Manitoba Pork Council is encouraging pork producers to familiarize themselves with proposed changes to the Canadian Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs and identify any adjustments they feel should be made.
The National Farm Animal Care Council has released a draft updated Canadian Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs triggering a 60 day public comment period.
Key changes proposed include a phased in conversion from stall housing of breeding sows to loose housing, changes in minimum space allowances for growing and finishing pigs and new recommendations for carrying out painful procedures such as castration.
Manitoba Pork Council animal care specialist Mark Fynn says to familiarize pork producers with the public comment process and explain the proposed changes and their implications two information sessions are planned, one in Steinbach June 24 and one in Portage La Prairie June 25.
The draft code was released for public comment on June 1.
The idea behind that was to gain more feedback from the broader producer audience as well as other audiences and the general public on what they see in the code and what they think is acceptable, how they would like to see that changed.
At this point what we’re doing is we’re looking for producers to give feedback on the draft code, on what they like in the daft code and what they think is achievable and how they need to see it change.
That public comment period is open for a 60 day period ending August 3 and you can go on line to the NFACC web site at NFACC.Ca to be able to look at the draft code and then submit your comments on what you think needs changing or what you think looks good in the draft code.
Fynn says producers are the ones that have to put these changes into effect so it’s important to make sure they are achievable.
He encourages producers to come out to these events and provide their feedback.
