I will be first and Edouard will finish the presentation.
Good morning, everyone. My name is Jackie Wepruk. I am the general manager of the National Farm Animal Care Council.
Thank you very much for the invitation today to provide the committee and other interested parties with the perspective of the National Farm Animal Care Council, or NFACC, on issues around animal welfare.
I'll begin with an orientation to the National Farm Animal Care Council and its processes. NFACC's chair, Edouard Asnong, will then deliver his perspective as chair.
Canadian agriculture, allied and downstream industries and governments are increasingly being challenged relative to how farm animals are cared for. Canadian food companies view animal welfare as a critical part of their sustainability agenda. Animal welfare has become a global issue recognized by corporations, development agencies, trade agreements, and even financial institutions. International developments are shaping the global agenda, with potential implications for Canadian farmers.
NFACC is a collaborative partnership of diverse Canadian stakeholders engaged in meaningful processes that address these farm animal welfare challenges. Our partners include virtually all the national livestock and poultry associations, the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, the Retail Council of Canada, the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, and many others. Governments, both federal and provincial, are also represented on the council. Our associate members include Loblaws, Sobeys, and Tim Hortons.
These diverse groups have come together under the NFACC umbrella to deliver an innovative science-informed approach to farm animal welfare that meets both market and societal expectations. NFACC members are committed to real progress on farm animal welfare while maintaining the viability of Canadian farmers and allied businesses to market their products domestically and globally.
NFACC has three primary focus areas: overseeing the development of national codes of practice for the care and handling of farm animals; overseeing the development of a national framework for animal care assessment programs; and developing and facilitating information sharing and communication.
Codes of practice are our national understanding of farm animal care requirements and recommended practices. They are produced through a rigorous development process which takes into account the best science available for each species. Codes are practical, informed by science, and reflect societal values. It's a balance that enables implementation, enhances credibility, and builds trust.
An unprecedented eight codes have been under development since 2010, with six to be completed by the end of 2013. New mink and farmed-fox codes have just been released, and a new equine code will be released in early June, with an updated beef cattle code released by August. The draft pig code will be released for public comment on Saturday, June 1, followed by a draft sheep code for public comment. The two poultry codes are also under development, one for meat birds and the other for layers. The dairy code was updated in 2009.
Project funding through the advancing Canadian agriculture and agri-food program, or ACAAF, and the Growing Forward programs has enabled the development of these codes. We are developing project applications for Growing Forward 2 that would enable us to finish the two poultry codes, along with developing or updating three additional codes. Project funding is our primary means for executing NFACC's processes.
Codes are a vital foundation, but alone they are not enough. In today's environment we all must be able to demonstrate that we are doing what we say we are doing.
NFACC's partners are developing an innovative animal care assessment model, ACAM, that dovetails with the codes to provide livestock and poultry sectors with a credible mechanism to prove that codes are being followed. A common national framework will provide Canada's livestock and poultry industries with a practical, economically feasible mechanism to maintain and strengthen their social licence with the public. It will also enhance our ability to collectively communicate to domestic and international markets about Canadian animal care assessment programs.
The ACAM is being test-piloted by the Dairy Farmers of Canada, who are in the process of developing a dairy animal care assessment program based on their code from 2009. This initiative has received project funding through Agriculture and Agri-Food's agricultural flexibility fund.
Animal welfare is an emotional topic. Feelings on the subject are personal and based on individual experiences, values, and circumstances. Productive dialogue can definitely be a challenge. NFACC facilitates this open dialogue that builds understanding and consensus among a variety of perspectives and positions. Science is used as the foundation to inform our deliberations relative to what is possible, how it is possible, and when it is possible.
We all share a common interest in supporting innovation in farm animal care and helping Canadian farmers to succeed. NFACC processes offer a meaningful yet cost-effective mechanism to achieve both.
I'll now pass the second part of our presentation to Mr. Edouard Asnong.