NFACC Releases New Achievements Report Highlighting Progress
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NFACC Releases New Achievements Report Highlighting Progress
NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release
(Lacombe, AB) June 10, 2026 - The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) is pleased to release its latest Project Achievements Report: Advancing Animal Welfare and Public Trust Through Codes of Practice, showcasing progress made between April 2025 and March 2026 in the development and renewal of Canada's farm animal care standards.
The report highlights NFACC’s continued leadership in bringing together farmers, veterinarians, animal welfare organizations, researchers, processors, retailers, governments, and other stakeholders to collaboratively advance farm animal welfare through Canada's nationally recognized Codes of Practice.
“Codes of Practice are more than documents—they reflect who we are and the trust Canadians place in us,” said Hans Kristensen, Chair of NFACC. “The collaborative process behind every Code demonstrates our collective commitment to continuous improvement and responsible animal care.”
A major focus of the past year has been the simultaneous advancement of five Code updates covering equine, beef cattle, sheep, poultry, and pigs. These updates represent an important step in NFACC’s ongoing commitment to ensuring Codes remain current, science-informed, practical, and responsive to evolving societal expectations.
Among the year's key milestones:
- The draft Equine Code of Practice completed its public comment period, accompanied by the publication of a peer-reviewed scientific report.
- The draft Beef Cattle Code of Practice entered public comment, accompanied by the publication of a peer-reviewed scientific report.
- Progress was achieved on the sheep, poultry, and pig Code updates through extensive committee deliberations and scientific review.
- NFACC released new episodes of its NFACC Conversations podcast, helping stakeholders and the public better understand the value of Codes of Practice and the collaborative process behind their development.
The report also highlights the importance of public participation. Through NFACC’s public comment periods, everyone can review draft Codes and provide feedback that helps shape the final standards. Submissions are carefully reviewed and considered by Code Committees as part of NFACC’s consensus-based process.
“Meaningful progress in animal welfare happens when diverse voices come together around shared goals,” said Kristensen. “The strength of Canada's Codes of Practice lies not only in the science that supports them, but in the collaborative process that builds confidence in the outcomes.”
NFACC thanks its members, committee participants, associate members, government partners, and all stakeholders whose dedication and expertise continue to strengthen animal welfare and public trust across Canada's livestock sectors.
The full Advancing Animal Welfare and Public Trust Through Codes of Practice – Project Achievements Report (April 2025–March 2026) is available here.
Financial support was provided through the AgriAssurance Program under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
About the National Farm Animal Care Council
NFACC is a collaborative partnership of diverse stakeholders created in 2005 to share information and work together on farm animal care and welfare. It is the national lead for farm animal care issues in Canada and operates as a division of Animal Health Canada. For more information on NFACC, visit www.nfacc.ca.
For more information contact:
Jackie Wepruk, Division Director, National Farm Animal Care Council
jwepruk@animalhealthcanada.ca, www.nfacc.ca
