Equine Canada
Equine Canada is a member-based association that represents, promotes and services Canada's equine community and industry. Its core areas of activity involve sport, equine health and welfare, education and safety, governance and marketing, representation and communication. Equine Canada is recognized by Sport Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Coaching Association of Canada as the national organization representing equestrian sport and equine interests in Canada. For more information about Equine Canada, please visit www.equinecanada.ca.
Government of Canada Helps Improve Animal Care Practices
Ottawa, ON—Equine Canada is pleased to announce that the Code of Practice for Horses will now be updated. This follows the Government of Canada’s announcement, made at the University of Guelph on April 30, 2010, of its investment in the further development of best-practices for livestock handling.
“Taking care of the livestock is the first chore in the morning and the last chore at night because farmers know that healthy animals mean a healthy business,” said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “The Government of Canada is proud to partner with Canadian farmers to further develop best-practices that will strengthen our livestock industry.”
The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC), working with the secretariat support of the Canadian Animal Health Coalition (CAHC), will use this investment of up to $3.4 million to advance animal care and well-being in the farmed animal sector. This investment will help develop a new Codes of Practice for various farmed animal sectors and an on-farm assessment protocol.
As a member organization of both NFACC and CAHC, Equine Canada has been leading the effort since 2005 to update the 1998 Code of Practice for Horses. Equine Canada advocates the humane treatment of all horses, and believes that the equine industry and horse owners have a responsibility to provide humane care throughout the life of the horse.
“The equine sector of Canada is grateful to the Government of Canada for providing funding for Codes of Practice development and renewal,” said Dr. Mary Bell, co-chair of the Equine Canada Health & Welfare Committee. “Without exception, horses will benefit from the equine sector’s commitment to work together to update care and handling guidelines. The updated Code of Practice for Horses will provide an educational tool to assist in improving a horse’s quality of life from birth through death.”
The NFACC Code of Practice Development Process, finalized in 2009 by consensus from all member organizations of NFACC, will guide Canadian equine industry stakeholders through the process of Code renewal. The NFACC Code of Practice Development Process aims to
The Codes of Practice are nationally developed guidelines for the care and handling of the different species of farm animals. They are intended to promote sound management and welfare practices through recommendations and requirements for housing, management, transportation, processing and other animal husbandry practices. Requirements refer to either a regulatory requirement, or an industry-imposed expectation for minimum standard of care. Included are recommended best practices to encourage a higher level of care.
Codes of Practice serve multiple purposes including
“NFACC provides a vehicle for ensuring a national coordinated approach on farm animal care among all stakeholders across the entire value chain,” said Edouard Asnong, chair, NFACC. “NFACC appreciates the Federal Government’s support to address farm animal care issues that relate to its members, domestic and export markets, the Canadian and provincial governments and the Canadian public, utilizing science-based and collaborative processes.”
For more information about NFACC, visit www.nfacc.ca.
Funding for this project is being made available through the AgriFlexibility fund, a program delivered in Canada's Economic Action Plan (EAP). The EAP focuses on strengthening the economy and securing Canada’s economic future. For more information on the AgriFlexibility fund and Canada’s Economic Action Plan, please visit www.agr.gc.ca/agriflexibility and www.actionplan.gc.ca.
Hayes Co. Named as the Recipient of the 2009 Equine Canada / Just Add Horses Environment Award
Photo ID—Ainsley Hayes of Hayes Co. and Dean Leifso, chair of the Equine Canada awards committee Photo Credit—Normand HuberdeauOttawa, Ontario— Equine Canada proudly announces that the recipient of the 2009 Equine Canada / Just Add Horses Environment Award is Hayes Co.
The Equine Canada / Just Add Horses Environment Award recognizes a member of Equine Canada who practices and promotes outstanding and environmentally-friendly stewardship practices. With the inception of the Collingwood Horse Show in 1986, so began Hayes Co.
Comprised of the members of the Hayes show jumping family, Hayes Co. managed the Collingwood Horse Show in Collingwood, ON, for 21 years and currently organizes the National Capital Show Jumping Tournaments in Ottawa, ON, and the Ocala Jumping Classic in Ocala, FL.
At each of these shows Hayes Co. implements a strict recycling program for everything from cans and paper to manure. Arrangements are made in the respective communities to have recyclables picked up for processing, while in the case of the National Capital Classic, a local strawberry farmer was offered free delivery of the show’s accumulated manure for use in his farming initiative.
Hayes Co. also encourages participants and spectators at their shows to follow suit in these environmental practices, demonstrating that if it can be done at a large scale event such as theirs, that surely people can do this at home as well.
“We are very honoured to receive this award because we care about the environment, it is so easy to do and it is an essential way to preserve the land and the environment, which is so precious to us,” said Ainsley Hayes of Hayes Co. “Thank you to Equine Canada and Just Add Horses for recognizing the importance of the environment with this award. We hope that everyone in our equestrian community can continue to do their part.”
This award sees the partnership of Equine Canada and Alex Milne and Associates, the makers of Just Add Horses products, and recognizes a member of Equine Canada who practices and promotes outstanding and environmentally-friendly stewardship practices.
At the Equine Canada Annual Awards Gala, on Saturday February 6, 2010, in Montreal, QC, Ainsley Hayes of Hayes Co. was awarded the 2009 Equine Canada / Just Add Horses Environment Award.
January 8, 2010 Import Restrictions Announced for Horses from New Mexico Entering Canada
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