Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) and the Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council (CPEPC) recently announced the creation of the Joint Animal Welfare Working Group. The aim of the group is to support the ongoing review of animal welfare practices, processes, and procedures of the Canadian chicken sector.

Canada’s regulated framework of chicken production supports a high standard of animal care through the implementation of CFC’s Animal Care Program, a national, mandatory, third-party audited program. The program is based on the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) Code of Practice for chicken.

NFACC develops scientifically-informed, consensus-based codes of practice for food animal care in Canada by bringing together stakeholders from diverse disciplines – farmers, veterinarians, processors, transporters, animal welfare associations, academia, and provincial/federal governments. The result is standards that are science-based, practical, and address societal expectations for responsible farm animal care.

The consensus-based joint Working Group, comprised of four Canadian chicken farmers and four processing sector representatives, will supplement the existing process for the development and advancement of national animal care standards by reviewing the most recent scientific evidence regarding animal welfare, comparing this against current standards, and assessing the program’s implementation and audits.

Both CFC and CPEPC believe that the Working Group will enhance the chicken sector’s ability to keep pace with consumer expectations and contribute to the ongoing success of science-based animal welfare programs and best practices into the future.