Ontario Beef Producers Urged to Participate in Code of Practice

Cattlemen Should Comment on Revised Code of Practice on Animal Care

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

Delegates attending the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) annual meeting were strongly encouraged to participate in the comment period on the revised Code of Practice on animal care, otherwise others like animal activists and consumers will do it for them.

The national code of practice, a guide for all beef cattle producers in Canada on best animal welfare practices for the care and handling of beef cattle is now open for public comment. The 22-year old code is considered out of date and it’s important that beef cattle farmers and ranchers themselves participate.

At this year’s OCA annual meeting, Ryder Lee, spokesperson for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and manager of federal and provincial relations told the crowed that good animal care is part of on-farm sustainability and heightened consumer demand is just one of the reasons behind the much needed enhancements.

It’s suspected that most of the comments to date on the soon to be revised code have largely been from animal activists and consumers. Lee says that he would like to see more input from cattle producers, he warns that if there isn’t more input from those who raise cattle for a living , that the industry will loose out.

The public comment period is open until March 8th, 2013.  To participate in the comment period visit the National Farm Animal Council Survey.