If it’s raised by a Canadian Farmer, it’s raised right.

• Our program offers a national set of standards, to ensure consistency from coast to coast.
• Our program has credible, science-based foundations from the Code of Practice developed by the National Farm Animal Care Council.
• Our program is mandatory and enforced. Provincial boards use various penalties in cases of non-compliance.
• Our program is audited annually by highly trained auditors, and the entire system is subject to annual third-party audits.
• We are committed to continuous improvement. Program material and procedures are reviewed annually and updated as needed.

How do we know Canadian chickens are raised right? Because all 2,800+ farmers are required to implement the Raised by a Canadian Farmer Animal Care Program. The program was first developed in 2009 and provides assurance that farmers are meeting appropriate and recognized animal care standards.

The program has a credible, science-based foundation through the poultry Code of Practice developed by the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC). NFACC is a world leader in bringing together stakeholders with different perspectives – farmers, scientists, veterinarians, animal welfare associations, processors, retail associations, restaurant associations, transporters, and provincial/federal governments – to develop robust and sound Codes of Practice. For more on the Code of Practice, click here.

The content of the Animal Care Program has been independently reviewed by NFACC and found to have met all requirements outlined in Canada’s Animal Care Assessment Framework.

The Raised by a Canadian Farmer Animal Care Program emphasizes proper animal care throughout each step of the production cycle. The program requirements are summarized in this brochure, and detailed in the Animal Care Program Producer Manual , also available in the Resources section of our website. Record keeping is combined for both the Animal Care and the On-Farm Food Safety programs.

Raised by a Canadian Farmer Animal Care Program

Canadian chicken farmers work hard each day to provide the best possible care for their birds, and to ensure their health and welfare. Chicken Farmers of Canada has implemented a strong national program and certification process. It is the only program capable of ensuring that animal care standards are implemented and audited on all chicken farms in Canada. Furthermore, the program is an effective way to provide farmers with continuing education about best practices and to drive innovation and improvement. There are many factors that go into making these programs work to ensure credibility and compliance.

Annual Audits, Third-Party Audits and Enforcement

Farmers are audited annually to ensure the program is implemented appropriately and to determine if all its mandatory requirements are maintained. We are proud to say that certification has reached 100%. Both the animal care and the on-farm food safety programs have strict enforcement measures in place to guarantee the highest standards are maintained. These measures could include monetary penalties, reductions in allocation, or license suspensions, depending on the severity of  the non-compliance. The need for these measures varies by province and has decreased over time.

The implementation of the animal care program by farmers and the effectiveness of Chicken Farmers of Canada’s audit team are verified through annual third-party audits. Management Systems Verification Services Canada Inc. performs the third-party audits using certified auditors (e.g., Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization) to ensure the effective and consistent implementation of the Raised by a Canadian Farmer Animal Care Program.

To learn more about how chickens are raised in Canada, check out this video.