Page 39 - MENU May June 2017

ALMANAC
ADVOCACY
Raising voices on the
subject of animal welfare
The Froese Family of Manitoba
Earlier this year, Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) responded publicly and emphatically on the issue of animal welfare. As a principal Canadian organization in animal commodities, after being targeted by activists with distressing and fallacy-driven campaigns by organizations promoting veganism, CFC
is ghting back by advocating on behalf of all industry members who buy, sell and serve Canadian chicken.
“Usually we stay quiet when issues are up...but things have gotten to the point where everyone from restaurant owners, to retailers and processors, is fed up that some- one else is calling the shots for an industry already doing the right thing,” says Lisa Bishop-Spencer of CFC.
Steve Leech is the program manager of food safety, animal care and research at CFC. Leech says that CFC has
prioritized taking a leading role in Canada on animal care. Restaurateurs, retailers and sta at major chains across the country—these are the people on the frontlines being met with questions from consumers about food items being served. They need to be armed with facts, and to be able to feel good about the Canadian chicken they are serving.
THE REALITY Activist campaigns are propelled by dis- turbing images, videos and fallacies meant to shock and awe, and to stop the consumption of meat in general.
FARMERS HAVE VALUES. FARMERS ARE PEOPLE TOO
CFC showed some of the circulated footage to their di- rectors and their farmers. Their reactions were emotional and palpable. Farmers were hurt, o ended and angry. “They were horri ed watching the videos, in particular
CONTINUED ON PAGE 40
BY STACEY NEWMAN
MAY / JUNE 2017 MENU 39
Photo courtesy of Chicken Farmers of Canada