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Frequently Asked Questions
 Avian
Influenza Frequently Asked Questions:
What
are the rules, regulations and guidelines put in place to ensure the top
quality of Canadian eggs and poultry products?
- The Government of Canada has an organization called the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency (CFIA), whose role is to enforce the food safety and
nutritional quality standards established by Health Canada and, for
animal health and plant protection, to set standards and carry out enforcement
and inspection.
The mandate of the CFIA is vast and complex. Activities range from the
inspection of federally registered meat processing facilities to border
inspections for foreign pests and diseases, to the enforcement of practices
related to fraudulent labelling. The CFIA also verifies the humane transportation
of animals, conducts food investigations and recalls, and performs laboratory
testing and environmental assessments of seeds, plants, feeds and fertilizers.
In a nutshell, the CFIA is Canada's federal food safety, animal health
and plant protection enforcement agency.
For more information on the CFIA's programs, visit its Website: www.inspection.gc.ca.
Do
on-farm food safety standards exist?
- Yes. The Canadian On-Farm Food Safety Program (COFFSP) is specific
to each production and is directed by producers. It is a science-based,
credible program consistent with the Hazard Analysis Critical Control
Point (HACCP) standards. This program is recognized in Canada and abroad,
and is managed by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.
For further information on this program, visit the following four links
to poultry organizations:
What
does supply management (quotas) mean?
- Supply management is a marketing system where producers control the
production (supply) of a particular commodity (product). The basic idea
behind supply management is to make sure domestic demand is met, while
ensuring a reasonable return for producers and stable prices for consumers.
Through a federal-provincial-territorial agreement, national marketing
agencies and provincial or territorial commodity boards jointly exercise
the authority to determine the amount of commodity that may be produced.
There are four poultry and egg marketing agencies in Canada: the Canadian
Egg Marketing Agency, which was established in 1972, the Canadian Turkey
Marketing Agency, established in 1974, the Chicken Farmers of Canada,
established in 1978, and the Canadian Broiler Hatching Egg Marketing
Agency, established in 1986.
Where
can I find information on the importation of poultry meat and eggs from
Canada?
- There are different sources depending on the type of information you
are looking for. Usually, the Websites provided below answer most organizations'
questions about importing Canadian eggs and poultry products.
The Website of the Agri-Food Trade Service of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada, http://atn-riae.agr.ca/,
contains a wealth of information on suppliers, products and Canadian
Trade Commissioners and provides a link to the International Business
Opportunities Centre.
Also of considerable interest are the Websites of the Canadian Poultry
and Egg Processors Council (CPEPC)
at http://www.cpepc.ca/home.asp
and the Further Poultry Processors Association of Canada (FPPAC)
at http://www3.sympatico.ca/fppac/.
I
am a foreign investor and would like to establish a poultry processing
plant in Canada. Where can I find the necessary information for establishing
such a business?
- Interested in investing in Canada’s agri-food sector? Visit
the Website of the Investment Secretariat of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada, where you will find the Department’s regional and international
trade specialists. It is the primary contact point for information,
services and programs related to international investments and strategic
alliances in Canada’s agriculture industries. http://atn-riae.agr.ca/invest/home-e.htm
I
would like to have the list of Canadian chicken, turkey and egg producers.
Is such a list available from your department?
- Lists of the names and addresses of individual producers are not available
from the department. Although individual producers' names are usually
confidential, we suggest that you contact the appropriate marketing
board or producer association to inquire about a list. If a list is
not available, you could inquire about advertising in a publication
that targets the producer group. For example, the organization may have
a magazine or newsletter for members. A list of marketing boards is
available on our site.
Where
can I find information on starting a poultry business?
- Your provincial chicken, shell egg, hatching egg, and turkey marketing
agency should be able to help you. On our Website, you will find links
for Canadian chicken, turkey, shell and hatching egg agencies. http://www.agr.gc.ca/poultry/assocpro_e.htm
For more information on the financial aspect of starting a business,
please contact your nearest Farm Credit Canada (FCC)
office or call 1-888-332-3301. The FCC's
Website is: http://www.fcc-sca.ca/.
Could
you explain to me why hens lay different coloured eggs? Does the breed
of the hen or what the hen eats have an effect on the colour of the shell?
- Egg shell colour can vary, but it has nothing to do with the quality,
flavour, nutritive value, cooking characteristics or shell thickness
of an egg. The colour of the egg shells depends upon the breed of the
hen. In Canada, white-shell eggs come from Leghorn hens while brown-shell
eggs are produced by Rhode Island Red breed hens. Rhode Island Red hens
are slightly larger birds and require more food. Additional food costs
and a smaller supply tend to make brown eggs more expensive than white
eggs.
How
many days does it take for the chick to emerge from the egg?
- Broiler hatching eggs are fertile and sent to hatcheries where they
hatch 21 days later into broiler chicks. These chicks are then sent
to chicken producers who raise them into chickens for human consumption.
If you have any questions with regard to information on this site,
please contact the
Poultry Section
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