December 22, 2006

Canada to fund new animal care assessment tool

The Canadian government will provide C$184,720 (US$160,000) in funding to the Canadian Pork Council to help implement a new assessment tool that will help producers evaluate and improve animal care in their operations, according to a release from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Minister Chuck Strahl.

"Canada's government is committed to promoting food safety and quality for all Canadians," said Strahl. "Funding this innovative project will provide operators of hog farms across Canada with the best assessment tools to enable them to meet on-farm requirements and enhance the quality of care for their animals."

The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) has had to respond to many questions in the past three years from food retailers, restaurant chains, processors and from the animal-rights movement, the release said. Many processors are also being audited by major restaurant chains to ensure proper animal-handling techniques are being used.

The new assessment tool will assure consumers that hogs are well cared for during their lifespan.

The Animal Care Assessment (ACA) tool will allow validators to review the practice of hog producers and help producers show how they care for their animals. This programme is expected to help the sector enhance the marketability of Canadian pork in both Canada and in export markets.

The CPC will finalise and distribute ACA materials to hog producers across Canada encouraging participation, creating awareness of the initiative and develop appropriate training programmes.

Funding for this initiative will be provided to the CPC under Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food Programme.

The CPC is the national association representing the interests of Canada's 13,000 hog producers.