NFACC Information Update: August 2016

In this issue:

  • NFACC welcomes new associate member – Aramark Canada Ltd
  • Market Relevant Codes and Communication Leadership project update
  • NFACC is the subject of Access to Information requests
  • Proposal submitted for phase one of transportation Code of Practice update
  • Registration for One Welfare conference now open
  • Call for abstracts: Canadian Federation of Humane Societies National Animal Welfare Conference
  • Upcoming events

NFACC WELCOMES NEW ASSOCIATE MEMBER - ARAMARK CANADA LTD

NFACC is pleased to welcome Aramark Canada Ltd as new Associate Members. 

“We are pleased to join NFACC as associate members. Aramark’s mission to enrich and nourish lives means ensuring a foundation of providing safe, nutritious, quality food is core to who we are. Our commitment to health, wellness and sustainability are central to these tenets. Our focus on responsible sourcing includes our commitment to animal welfare. Our goal is to make continuous progress, be transparent and engage with all stakeholders in the supply chain. We recognize that how animals are raised and treated is important to our customers and our clients and we are excited to join the conversation around improving animal welfare in Canada.”  - Karen Williams, MSc, Senior Director of Health, Wellness & Environmental Sustainability

MARKET RELEVANT CODES AND COMMUNICATION LEADERSHIP PROJECT* UPDATE

Chicken, Turkeys and Breeders – The Code of Practice for the care and handling of hatching eggs, breeders, chickens and turkeys was released June 15, 2016. The new Code is available at: www.nfacc.ca/codes-of-practice/chickens-turkeys-and-breeders.   

Poultry (layers) – The 60-day public comment period for the DRAFT layer Code of Practice opened on June 30th and will continue until August 29, 2016. The public comment period is an essential part of Canada’s process for developing Codes of Practice for the care and handling of farm animals. Have your say at: www.nfacc.ca/codes-of-practice/poultry-layers.

The Public Comment period is one way that multi-stakeholder participation is supported in the development of Codes of Practice for the care and handling of farm animals. Comments are encouraged from anyone who wishes to add their voice to the discussion and have their viewpoints considered in the Code development process. This supports a robust process and helps the Codes achieve an effective balance that improves the lives of farmed animals in a manner that is sustainable and implementable by all farmers in Canada.

To learn more about the Code development process watch NFACC’s videos at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2cvixnA_MQ and www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFbyJlFqwnM.

Rabbits – the Code Development Committee had its most recent meeting in July 2016. A summary of the meeting will soon be available at www.nfacc.ca/progress-report-rabbit. The next meeting is scheduled for October.   

Veal Cattle – the Code Development Committee met in June 2016. A summary of the meeting will soon be available at http://www.nfacc.ca/progress-report-veal-cattle. The next meeting is scheduled for August.

Bison – the Code Development Committee met in June 2016. A summary of that meeting is available at www.nfacc.ca/progress-report-bison. The next meeting is scheduled for September 2016.

NFACC IS THE SUBJECT OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION REQUESTS

The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) is the subject of several Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests submitted to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). Following the first request NFACC issued a media release (www.nfacc.ca/news?articleid=269) indicating no objections to the release of correspondence with the former Minister of Agriculture. It also advised anyone interested in reviewing the requested material or learning more to contact NFACC’s General Manager.

Additional requests relate to “copies of all project proposals from Canadian Animal Health Coalition (CAHC) to the federal government” pertaining to NFACC for the years 2015 & 2016. NFACC’s diverse partnership of farm, animal welfare, veterinary and retail groups, government, and others review and support all applications submitted by the CAHC on behalf of NFACC.

NFACC is committed to a principled approach and will not object to the release of the two project proposals. One proposal was partially funded (see http://www.nfacc.ca/news?articleid=257) and the other is still under review by AAFC. If others are interested in learning more please contact NFACC’s General Manager at nfacc@xplornet.com.

PROPOSAL SUBMITTED FOR PHASE ONE OF TRANSPORTATION CODE OF PRACTICE UPDATE

NFACC has submitted a project proposal through the AAFC’s AgriMarketing program: Assurance Systems stream for phase one of a transportation Code update.

Livestock and poultry transport are one of the most publicly visible aspects of animal agriculture. Updates to the humane transport section of the Health of Animals Act are forthcoming and have been under development for many years. It is anticipated that updates will go to Gazette I in the fall. The transport Code is a critical companion piece to regulations as the Code provides guidance that optimizes the application of transport and related regulations (both federal and provincial).

However, an update to the transport Code is an enormous undertaking given the variety of species covered and the numerous players with responsibilities. Three important prerequisite activities need to be addressed in advance of a transport Code update and these are the focus of this project proposal.

The project is proposed to:

  • Undertake a scientific review of animal welfare research on transport needed to inform the Code’s development (as per NFACC’s Code development process).
  • Undertake a jurisdictional review to understand the roles/interactions between different authorities in the transport process (e.g., loading/unloading, federal/provincial, border crossings), along with an environmental scan of initiatives underway that will align with the transport Code (e.g., Canadian Livestock Transport program).
  • Establish a manageable process/structure for engaging the diversity of stakeholders involved across species, industries and interest groups.

Phase two, an update the transport Code as per NFACC’s Code development process, would be submitted as a project proposal under the next agricultural policy framework. 

REGISTRATION FOR ONE WELFARE CONFERENCE NOW OPEN

The International One Welfare Conference is being held September 26-28, 2016 at the Radisson Hotel, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Register at: http://onewelfareconference.ca/events/international-one-welfare-conference. The early bird discount ends August 15, 2016. “One Welfare is an emerging topic that examines human wellbeing in a One Health framework to address complex conditions where human mental health has a direct impact on the outcomes for all species involved.”

The keynote speaker at the Gala Dinner will be General Romeo Dallaire (http://onewelfareconference.ca/program/keynote-dinner-romeo-a-dallaire). The Canadian Red Cross will be hosting a Psychological First Aid Course focused on “how to maintain resilience in dealing with difficult events that are workplace related,” (http://onewelfareconference.ca/program/schedule-at-a-glance/psychological-first-aid-training). 

A poster session will also be available. Early bird deadline for submission is August 15th with final deadline of August 31st, http://onewelfareconference.ca/program/schedule-at-a-glance/poster-sessions. Lend your research voice to help frame the next steps coming from the conference. 

NFACC’s General Manager will be attending and presenting on the Codes of Practice as a proactive initiative.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: CANADIAN FEDERATION OF HUMANE SOCIETIES NATIONAL ANIMAL WELFARE CONFERENCE

The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies is now accepting applications to present at the 2017 CFHS National Animal Welfare Conference in Ottawa (April 8 – 11, 2017) at http://conference.cfhs.ca. Submission deadline: September 16, 2016 at 5pm EST.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Visit www.nfacc.ca. 

*A project made possible through the AgriMarketing Program under Growing Forward 2, a federal –provincial –territorial initiative.

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