diet formulation.\n\nResearch feeds\n\nFeeds for research or experimental use need approval unless all of the following conditions are met:\n\nthe feed is not novel or does not contain a novel feed\n\nthe feed is made in Canada\n\nthe feed is fed to livestock that is supervised by the research institution\n\nthe facility has a written plan to safely dispose of any leftover feed, animals and animal by-products\n\nNote:\n Safe disposal means that the feed, livestock, and all animal products or by-products from the research trial do not enter the food chain or the feed chain. These products cannot enter the environment without consideration of a mitigation process. Note that rendering is not considered a safe disposal option, as rendered products may re-enter the food chain through their use as feed.\n\nAny disposal into the environment must be in accordance with federal, provincial and municipal environmental regulations.\n\nIf any of these conditions are not met, approval is required prior to starting the research trial.\n\nThe approval of research feeds is researcher-specific and may come with conditions. The approval exempts the feed from regulatory requirements for:\n\nregistration\n\nlicensing\n\npreventive control plans\n\nlabelling and packaging\n\ncompositional/safety standards\n\nMore information on feeds for research is provided in \nChapter 5 – Research with Livestock Feeds\n.\n\nNew information following approval or registration\n\nIf new information arises after a feed has been approved or registered indicating a potential risk to human or animal health, or to the environment, it must be reported promptly to us. This can be done through My CFIA by submitting \na Data review or requesting an opinion for livestock feed\n. On the form, select the option \n\"new information following an approval or registration\"\n and upload any relevant documents. There is no fee for this submission. We will reassess the feed's safety based on the new information, regardless of its source, and will communicate the outcome of the review.\n\nList of approved ingredients and registered feeds for livestock in Canada\n\nThere are two lists of approved or registered livestock feeds.\n\nList of registered livestock feeds in Canada\n\nThis is a list of livestock feeds registered by the CFIA under the authority of the \nFeeds Act\n and \nFeeds Regulations, 2024\n. A feed with an active registration can be manufactured, sold or imported in Canada and is specific to a registrant.\n\nList of Registered Livestock Feeds in Canada\n\nFeed registrations\n\nregistered feeds are labelled with a unique registration number assigned following a positive pre-market evaluation\n\na registered feed label includes the name and address of the registrant\n\nregistered feeds may only be manufactured and initially sold by the registrant\n\nsome registered feeds may be made available for resale or retail sale but must maintain their original labelling\n\nfeed registrations will expire, and a renewal application must be sent via My CFIA before the expiry date to keep the registration active\n\nthe expiry date is provided on the registration certificate\n\nList of approved ingredients\n\nIngredients that have been evaluated and approved for manufacture, sale, or import in Canada are listed in the \nCanadian Feed Ingredients Table\n (CFIT), a document incorporated by reference (IBR) in the \nFeeds Regulations, 2024.\n In the CFIT, Part 2 ingredients require registration and are source specific.\n\nDate modified:\n\n2026-04-15\n\nCanadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)\n\nContact us\n\nGovernment of Canada\n\nAll Contacts\n\nDepartments and agencies\n\nAbout government\n\nThemes and topics\n\nJobs\n\nImmigration and citizenship\n\nTravel and tourism\n\nBusiness\n\nBenefits\n\nHealth\n\nTaxes\n\nEnvironment and natural resources\n\nNational security and defence\n\nCulture, history and sport\n\nPolicing, justice and emergencies\n\nTransport and infrastructure\n\nCanada and the world\n\nMoney and finance\n\nScience and innovation\n\nIndigenous Peoples\n\nVeterans and military\n\nYouth\n\nManage life events\n\nAbout this site\n\nSocial media\n\nMobile applications\n\nAbout Canada.ca\n\nTerms and conditions\n\nPrivacy\n\nTop of Page\n","sources":[],"tokens_estimated":17841,"generated_at":null,"tip":"Use /api/v1/topics to discover more topics. /api/v1/nutrient for precise single-point queries. /api/v1/cross_compare for 2-3 standard comparisons."}