What Chickens Eat What chickens are fed greatly affects their health, as well as the flavour and nutrition of the meat. Farmers are extremely aware of this and realize the importance of feeding their birds properly. The make-up and amount of feed given to chicken is very important throughout the different stages of their growth cycle. In fact,… Animal Care The Wheel of Chicken – Understanding Your Choices We strive to provide Canadian consumers with many choices for the type of chicken they buy, but at the grocery store, these choices can sometimes be overwhelming. Ever wondered the difference between free-range and free-run? In our infographic, The Wheel of Chicken, we unpack that all. Free-Range Free-range birds must have access to the outdoors.… What is “White Striping”? Recent articles have highlighted a concern in chickens known as “white striping”, in which white lines can be observed in chicken meat purchased fresh at the grocery counter. The research in question has been conducted with birds that grow much bigger than they do here in Canada. The data references birds processed at 59, 61,… The Journey from Gate to Plate Ever wonder how your chicken dinner gets to your plate? Surprisingly, most Canadians aren’t aware of the journey their food takes from the farm to their plates. Chicken Farmers of Canada believes it is important to know where your chicken comes from and how it gets to your local store.       Our story… What’s in a barn?   Heating, ventilation, humidity and other environmental levels are verified constantly using several monitors such as these to ensure that the birds are comfortable and stress-free. Feed and water lines are cleaned before the chicks are placed, and are monitored daily thereafter. While the feed the birds are given is optimized for their ages, the… Corporate Social Responsibility Chicken Farmers of Canada firmly believes that it is important to give back to our communities and support those that are less fortunate. We believe that every Canadian should have access to a healthy source of protein, and we believe that we can contribute to help make that happen. We have been proud partners and… Sustainability Our sustainability journey is a process of continual improvement. We have come a long way with the implementation of on-farm programs, with responsible antibiotic use, and with the growth in our industry which has contributed to the Canadian economy and helped support rural communities. But we’ll always have more work to do and we will… Dr. Shayan Sharif Dr. Sharif is a Professor at the University of Guelph, with a research focus on the chicken immune system. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1991 with distinction from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran. Sharif became interested in poultry immunogenetics through his DVM thesis on the immunological aspects of… Dr. Bogan Slominski Dr. Slominski is a Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry in the Department of Animal Science, University of Manitoba. Slominski began his studies in Poland, completing an M.Sc. in microbiology and a Ph.D. in biochemistry at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland before coming to Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1994. Slominski still collaborates with his former colleagues… Dr. John Prescott Dr. Prescott has been a professor at the University of Guelph for over 35 years and although he has recently retired, he is continuing to wrap up and finish the research projects he was working on. For the last 7-8 years he has focused on poultry and necrotic enteritis specifically. Prescott is a trained veterinary… Dr. Joshua Gong Dr. Gong is a Researcher Scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), based in Guelph. He has been in that role and working with poultry since 1999. Gong received his M.Sc. degree from the China Agricultural University and PhD degree in microbiology from the University of Guelph in 1994. The Canadian Poultry Research Council (CPRC)… Pathogen Reduction in Chicken Pathogen Reduction Initiative The Pathogen Reduction Initiative is a federal and provincial government initiative, led by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which was started in 2012 to conduct a baseline study on four key pathogens in meat (Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli, and Listeria). The studies on Salmonella and Campylobacter are designed to assess current pathogen… Responsible Antimicrobial Use Strategy Canada’s chicken farmers continue to evolve their production practices in response to consumer preferences, and they’re clear: Canadians want to know where their food comes from, how it’s raised, and what goes into it. Part of the curiosity surrounding what goes into one’s food is the question of medicine usage on the farm, or antibiotics,… Good for Canada When it comes to farm animals, chickens aren’t very big, but their impact on the Canadian economy is. With Canada’s chicken industry benefiting both urban and rural economies from coast to coast, it’s easy to see how chicken is a good choice for Canada. A driving force in the Canadian economy, the chicken sector’s 2,877… Duties Relief Program The Duties Relief Program (DRP) administered by the Canada Border Services Agency was not designed for agriculture goods. It does not provide adequate safeguards to address the potential for diversion into the domestic market that is presented when chicken is imported into Canada for further processing and subsequent re-export. The program duplicates Global Affairs Canada’s… Government Relations What is it? Government relations (GR) facilitates the education and exchange of information, experience and ideas between farmers and staff with key decision makers on Parliament Hill, and respective provincial governments. In engaging in this type of relationship building, we seek to influence and improve government policies, build relationships, and promote the chicken sector in… On Farm Food Safety   The Raised by a Canadian Farmer Animal Care and On-Farm Food Safety programs are concrete, accountable means of demonstrating the pride and commitment of farmers in raising the quality chicken Canadians can trust. How this is done is summarized here. Our programs offer a national set of standards to ensure consistency from coast to coast.… Research Highlights To date, Canadian Poultry Research Council (CPRC) has co-funded over 60 research projects in addition to the 19 projects under the current cluster. Below are a few highlights of the research results thus far in the priority areas identified in the National Research Strategy. Economic Viability Rearing antibiotic free birds results in an increased risk… What is Supply Management? Providing a country with a stable supply of food is tough job for farmers all around the world. During bad weather or economic downturns, governments often have to provide their farmers with support programs and subsidies. Canada’s chicken farmers, however, are proud to do things differently. To organize the production of chicken in Canada and…