There's still time to register for the conference which is to be held on October 9 and October 10 this year.

The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) is to host the event which hopes to be relevant for participants across the agriculture and food value chain as well as others with an interest in farm animal care. Registration and agenda details are available on the NFACC website at www.nfacc.ca/conferences.

"New expectations and approaches in farm animal care are driving change with implications for everyone from farmers to retailers to consumers," says Edouard Asnong, a Pike River, Québec, hog farmer and chair of NFACC. "This conference is the place to learn what's happening and what it means. It's also a forum to share ideas for how we can work together to best manage the issues related to farm animal care and support Canada's success."

NFACC is the lead national organization for farm animal care in Canada. It brings together farmers and other agriculture and food sector representatives, animal welfare groups, enforcement and government under a collective decision-making model for advancing farm animal welfare.

NFACC is coordinating the development of updated Codes of Practice for the care and handling of various livestock and poultry species, as well as a framework for developing animal care assessment programs. These initiatives are supporting Canada's efforts to innovate and lead in the emerging new world of social sustainability.

Day one of the agenda is a half day afternoon session that focuses on the NFACC-related achievements with Codes and the Animal Care Assessment Framework.

Presenters include Susie Miller, Director General with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Ryder Lee of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association; Dr. Tina Widowski of University of Guelph; Tim Faveri, Director of Sustainability and Responsibility with Tim Hortons Inc.; and Ron Maynard, Vice President of Dairy Farmers of Canada.

Day two is a full day. The morning session tackles today's challenges, with presentations covering how to address an animal welfare crisis, by media and crisis communication consultant Jeff Ansell; what Canadians really think about food and farming, by Crystal Mackay of Food and Farm Care Ontario; bridging the gap between farmers and the public, by Jeff Spooner of the University of British Columbia Animal Welfare Program; and pain assessment and management, by Ed Pajor of the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.