Government invests in industryled animal welfare activities

The livestock industry strives to continuously improve its capacity to respond to increasing demands by consumers and markets to demonstrate the highest quality of animal care.

Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay today announced an investment of up to $4.56 million to the Canadian Animal Health Coalition (CAHC), on behalf of the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC), to help update and develop Codes of Practice for the care and handling of farmed animals.

The investment was made through the AgriAssurance program of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

The investment will be divided between four activities including:

· Updating the transportation Codes of Practice for the care and handling of farm animals during transport;

· Updating the dairy Code of Practice that will address new scientific findings, changes in industry practices and address changes in market and consumer demands;

· Updating the goat Code of Practice that will respond to growing buyer and consumer expectations for on-farm animal welfare; and

“Livestock and poultry welfare is important to everyone, from the animals themselves to producers and consumers. We are pleased the Government of Canada has chosen to invest in this project to help improve farm animal well-being and address expectations of consumers and the marketplace," explained Ryder Lee, Chair of the National Farm Animal Care Council and a native of Glentworth, Sask.

Quick Facts

· Canada is world-renowned for our high-quality livestock and aquaculture sectors. These two sectors drive Canada’s economy, generating over $25 billion in farmgate receipts.

· This investment is being made through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s AgriAssurance Program, under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

· The CAHC is a non-profit organization serving Canada’s farmed animal industry. The organization is a partnership of cross-sectorial organizations, all recognizing a shared responsibility for an effective animal health system.

· The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) is a collaborative partnership of diverse stakeholders created to share information and work together on farm animal care and welfare. It is the national lead for farm animal care in Canada.