Draft veal cattle Code of Practice released for public comment

(Guelph) 12 December 2016 – The Canadian Veal Association and the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) are pleased to announce the launch of the public comment period on the draft Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Veal Cattle. The public comment period allows stakeholders – producers, consumers and others with an interest in the welfare of veal cattle – to view the draft Code and provide input to the final Code.

The draft Code and the public comment system are now accessible at: www.nfacc.ca/codes-of-practice/veal-cattle. All comments must be submitted through the online system. The public comment period closes February 14, 2017. The Code Development Committee will consider the submitted comments after the close of the comment period and the plan is that the final veal cattle Code of Practice will be released by fall 2017.

Codes of Practice for the care and handling of farm animals are the result of a unique consensus-based, multi-stakeholder approach used across various agricultural sectors, which brings together all relevant stakeholders with responsibility for animal care standards.

A Scientific Committee report summarizing research conclusions on priority welfare topics can be found online alongside the draft Code. This peer-reviewed report aided the discussions of the Code Development Committee as it prepared the draft Code of Practice. The report, developed by scientists familiar with cattle welfare, should be reviewed prior to making a submission.

 “The Canadian Veal Association is committed to continual improvement and a high standard of care for veal cattle in a manner that is attainable, practical and manageable by all producers in Canada,” said Robert Wynands, veal producer, President of CVA, and Chair of the Code Development Committee. “The Code Development Committee has worked hard since 2014 developing the draft Code. The public comment period will provide an opportunity for interested parties to review the draft code to ensure it meets reasonable requirements for all,” he added.

Once finalized, the revised Code will promote sound management and welfare practices through recommendations and requirements for housing, care, transportation, and other animal husbandry practices. The Canadian Veal Association initiated the Code review process in December 2014, utilizing NFACC’s Code development process.

“The Code development process helps diverse communities work together to improve the lives of farmed animals,” said Dr. Jeffrey Rushen, who represents the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies on the Code Committee. “We hope to receive broad input from the general public, industry and other stakeholders to ensure this Code improves animal welfare and reflects the values of Canadians.”

The Code’s revision is led by a 17-person Code Development Committee that includes participants from across Canada including producers, animal welfare and enforcement representatives, researchers, veterinarians and government representatives. More information on the Code development process is available at www.nfacc.ca/codes-of-practice.

The veal cattle Code is one of five Codes of Practice being developed as part of a multi-year NFACC project. Codes of Practice serve as our national understanding of animal care requirements and recommended practices. It is important that Codes be scientifically informed, implementable by producers, and reflect societal expectations for responsible farm animal care. The Codes cover housing, feed and water, handling, euthanasia, transport and other important management practices.

Funding for this project has been provided through the AgriMarketing Program under Growing Forward 2, a federal–provincial–territorial initiative.

About the National Farm Animal Care Council

NFACC is a collaborative partnership of diverse stakeholders that work together on farm animal care and welfare. It supports robust processes to draft or renew Codes of Practice for the care and handling of farm animals. NFACC would like to acknowledge the Canadian Animal Health Coalition (CAHC) for their role in securing funding for this project. For more information on NFACC visit www.nfacc.ca.

About the Canadian Veal Association

The Canadian Veal Association (CVA) was formed in 2009 as a partnership between Ontario and Quebec.  This joint effort has been established to advance the Canadian veal sector through proactive communication and collaboration.  The CVA represents over 95 per cent of Canada’s grain-fed and milk-fed veal production. The Canadian veal industry produces approximately 400,000 veal annually with over 1,000 veal farmers operating in both Ontario and Quebec. 

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