Canadian Pork Council funding announced
OTTAWA - The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, today announced $184,720 in funding to the Canadian Pork Council to implement a new assessment tool to help producers evaluate and improve animal care in their operations.
22 December 2006
3 minute read
"Canada's New Government is committed to promoting food safety and quality for all Canadians," said Minister 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 has had to respond to many questions in the past three years from food retailers, restaurant chains, processors and from the humane movement. 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 program is expected to help the sector enhance the marketability of Canadian pork in both Canada and in export markets.
The Canadian Pork Council will finalize and distribute ACA materials to hog producers across Canada encouraging participation, creating awareness of the initiative and develop appropriate training programs.
"We are very pleased to have the federal government's commitment to this work," said Edouard Asnong, Chair of the Canadian Pork Council Animal Care Working Group. "The ACA is an exciting initiative, providing producers with the tools they need to both promote high quality care on their farms and demonstrate that set requirements have been met."
Funding for this initiative is provided to the Canadian Pork Council under Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) Program.
The Canadian Pork Council is the national association representing the interests of Canada's 13,000 hog producers.
The PigSite News Desk
The Canadian Pork Council has had to respond to many questions in the past three years from food retailers, restaurant chains, processors and from the humane movement. 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 program is expected to help the sector enhance the marketability of Canadian pork in both Canada and in export markets.
The Canadian Pork Council will finalize and distribute ACA materials to hog producers across Canada encouraging participation, creating awareness of the initiative and develop appropriate training programs.
"We are very pleased to have the federal government's commitment to this work," said Edouard Asnong, Chair of the Canadian Pork Council Animal Care Working Group. "The ACA is an exciting initiative, providing producers with the tools they need to both promote high quality care on their farms and demonstrate that set requirements have been met."
Funding for this initiative is provided to the Canadian Pork Council under Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) Program.
The Canadian Pork Council is the national association representing the interests of Canada's 13,000 hog producers.
The PigSite News Desk
