Message from the National Farm Animal Care Council:
Thank you for your interest in the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle Public Comment Period. The draft Code will be available for review and comment according to the following schedule:
- Public comment period launch date: 13 April 2026
- Closing date for comments: 12 June 2026
- Status: Open for review and consultation
The draft Code was developed by a multi-stakeholder committee following the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) Code development process. This is your chance to let us know what you like about the draft Code, what you think can be improved, and if there's anything that's missing.
The peer-reviewed Scientific Committee Report is also available. This report provides a review of research on priority welfare issues that were identified as part of this Code development process. The Code Committee uses the report to inform their discussions and decision-making.
More information on Codes and the development process is available at www.nfacc.ca/codes-of-practice.
TIPS FOR PROVIDING FEEDBACK
After several months of deliberations by the Code Committee, the public comment period provides an opportunity for the committee to check its work more broadly.
- Be constructive. Criticism is welcome and valid. But it is more powerful when it comes with suggestions for improvement and, whenever possible, a rationale or alternate wording.
- Tell your story. Committee members are interested in what the Code means to real people in the real world (your personal viewpoint on how the proposed changes will affect you, either positively or negatively).
- Quality and quantity. Multiple submissions with the same copy and pasted comments can convey a particular stakeholder viewpoint and will be noted by the Code Committee. However, your own unique insights can be particularly helpful to the committee. Everyone involved in the Code process has the goal of continual improvement in farm animal welfare. What are your viewpoints that can support that goal?
- Where possible, identify the text to which your comment pertains (e.g. for recommended practice A, suggestion to change….). You can also copy and paste the relevant Code content as part of your comment.
Everyone involved in the Code process has the goal of continual improvement in farm animal welfare. What are your viewpoints that can support that goal?
If you have questions about the Public Comment Period, please contact us at the National Farm Animal Care Council, codes@nfacc.ca.
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