Government of Canada Invests in the Welfare of Canadian Livestock

The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay today announced an investment of up to $1.31 million to the Canadian Animal Health Coalition (CAHC) to help ensure the safe transportation of livestock and much more.

GUELPH, ON  -- The Government of Canada supports the Canadian livestock sector in its efforts to raise healthy, productive and well-cared for animals. 

Also read, New code of practice will help reduce the stress suffered by Canadian egg-laying hens.

Member of Parliament for Guelph, Lloyd Longfield on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay today announced an investment of up to $1.31 million to the Canadian Animal Health Coalition (CAHC) to help ensure the safe transportation of livestock, develop emergency management tools for the livestock industry and improve animal care assessments.

"Our Government is proud to support initiatives that help to ensure the welfare of farm animals in Canada.  It's vital that Canada keeps its standards up to date in order to keep pace with new and emerging consumer and market demands, both domestically and globally," said Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph.

The CAHC is a non-profit organization serving Canada's farmed animal industry.  The organization is a partnership of cross-sectorial organizations, all recognizing a shared responsibility for an effective animal health system.

This investment is being made through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's AgriMarketing Program, which is a five-year, up to $341 million initiative under the Growing Forward 2 policy framework.

"The Canadian Animal Health Coalition appreciates AAFC's continued support of Canada's farmed animal health and welfare system through project funding to develop Canada's Codes of Practice for the care and handling of farm animals and affiliated animal care assurance programs," said Jennifer MacTavish, Chair Canadian Animal Health Coalition.

Budget 2017 set an ambitious goal of growing Canada's agri-food exports to $75 billion by 2025. Budget 2017 focused on agri-food as one of the top industries in our Government's Innovation and Skills Plan, an ambitious effort to make Canada a world leader in innovation, with a focus on expanding growth and creating good, well-paying jobs.

Canada is world-renowned for our high-quality livestock and poultry industries. These two sectors drive Canada's economy, generating over $15 billion in farmgate receipts.

The investment will be divided between four projects including:

• Up to $223,929 to develop a new livestock transport on-line certification program that will simplify, standardize and provide an opportunity for truckers, shippers and receivers to more easily access the training necessary to improve handling practices.
• Up to $160,713 to update the Transportation Codes of Practice for the care and handling of farm animals during transport.
• Up to $813,200 to develop an emergency management plan for the Canadian livestock industry to help mitigate, to respond to, and to recover from major hazard emergencies. 
• Up to $112,180 to revise the Chicken Farmers of Canada's (CFC) animal care assessment program to meet the new Code of Practice for hatching eggs, breeders, chickens and turkeys. The project will strengthen the poultry industry's capacity to respond to ever increasing demand by markets to demonstrate effective animal care standards.
  

SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada