Funding: The Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) program of Agriculture and Agri-Food

The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) was formed in August 2005 after the Coalition facilitated an extensive industry and government consultation process. The Coalition now provides a secretariat function to the NFACC.

National Animal Care & Welfare Conference,  September 20 - 21, 2007

Current Status

Codes of Practice

• A Code Guideline document has been approved by the NFACC that outlines principles and criteria for Codes of Practice. Concurrently, a draft NFACC Code Process has been developed
• The Dairy Farmers of Canada have agreed to revise their industry Code of Practice based on the new NFACC Code Process
• An application for ACAAF (Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food) has been developed to pilot test, fine tune and finalize the new NFACC Code Process

Animal Care Assessment/Verification

• The NFACC table has served as a forum for sharing perspectives amongst all sectors of the Value Chain relative to farm animal care assessment strategies
• Industry commodity organizations that have developed specific animal care assessment programs have presented these to the NFACC and shared their challenges and future opportunities

Communication

• Open discussion with member organizations across the value chain (the ability to coordinate cross sectoral communication is a core asset of the NFACC)
• Regular email information updates
• Presentations by participants at NFACC meetings on current and impending issues and developments relative to farm animal welfare
• Collaboration with four provincial farm care councils to ensure extended communication efforts through existing networks

Going Forward

• A finalized NFACC Code of Practice process (fine-tuned through the new Canadian Dairy Code of Practice) is anticipated in 2007
• The first National Farm Animal Care and Welfare Conference - September 20-21, 2007.  Visit NFACC's website at www.nfacc.ca for full agenda and registration details.