Animal Care Program For Chickens.

Work is well underway on implementing a national animal care program on chicken farms.

After years of planning and debate, Chicken Farmers of Canada is registering producers in an auditable program that ensures birds are raised in the best way possible.

"We feel it's something the industry can be comfortable with moving forward. It's able to withstand public scrutiny in terms of the health and care of our birds," says CFC chair David Janzen.

The program focuses on health, cleanliness and safety, outlining strict biosecurity measures to protect animal health. It includes standards for feed and water, the environment inside the barn, animal density, catching and loading, and record keeping. Farms in Manitoba are audited annually, in conjunction with their Safe, Safer, Safest food safety program audit.

Janzen notes many organizations were consulted through the development process, including the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council, the Further Poultry Processors Association of Canada, the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers and the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservice Association.

This program is mandatory for all registered chicken farms in Manitoba, but Janzen estimates about 60 percent of chicken farms across the country are enrolled.

"Some provinces are much higher than that already. We're hoping for 100 percent compliance by the end of 2013," he says. "We're finding the animal care program is rolling out a lot quicker and a lot easier than a couple years ago when we started the food safety program."

The animal care program has been designed so that it is integrated with the food safety program.

By Kelvin Heppner