Time to move to a national farm animal welfare model.   Ottawa—Canada needs a simpler system for ensuring the welfare of livestock instead of the complex structure currently in place, says the National Farmed Animal Health and Welfare Council (NFAHWC). Humane treatment of farm animals is increasingly important for consumers in Canada and elsewhere and Canada needs to be in a position to at least achieve international standards, says NFAHWC in a report that makes 20 recommendations. “Systems for ensuring farm animal welfare are becoming increasingly significant for access to markets.” Canada needs to move away from the current system that includes farmers, veterinarians, provincial and national associations, breeders, processors, transporters, marketers, different levels of government and a range of other organizations, the Council said. A pyramid structure with NFAHWC at the top would be more effective in delivering a truly national system attuned to the need of producers and consumers. To play that role, the Council will require ongoing financial support from producer groups and the Canadian Agriculture Partnership. Among the developmental projects it proposes is a more effective livestock transport regulatory system. There also needs to be a plan for ensuring animal care during disease outbreaks and natural disasters. Attention needs to be paid to animal production sectors lacking care codes and the updating of codes for all the sectors every five years is important as well. Educational material for small-scale producers is needed and the retail and food service sectors need to be involved in animal welfare discussions, the Council said. The federal and provincial chief veterinary officers should assist in incorporating national production standards into provincial animal protection laws. Other priorities should include support for future-oriented and public-good research related to animal welfare, harmonizing standards for humane slaughter, informing the public about Canada's animal welfare system and extending the Council's program for reviewing the welfare of animals after they leave the farm. Farm animal welfare has received a lot of international attention such as the more than 100 pages of animal welfare standards created by World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the animal welfare campaign launched by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the Council said.  “Many global corporations now require their suppliers to demonstrate adherence to specified standards. “Producers in the future may find it necessary to be part of assurance programs in order to participate in main-stream markets.” A better organized system would benefit animals and farmers and “allow Canada to provide assurance of farm animal welfare standards to domestic and international customers through a system that has the confidence of all who are involved in the food system.” Continuing on the current path risks “a fractured and incoherent situation as different producers, retailers and jurisdictions adopt different standards and compliance programs.” Public trust could erode and led to pressure “to adopt consumer or market demands that may not be consistent with animal health and welfare, environmental sustainability and food safety,” it said. Foreign markets could be jeopardized. In addition to NFAHWC, the National Farmed Animal Care Council could take a leadership role in national animal welfare system as it already serves as an advisory body for governments and industry on farm animal health and welfare. It also promotes a “One Welfare” approach that encourages coordination of services to improve the welfare of both humans and animals and is funded equally by the federal government and provincial governments and livestock groups, NFAHWC said. Other important organizations are the Canadian Animal Health Coalition, the Public Trust Steering Committee of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and the Canadian Quality Assurance Program Alliance, which develops on-farm quality-assurance programs. Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.