You might have heard many say that supply management does not ensure food safety. And as a result you might be asking yourself: is this real or no? Well, we’ve got some good news: it’s another supply management myth! Check out the A to Z on food safety, thanks to our trusty myth busting team!

To begin, it’s important to note that all farmers under supply management nationwide are regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in various ways, whether it’s providing documentation on medication use for each flock or following mandatory withdrawal times to ensure no antibiotic residues remain in the meat we eat. However, all supply managed industries have their own internal rigorous food safety and quality programs. These programs are designed to ensure safe and high quality food for Canadians and give consumers the confidence they need in the products they purchase.  When it comes to chicken farming, all farmers must follow the mandatory Raised by a Canadian Farmer On-Farm Food Safety Program, a program which has received full federal, provincial, and territorial government recognition.

100% of Canada’s chicken farmers are certified on the On-Farm Food Safety Program. This program emphasizes animal health, cleanliness and safety throughout each step of the production cycle, and follows strict biosecurity measures to protect animal health and prevent flock infections from outside sources. These mandatory rules govern chicken farms from coast to coast and include top-notch requirements for biosecurity, disease prevention, feed and water management and testing, along with requirements for record keeping to prove that farmers are adhering to the process. Supply management’s system allows Chicken Farmers of Canada’s provincial boards to make the On-Farm Food Safety Program mandatory in every province. And thanks to the regulatory authority provided through supply management, mandatory means just that – farmers must be certified on the program to sell chicken in Canada and there are enforcement measures in place to ensure compliance.

LET’S REVIEW THE FACTS:

• All farmers under supply management are subject to federal government regulations and policies that govern food safety,
• Supply management permits industries to have their own internal rigours food safety programs,
• 100% of Canadian chicken farmers are certified under the Raised by a Canadian Farmer On-Farm Food Safety Program
• The program has received full federal, provincial and and territorial government recognition,
• Thanks to supply management’s regulations, it allows Chicken Farmers of Canada’s provincial boards to make the On-Farm Food Safety Program mandatory and enforced in every province.

Supply management ensures that Canadians have access to safe, high-quality chicken.

Want us to bust some other supply management myths? Send us your questions via twitter using the hashtag #IHeartChickenFarmers – stay tuned to see if your myth gets busted!