Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a) the Government of Canada’s approach to addressing animal care and welfare at the farm level includes working closely with a network of industry stakeholders and responsible organizations. The Government of Canada has been supporting the National Farm Animal Care Council, or NFACC, in developing and updating the “Codes of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farm Animals”, establishing a framework for on-farm assessments, and providing critical leadership for Canada’s efforts. Since the establishment of NFACC in 2005, the Government of Canada has invested over $4 million in support of its activities and approaches in dealing with animal care and welfare issues.
Future funding for NFACC may be provided under the Growing Forward 2 agri-marketing assurance system. It is up to individual organizations to apply for this funding. The Government of Canada continues to provide technical support to NFACC and the codes initiative and is committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders in addressing issues related to animal welfare.
With regard to (b), requirements in the codes of practice are enforced under provincial legislation and regulations. However, it is important to note that responsibility for implementation and enforcement does not rest with just one group. Implementation of the codes occurs in multiple ways: through voluntary producer uptake, on-farm assessment programs, quality assurance programs required by markets, and provincial regulation. The first responsibility for implementation of the codes rests with the producers and others who handle animals. Canadian farmers take their responsibility seriously, which is why, in addition to the code requirements that all are expected to follow, each code also contains recommended practices, an important tool for encouraging continuous improvement in the industry. Meanwhile, the federal, provincial, and territorial governments share legislative and enforcement responsibility for animal welfare, with provincial governments having the primary legislative authority for the on-farm handling of animals. At the federal level, regulations regarding the humane transport and humane slaughter of animals in federally inspected facilities are enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Collaboration among all the various stakeholders is a key aspect of Canada’s approach to ensuring that good practices are followed.
With regard to (c), animal care assessment programs are key to demonstrating that the codes of practice are being followed. One key goal under the NFACC animal care assessment framework is to ensure that the programs developed are both transparent and credible. Livestock and poultry producers recognize the need for developing effective assessment programs in order to demonstrate that animals are properly treated and cared for on-farm. Several commodities have already begun implementing on-farm assessments or are developing their programs, and more are expected to do so as codes are updated. Third-party assessments may play a role in the programs as they are developed over time, especially as market requirements develop.