National Farm Animal Care Association
What do they do?
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Use a “collective decision-making model” to advance farm animal welfare.
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Stakeholders included in Code of Practice committees: Academics, Animal Welfare Advocates, Farmers, Government, Industry Professionals (e.g. Veterinarians, Processors), Retail Costumers (e.g. Retail Council of Canada, Restaurants Canada), other Farm Organizations (e.g. Egg Farmers of Canada)
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Created the 2017 “Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pullets and Laying Hens”
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Built around a foundation of:
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Independent scientific literature review by a committee of experts
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Stakeholder input
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Practical considerations when caring for hens
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Includes Requirements (enforceable by federal and provincial regulation) and Recommended Practices (encouraged for continual improved of welfare outcomes)
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Stance
NFACC created the “Code of Practice for Laying Hens” with the intention of improving standards for welfare in the egg industry for all hens, no matter their housing type. The Scientific Review was used to guide the creation of the Code of Practice by illustrating weaknesses and strengths of each alternative housing system type.
To keep the Code of Practice up to date with recent research and management findings, it is reviewed every five years and updated every ten years. So far, this process has resulted in a five year review being completed in 2022, and amendments initiated in 2023 and completed in 2025.
According to the Code of Practice
“While increasing space and allowing for more natural behaviour, alternative housing may not result in the desired welfare improvements if the housing is not properly constructed, maintained, and managed.”
Cage-free systems provide greater freedom of movement and have more opportunity to engage in natural behaviours. The welfare cost is that these systems need to be carefully managed to limit risks of disease, injuries, injurious pecking, and mortality.
Caged systems provide easier hygiene management and, with good practices, health problems and mortality can be more easily mitigated. The welfare cost is that these systems do not fully support natural behaviours like foraging and dustbathing.
Going forward, “the industry is committed to supporting research so that hens in all housing systems are provided with opportunities to express natural behaviour, and health and mortality risks are minimized.”