diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5be64fd..309862d 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -142,3 +142,4 @@ dmypy.json
 *.bk
 cnt/*
 tar/
+cer-feeds.json
diff --git a/src/collector_node/collector_node.py b/src/collector_node/collector_node.py
index 2f2c1e5..cf91e76 100644
--- a/src/collector_node/collector_node.py
+++ b/src/collector_node/collector_node.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 """
 
+import argparse
 import asyncio
 import json
 import logging
@@ -37,14 +38,15 @@
 # Import config.
 try:
     import config
+    import feed_helper
     import flock
     from version import get_version
 except ModuleNotFoundError:
     try:
-        from collector_node import config, flock
+        from collector_node import config, feed_helper, flock
         from collector_node.version import get_version
     except ModuleNotFoundError:
-        from src.collector_node import config, flock
+        from src.collector_node import config, feed_helper, flock
         from src.collector_node.version import get_version
 
 try:
@@ -159,11 +161,11 @@ async def fetch_cex_data(feed: str) -> dict:
         stdout = json.loads(ps_out.stdout.decode())
         stderr = ps_out.stderr.decode()
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError as err:
-        logger.error("call failed with: %s stderr: %s", err, err.stderr)
-        feed = {}
+        logger.error("call failed with: %s", err)
+        return {}
     except json.decoder.JSONDecodeError as err:
         logger.error("json decode failed: %s", err)
-        feed = {}
+        return {}
     logger.info("stderr: %s", stderr)
     return stdout.get(feed)
 
@@ -216,35 +218,18 @@ async def send_to_ws(validator_websocket, data_to_send: dict):
     return
 
 
-async def fetch_and_send(identity: dict) -> None:
+async def fetch_and_send(feeds: list, identity: dict) -> None:
     """Fetch feed data and send it to a validator websocket."""
 
-    # CEX feeds. Others can be added to the array as required,
-    # e,g, [ "ADA/USD", "ADA/EUR", "USDT/USD" ]
-    cex_feeds = [
-        "ADA/USD",
-        "ADA/EUR",
-    ]
-
-    # DEX feeds. Others can be added as per cex_feeds as long as they
-    # are in DEX_PAIRS.
-    dex_feeds = [
-        "FACT-ADA",
-        "NEWM-ADA",
-        "WMT-ADA",
-        # Sponsored.
-        "ADA-DJED",
-        "ADA-iUSD",
-        "ADA-USDM",
-        "HUNT-ADA",
-        "iBTC-ADA",
-        "iETH-ADA",
-        "LENFI-ADA",
-        "LQ-ADA",
-        "MIN-ADA",
-        "SHEN-ADA",
-        "SNEK-ADA",
-    ]
+    cex_feeds = []
+    dex_feeds = []
+
+    for feed in feeds:
+        if feed.source == "cex":
+            cex_feeds.append(feed.label.replace("-", "/", 1))
+            continue
+        if feed.source == "dex":
+            dex_feeds.append(feed.label)
 
     data_cex = fetch_cex_feeds(cex_feeds)
     data_dex = []
@@ -287,7 +272,7 @@ async def fetch_and_send(identity: dict) -> None:
         )
 
 
-async def collector_main():
+async def collector_main(feeds_file: str):
     """Collector node main.
 
     The script is designed so that it is staggered between 1 and 20 seconds
@@ -303,18 +288,30 @@ async def collector_main():
     logging.info("collector-node version: '%s'", get_version())
     await asyncio.sleep(random.randint(1, 15))
     identity = await read_identity()
-    await fetch_and_send(identity)
+    feeds = await feed_helper.read_feeds_file(feeds_file=feeds_file)
+    await fetch_and_send(feeds=feeds, identity=identity)
 
 
 def main():
     """Primary entry point of this script."""
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        prog="collector-node",
+        description="Orcfax collector routines retrieves CER from CEX and DEX sources and forwards them to a validator-node",
+        epilog="for more information visit https://orcfax.io",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--feeds",
+        help="feed data describing feeds being monitored (CER-feeds (JSON))",
+        required=True,
+    )
+    args = parser.parse_args()
     pid = os.getpid()
     start_time = time.time()
     logger.info("----- node runner (%s) -----", pid)
     try:
         with flock.FlockContext(flock_name_base="cnode_runner"):
             try:
-                asyncio.run(collector_main())
+                asyncio.run(collector_main(feeds_file=args.feeds))
             # pylint: disable=W0718   # global catch, if this doesn't run, nothing does.
             except Exception as err:
                 logger.error("collector node runner not running: %s", err)
diff --git a/src/collector_node/feed_helper.py b/src/collector_node/feed_helper.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aa3ac7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/collector_node/feed_helper.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+"""Helpers for processing feed specification data."""
+
+# pylint: disable=E0611,R0902
+
+import json
+import logging
+
+from pydantic.dataclasses import dataclass
+from pydantic.tools import parse_obj_as
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+@dataclass
+class FeedSpec:
+    pair: str
+    label: str
+    interval: int
+    deviation: int
+    source: str
+    calculation: str
+    status: str
+    type: str = "CER"
+
+
+async def read_feeds_file(feeds_file: str) -> list[FeedSpec]:
+    """ "Read feed data into memory for use in the script."""
+    feed_dict = None
+    with open(feeds_file, "r", encoding="utf-8") as json_feeds:
+        feed_dict = json.loads(json_feeds.read())
+    logger.info("cer-feeds version: %s", feed_dict["meta"]["version"])
+    logger.info("number of feeds: %s", len(feed_dict["feeds"]))
+    feeds = []
+    for item in feed_dict["feeds"]:
+        feed = parse_obj_as(FeedSpec, item)
+        feeds.append(feed)
+    return feeds