Farm-Scape is sponsored by Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork Play Audio Farm-Scape is a Wonderworks Canada production and is distributed courtesy of Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork.

Farm-Scape, Episode 1198

A team of independent auditors has kicked off its evaluation of a proposed environmental systems standard for Canadian swine operations.

The development of a voluntary environmental systems standard is being overseen by the Canadian Standards Association.

The draft standard outlines the framework hog operations should establish to properly manage their environmental impacts. A pilot implementation study, involving farms in five provinces was initiated last fall to test the proposed standard.

CSA Project Manager for Environment Kelly Deeton says a team of independent auditors is now evaluating the performance of those farms.

"The pilot study started October 1, 2002. There are 15 participating farms from across the country. Their mandate was to implement the requirements of our hog environmental management system draft standard.

The auditors have already started reviewing the environmental management system documentation the farms have produced. They will visit the sites as early as next week.

We have three auditors and they will audit approximately five farms each. They are looking at how close the farms are to adhering to the draft CSA standard. They're also going to test the standards with respect to operational feasibility, affordability and auditability.

This part will be relevant for third party registration down the road."

Deeton says the results of the pilot audit will be reviewed during a workshop next month in Mississauga and the lessons learned will be used to improve the standard. She says the full CSA Technical Committee will meet in May to determine how or if the draft standard will be revised as a result of the pilot audits.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.