In 2005, the Canadian Pork Council launched the Animal Care Assessment,
or ACA, an auditable on-farm program for animal care. The program follows
in the footsteps of the on-farm food safety program, CQA®, which is now a
core program in the Canadian hog industry.
Producers, already burdened with an increasing array of programs and
requirements, voluntary and mandatory initiatives, may wonder why such a
program is needed, and what value it will bring. This paper outlines
the pressures that led to the creation of the program, the steps and challenges
faced in developing the initiative, and the current environment that makes
having such a program critical. It was concluded that developing a national, credible, animal care program was necessary given both the domestic and international pressures facing the industry. But building the program is not enough. Producers need to participate, and to participate, they need to see a benefit. While the incentives are not financial, they are still clear. Without such a program, without such a defense, to domestic and international customers and the public, there is little to stand on.