QUEBEC CITY – Canadian farmers could be facing tougher animal welfare rules if proposals to change jurisdiction over livestock codes of practice are implemented, Canadian Federation of Agriculture leaders were told.
Bernadette Cox of the Canadian Egg Marketing Agency told the CFA semi-annual meeting that a Sept. 23 meeting on the issue could be crucial.
“If these proposals go through, there will be another layer of paperwork and hoops for farmers to jump through in running their farms,” she said.
It also could provide an entré for animal welfare groups like humane societies to become involved in setting rules for how farmers must behave.
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“If these people get their way, the cost to farmers could be huge and farmers will not be able to keep producing the cheap food that they do,” said Eugene Legge of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture. He worried about added costs if chicken farmers need larger cages or pigs must be given “soccer balls and soothers” to keep them happy.
The key issue, said Cox, is an attempt by the Canadian Animal Health Coalition to take control of the animal care file and to set itself up as a national industry leader on the issue. It has called the Sept. 23 meeting to consider options.
At present, codes of practice for farmers are drawn up by the Canadian Agricultural Research Council and implemented voluntarily by each industry.
Agriculture Canada is cutting the council’s funding and the animal rights coalition is making a bid to take over both developing codes of practice and verifying compliance.
“There is certainly a worry about making these mandatory and having rules designed that are not appropriate for our specific sectors,” Cox said in an interview.
“And CEMA speaks for our industry on this, nobody else.”
The CFA leaders said they would develop a strategy to take to the Sept. 23 meeting, demanding that the code development remain with the council and its scientific experts.
Several CFA members, including the egg agency, belong to the coalition. It was formed several years ago, with broad industry support, out of frustration with slow progress in winning animal health policies and actions from Agriculture Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, said Cox.
But she said, since then, the coalition has lost its focus and seems intent on expanding into mandates it was not meant to have. It has spent money on consultants to prepare a case for becoming the lead player in animal care issues and has pursued government funding.
“I think it has moved away from its original purpose and is really casting its net too widely,” said Cox.
Leaders of other commodities agreed.
“It’s gotten totally out of hand,” said Ontario Federation of Agriculture vice-president Geri Kamenz.
Added Canadian Pork Council president Edouard Asnong: “They are trying to find a reason to exist and reasons to be subsidized and they have become quite creative, which scares me.”
