First responders need to know the unique features of your farm and where key items are located. Not only does this help to ensure their safety, it enables them to address unexpected events at your operation. Responders will be far more effective, with less risk to life, if they can consult a farm plan while determining their approach to the situation at hand.

Your site plan can be created from a one-page aerial photo or a hand-drawn schematic. If you’ve previously developed an Environmental Farm Plan, you may already have this information documented.

Preparing the plan may help you to identify additional risks as you mark out boundaries and add key items that are critical to effective emergency management.

Site Premises Plan Creation

Useful resource to develop your plan

Ensure that there is an assigned Premises Identification Number (PID) associated with your operation. In the case that you do not have a PID, please follow the links to right for information and to register with your provincial/territorial government.

Fill out the Farm Work Cycle and Inventory Document to aid in completing your site map. These documents will help monitor movements on and off the farm premises as well as documenting all major equipment, infrastructure, and personnel on the farm site at any given time.

It is helpful is identifying key features on the site premises plan as well as understanding traffic flows on and off the farm.

Considerations for Development of Site Map Plan

When developing your site map plan, there are two components that need to be taken into consideration:

  1. Barn/ infrastructure layout
  2. Land/ site conditions layout

Two photos of the premises should be included in the site map plan and respectively include:

Barn/ Infrastructure Site Layout
  • Recognized symbols
  • Fencing
  • Location (premises identification, land location, civic or rural address, GPS location)
  • Include the types of pen styles, milking parlour type, etc.
  • Include the average number and type of animals
  • Entry/ exit doors and animal loading bays
  • Feed location and systems
  • Deadstock bins or composting sites
  • Entryways and exits
  • Power sources (fuel tanks, generators, solar panels, etc.)
  • If applicable, the location of on-site euthanasia equipment (gates, snares, boards, captive bolt or firearms, gassing trailers, etc.)
  • Soil types (sand, silt, clay, etc.)
  • Soil drainage, class, depth to water
  • Water wells (capped and active)
  • Tile drainage – personal drainage maps or drainage maps found on provincial websites
  • Surface water, aquifers, flood plains – refer to provincial resources if necessary
  • Natural areas such as forests, wooded areas, bodies of water – presence of wildlife
  • Roads – note if there is winter access and maintenance
  • Property lines

Example Site Maps for Various Livestock Species

Below is information regarding the creation of site maps for various types of livestock and their respective operations. Click on the links that best reflects your operation and use the examples to develop your site map.

Note: these templates are to be used as a guide for the development of your farm site map plan.

Swine Example 1 – Reference Ontario Pork

Example 2 – Reference Secure Pork Supply
Dairy Example 1 – Reference Secure Milk Supply

Example 2 – Reference Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Beef Feedlot – Reference Secure Beef Supply Feedlot

Pasture – Reference Secure Beef Supply Pasture
Poultry Example 1 – Reference USDA APHIS
Ovine Example 1 – Reference Canadian Food Inspection Agency Biosecurity Standards and Principles Sheep

Example 2 – Reference Secure Sheep and Wool Supply
Mink Example 1 – Reference Canadian Food Inspection Agency Biosecurity Standards and Principles Mink

Premises Identification 

Premises identification is one of the pillars of traceability.

Premises identification (PID / LPID) is a way of linking livestock and poultry to land locations and is critical to support disease control activities and for managing animal health emergencies. Having a PID number for your operation allows for traceability information to be accessed quickly for the protection of animal health, public health and market access for your industry. [CFIA Premises Identification]

Provincial contacts for PID / LPID