WINNIPEG, MANITOBA — Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) and all 10 provincial chicken marketing boards celebrated the implementation of the CFC Animal Care Program at the CFC Summer Meeting in Winnipeg today, by signing a memorandum of understanding for the implementation and certification services.
The Animal Care Program is a comprehensive program that stipulates animal care production requirements to ensure animal care standards. This signing reflects the commitment of all 10 Provincial Chicken Boards and Chicken Farmers of Canada to implement and maintain a comprehensive national animal care program and demonstrates the level of animal care on Canadian chicken farms.
The program's implementation has been supported by the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council, the Further Poultry Processors Council, the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association and the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers.
"The commitment demonstrated in signing this memorandum of understanding is confirmed by the accomplishment of so many Canadian chicken farmers to achieve certification, which enhances the many reasons that we are proud to grow the chicken Canadians trust," indicated Dave Janzen, Chairman of CFC.
The majority of chicken farmers have achieved certification on the program; this number is expected to continue to rise as farms undergo the animal care audit which is being conducted in conjunction with their annual on-farm food safety assurance program audit. Two provinces, Alberta and Prince Edward Island, have already achieved 100% certification and several other provinces will be in the same position within months.
The signing of the memorandum of understanding, witnessed by the Honourable Ron Kostyshyn, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives for the Government of Manitoba, outlines the division of roles, responsibilities and authorities between the provincial chicken boards and Chicken Farmers of Canada in order to deliver a credible system to provide on-farm audits and certification services to all Canadian chicken farmers.
Chicken Farmers of Canada is online at www.chicken.ca.
Source: Chicken Farmers of Canada