A new set of animal welfare guidelines for commercial waterfowl producers will guide producers and processors on welfare procedures, requirements, documentation and regulatory compliance.
The Duck Council
In 2017, U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) member companies producing or processing high-quality duck and goose products came together to form the Duck Council.
Representing 95% of all production in North America, the Duck Council guides duck and geese producers and processors to establish best practices for industry-related issues like food safety, animal welfare, environmental stewardship and biosecurity.
Duck Council members provide a unified voice to support the industry's interest concerning the regulatory environment. As needed, the Duck Council may sponsor general research or projects to support the expansion of duck and goose consumption and continued improvements in live production and processing technology.
"We are pleased to be members of the Duck Council, as it brings all the producers from North America together.” King Cole Duck CEO Debbi Conzelmann said, “This is a unique industry that has limited published research to rely on."
“The Duck Council gives us the opportunity to share best practices and develop guidelines that elevate our entire industry. The focus is on challenges and opportunities that span across the border, such as animal welfare and biosecurity."
New welfare guidelines
A committee of Duck Council members recently developed the North American Commercial Waterfowl Animal Welfare Guidelines for Ducks and Geese.
These guidelines are intended to be applied across a variety of production systems and scenarios within the industry. They are general in scope and allow for the expectation that individual council member companies will manage details differently, with various levels of procedures, requirements, documentation and regulatory compliance depending on several factors. They should not be considered as a complete animal well-being management tool or reference.
"We are very proud of the dedicated effort our industry members contributed to developing these waterfowl wellbeing guidelines,” said Dr. Dan Shafer, Chairman of the Duck Council Animal Care Guidelines Committee and Vice President of live production at Maple Leaf Farms Inc. “This document provides a foundation for Duck Council members to follow and train staff to ensure standardized practices are in place within the industry.
“The Duck Council, with the assistance of USPOULTRY and expert advisors, crafted these guidelines to be inclusive of the varied species and markets represented by our members. We believe this inclusiveness is key to these efforts and will provide a strong foundation to continue to build upon."
The North American Commercial Waterfowl Animal Welfare Guidelines for Ducks and Geese Guidelines will be reviewed periodically as governed by the Duck Council and will be updated as necessary by the Duck Council Animal Care Guidelines Committee. The guidelines will be an ever-evolving program and grow as the industry sees fit. USPOULTRY is proud to support these efforts and provide technical resources to this important segment of the poultry industry.
