Red Deer, Alberta, March 22, 2012 - Canada's livestock and poultry sectors will benefit from the development of a national standard for the transport of farm animals with the support of the Government of Canada. Member of Parliament (MP) Earl Dreeshen (Red Deer), on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, announced today an investment of $320,000 to the Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC) Association at its annual livestock care conference.
"Our livestock and poultry sectors are great examples of the hard-working agriculture producers that help keep our economy strong," said MP Dreeshen. "This investment will help improve transport of Canadian livestock and poultry across the country and overseas, keeping our producers competitive and bolstering our overall economy."
This investment will help the AFAC develop a certification program that will lead to training for livestock and poultry transporters throughout Canada. The Government is supporting an industry-led initiative to develop national standards for the safe and humane transport of farm animals to help address public concerns and ensure that the sector remains competitive in both domestic and international markets.
"Responsible animal care during transport is important for all livestock and poultry, and the fact that the Canadian Livestock Transport certification program has been an Alberta-driven initiative is a source of pride for our province as we develop a national program," said AFAC's executive director, Lorna Baird.
The Association is working with a coalition of farm animal groups, the National Farm Animal Care Council, and other provincial councils towards a national multi-species transporter certification program. The program will be consistent with regulations governing the transport of animals and will address public concerns over the humane and safe transport of farm animals.
This investment is provided under the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP), a five-year (2009-14) initiative that helps the agricultural sector adapt and remain competitive in a global marketplace.
More information on CAAP is available at http://agriculture.canada.ca/caap.
For more information, media may contact:
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa (Ontario)
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
Meagan Murdoch
Director of Communications
The Office of the Honourable Gerry Ritz
613-773-1059
