Food Safety Magazine, February/March 2009

dling and animal welfare is the aspect of consumer perception. Consumers need to be educated regarding animal needs versus “anthropomorphic” expectations of animal comfort. Many organizations, such as the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the National Pork Board and the National Chicken Council, work to educate United States consumers regarding modern agricultural production. In Canada, the major agricultural provinces have established proactive, nonprofit organizations designed to provide an educational link between the industry, producers and consumers. Established in 1992, the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan Inc. (FACS) is the first industry-supported, member-ship-based, nonprofit, provincial organization established to collectively represent the livestock and poultry industries regarding animal care issues. Our industry needs to become more proactive and transparent, sharing success stories among constituents, colleagues and consumers.

Erika L. Voogd, M.S., is president of Voogd Consulting, Inc., West Chicago, IL. She is currently working as an independent consultant specializing in global assistance to the meat industry. Her expertise includes animal welfare, food safety, HACCP, quality assurance, sanitation and USDA regulatory compliance. She received a Master’s degree in Meat Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the University of Illinois.

REFERENCES

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6. Almeida Paz, I. C. L., et al. 2008. Study on the bone mineral density of broilers suffering femoral joint degenerative lesions. Rev. Bras. Cienc. Avic. 10:103-108.