Animal Care Assessment Model
Animal welfare audit, verification program or animal care assessment tool – regardless of the label, the goal is to measure animal welfare at some point in the production system, providing assurances that animals are humanely treated.
The NFACC table has served as a forum for discussing perspectives across the value chain on animal care assessment. Through these discussions, consensus has been reached to create an Animal Care Assessment Model (ACAM) to guide the development and implementation of auditable on-farm animal care programs.
The ACAM is about the process for program development and implementation
The ACAM aims to:
- enhance the transparency, legitimacy and credibility of assessment programs developed according to the Model;
- ensure consistency of communications along the value chain;
- further develop Canada’s own cooperative approach to farm animal care, an approach that can be communicated nationally and internationally, and that builds upon existing initiatives, and;
- assist commodity groups in developing or revising an animal care program by providing an informed framework and useful resources.
Programs developed through the Model will be based on the Codes of Practice. They will offer a practical and sustainable tool that provides assurances on animal welfare and demonstrates adoption of the Codes.
A workshop was held in August 2011 so that a broader group of stakeholders could provide input on the draft ACAM. Click here to read the workshop summary. The feedback from the workshop will inform future revisions to the draft Model.
Another step towards finalizing the ACAM is test piloting the draft Model. Dairy Farmers of Canada will facilitate this step by utilizing the draft ACAM to develop an animal care assessment program. Click here for more information about the development of the dairy animal care assessment program.
“The value in the ACAM approach to retailers and foodservice companies is that it outlines
a credible, multi-stakeholder process that confers credibility on commodity groups using it.”
– David Smith, ACAM Steering Committee and SPC of Retail Strategy and Sustainability, Sobeys Inc.
ACAM Steering Committee
A Steering Committee has been formed to provide active guidance and support in revising and finalizing the ACAM. The ACAM project benefits from the diversity of perspectives on this Committee, including representatives from industry associations that have previous experience developing animal care assessment programs.
- Anne Marie de Passillé, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
- Tina Widowski, University of Guelph
- Ed Pajor, University of Calgary
- Geoff Urton, BC SPCA / Canadian Federation of Humane Societies
- Jennifer Gardner, Chicken Farmers of Canada
- Jorge Correa, Canadian Meat Council
- Ryder Lee, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association
- Catherine Scovil, Canadian Pork Council
- David Smith, Sobeys Inc.
- Jennifer Woods, J. Woods Livestock Services
- Penny Lawlis, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- Bruno Letendre, Dairy Farmers of Canada
- Pauline Duivenvoorden, Dairy Farmers of Canada