NFACC Information Update October 2025

In this issue:

2023-2025 NFACC PROJECT ACHIEVEMENTS REPORT RELEASED 

As of August 2025, it has been 20 years since the inaugural meeting of the National Farm Animal Care Council. In the words of NFACC’s Chair, Hans Kristensen, “In a world that has become increasingly polarized, NFACC members should be incredibly proud that we consistently make the time and effort to engage in difficult conversations with those we may not normally spend time with to advance the welfare of farmed animals in Canada.” This issue of the NFACC Project Achievement Report honours how far NFACC has come in those years, celebrates more recent accomplishments, and looks forward to the future as multiple Codes undergo updates. Highlights from the report include:
  • A message from the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
  • The results of NFACC’s Governance Review
  • A summary of recent progress to the Codes undergoing updates 
  • The release of the Pullets and Laying Hens Code Amendment
  • A retrospective on the use of Scientific Committees to assist in the Code development process
  • New two-minute videos that explain the importance of NFACC, diversity, and consensus
  • A historical timeline showcasing the major achievements since the establishment of NFACC in 2005
  • And more!  

The NFACC Project Achievement Report is available here. 

NFACC RELEASES THREE NEW SHORT VIDEOS

NFACC has released a series of short videos to provide “bite-sized” insights into NFACC and two key components of its Code development process: diversity and consensus. These three videos titled “The Importance of NFACC”, “Diversity Leads to Better Decisions”, and “Importance of Consensus” each briefly explore the elements of the NFACC process that best support its success. Diversity, for example, “…helps us shift from asking, "Who is right?" to "What does animal welfare look like if each of us has a valid perspective?"

Check out each video from the linked graphics below.

   
The Importance of NFACCDiversity Leads to Better DecisionsImportance of Consensus

 

ANIMAL HEALTH CANADA HONOURS DESERVING RECIPIENTS AT THE ANNUAL AHC AWARDS

From left to right: Dr. Karen Schwean-Lardner, Karl Martinson, Jackie Wepruk and Kendra Keels

Animal Health Canada recognized four individuals making a difference in Canadian farmed animal health and welfare at the AHC Awards 2025 Ceremony in Ottawa, Ontario. Notably, three of the awards were bestowed upon well-known contributors to NFACC and the field of farm animal welfare.

Kendra Keels was presented with the Carl Block Award for her outstanding commitment to the veal industry and the broader livestock sector, including the dairy calf, in Ontario and across Canada. Kendra has been the Industry Development Director at Veal Farmers of Ontario for almost 20 years and served as a champion for both animals and producers across Canada. Her dedication to the development and implementation of the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Veal Cattle has been invaluable. The full news release can be read here.

Dr. Karen Schwean-Lardner was awarded the Farm Animal Welfare Leadership Award, which honours individuals who promote high standards in farmed animal care and work collaboratively to build trust both within Canadian animal agriculture and beyond. Dr. Schwean-Lardner is a professor at the University of Saskatchewan and has written over 80 peer-reviewed papers and conducted 100 industry presentations as a globally-recognized poultry welfare scientist. Her expertise has also been utilized in multiple NFACC Codes of Practice. The full news release can be read here.

Last but not least, the Leadership in Collaboration Award is intended to recognize an individual’s commitment to farmed animal health and welfare through the promotion of public-private collaboration. This year, it was presented to NFACC's own Division Director Jackie Wepruk in celebration of twenty years of exceptional leadership. Jackie has been instrumental in bringing together all individuals who care about animal welfare, from producers to governments to animal welfare advocates, and uniting them under a common banner. She has overseen the creation or revision of 14 species-specific Codes of Practice and eight animal care assessment programs, working tirelessly to ensure transparency and a commitment to improving welfare standards. The full news release can be read here.

Congratulations to all AHC award winners! 

 

Financial support was provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the AgriAssurance program under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

 

Questions or comments? Contact us at info@nfacc.ca.   


NFACC is a division of Animal Health Canada

 

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