The Canadian Quality Assurance (CQA) program for hog producers is
being updated to incorporate the animal welfare standards recently adopted
under the national Code of Practice.
The merger is due to be ready for pilot testing this summer.
Dickson Gould of the Canadian Pork Council said there will
be some additions to the Code of Practice to make the new Canadian Quality
Assurance even better for producers.
It is also being “streamlined,” he said, and will be
available to use electronically.
It's a voluntary program, but hog farmers who are not certified often find their markets restricted because most large-volume packers want only hogs from CQA-certified farms.
