Committees updating Canada’s Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs have identified five priority welfare issues that will guide the next phase of work on the Pig Code. The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) confirmed those priorities in its December 2025 Information Update, outlining progress on the review and the steps ahead.
Jackie Wepruk, division director with NFACC, said members of both the Pig Code Committee and the Scientific Committee met in person for the first time over two days in Ottawa in late October. All committee members attended. The meeting focused on establishing a common foundation, reviewing the Code development process, and agreeing on the most important pig welfare topics to examine using current science.
Wepruk said the committees agreed on what NFACC defines as priority welfare issues. These issues usually include four to six topics that both committees consider important for pig welfare and where peer-reviewed scientific reviews can inform decisions. She said the objective remains clear: ensure the Code Committee has the most current and credible science available when considering updates to requirements and recommended practices.
The five identified priority welfare issues include enrichment strategies with an emphasis on practical application, housing related to functional space in both quality and quantity, pain control with detailed attention to specific procedures, lameness, and euthanasia methods. These topics now move into the scientific review phase, where experts will collect and assess the latest research to support committee discussions.
Wepruk said the committees will now review the existing Pig Code to identify areas that need improvement and work toward consensus on proposed changes. Once the committees reach agreement, NFACC will release a draft Code for public comment. NFACC has set March 2028 as the target date for releasing the updated Pig Code.
Canada’s current Pig Code came into effect in 2014 and has guided on-farm pig care for more than a decade. Wepruk said the Pig Code, like all 14 Codes developed through NFACC, provides national guidance on animal care requirements and recommended practices. While the Codes do not function as regulations on their own, most provinces reference them within animal protection legislation, giving them significant influence on farm practices.
The Pig Code applies to on-farm care and focuses on those responsible for pigs on a daily basis. It covers housing and handling facilities, feed and water, health management, husbandry practices, care of young and cull animals, emergency preparedness, pre-transport considerations, and euthanasia.
The update process began after the Canadian Pork Council submitted a formal letter of intent to NFACC last year, confirming its commitment to updating the Code through NFACC’s process. NFACC then secured funding to initiate the review. Wepruk said NFACC aims to complete most Code updates within two to two-and-a-half years, although the need for consensus among diverse stakeholders can extend timelines.
The Pig Code Committee represents a broad range of interests. It includes five producer representatives, two retail or food-service representatives, one processor, one transporter, one veterinarian, one animal welfare advocacy representative, the chair of the Scientific Committee, two federal government representatives, two provincial government representatives, and a technical expert who is a swine veterinarian. The Scientific Committee also attended the October meeting in full.
Early public input also shaped the process. NFACC conducted a top-of-mind survey last spring to gather initial feedback on pig welfare issues. The survey invited anyone interested in pig welfare to share what first came to mind when thinking about pig care. Participants came primarily from Canada, with additional responses from the United States, Europe, Australia, and Singapore. British Columbia recorded the highest response rate, followed by Ontario and Alberta.
Survey responses highlighted five recurring welfare themes: gestation stalls and farrowing crates, painful procedures and pain management, euthanasia methods, enrichment, and general living conditions. Wepruk said those themes closely align with the priority welfare issues now under scientific review.
Next steps include continued committee meetings, scientific analysis, and further review of the existing Code. Once consensus forms around proposed changes, NFACC will release a draft Pig Code for public comment, marking a major milestone in the update process. •
— By Harry Siemens