June 3, 2013

Canada released the revised Code of Practice for the care and handling of farm animals: Pigs on June 1 and started to accept submissions of public comment throughout a 60-day period. 

The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) coordinates the work on Codes, in conjunction with a two-committee process - a Code Development Committee and a Scientists' Committee.

"The Code Development Committee has worked to develop the draft code since 2010 and the public comment period will allow us to extend the conversation to a broader group," said Florian Possberg, pork producer and chair of the Code Development Committee. "All comments will be reviewed by the Code Committee."

"The Canadian Pork Council and its members are encouraging producers to carefully review the text of the draft code and submit comments," says Jean-Guy Vincent, chair of the Canadian Pork Council. "The public comment period is a critical part of the process.  As it will fall to producers to implement the Code, it is essential for producers to review the draft text and respond with informed and constructive input."

The Code and an online commenting system are available at www.nfacc.ca/codes-of-practice/pigs from June 1 to August 3, 2013.

Following the public comment period, the Code Development Committee will reconvene to review submissions and make revisions as necessary. The revised Code is then submitted to NFACC for publication as the final Code; this is expected by the end of 2013.