The federal government is contributing $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.
Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield, on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay, announced the funding on Oct. 13.
The $1.31 million 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; and
– 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.
“Our government is proud to support initiatives that help to ensure the welfare of farm animals in Canada,” said Longfield.
“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.”
The livestock and poultry industries generating over $15 billion in farmgate receipts in the Canadian economy, according to the federal government.
This funding 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 (CAHC) 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 of Canadian Animal Health Coalition.
