Draft sheep Code of Practice released for public comment

The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) and Canadian Sheep Federation are pleased to announce the launch of the public comment period for the draft Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Sheep.

The public comment period allows stakeholders - including producers, consumers, and others with an interest in the welfare of sheep - to review the draft Code and provide input that will inform the final version, recognizing that perspectives and experiences across Canada are diverse. The draft Code and the public comment system are now accessible here. All comments must be submitted through the online system to ensure feedback is consistently reviewed. The public comment period will close on October 9, 2026.

Following the close of the comment period, the Code Committee will review and consider the submitted feedback, and the final sheep Code of Practice will be released in 2027. A Scientific Committee report summarizing research conclusions on welfare-related topics of high applicability to the Code (priority welfare issues) can be found here. This peer-reviewed report informed the Code Committee’s deliberations by grounding discussions in the best available research, consistent with NFACC’s science-informed approach.