CALGARY, Alta. — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) met with Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC) recently to discuss changes in store for livestock haulers.

Gordon Doonan, CFIA senior staff veterinarian, stressed the changes will not impede humane livestock transporters.

CFIA deals with individuals who give industry a bad name. This is who the regulations are meant to address, he told AFAC, an organization that promotes the safe and humane transportation of animals.

Amendments will address loading density, feed/water/rest requirements and risk factors, Doonan said. He has appeared in past issues of Truck News and Truck West where he has appealed to the livestock trucking industry to get involved in the changes. Doonan stressed the changes are not a response to animal rights activists.

This is not the product of pressure from animal rights groups, he said. The impetus came from within CFIA originally. Later input was provided by researchers, veterinarians, industry and animal humane organizations. We recognize that any changes require careful consideration, but there is a sense of urgency, as certain sections do not appear to say what they were intended to achieve.

CFIA says it will publish proposed changes in the Gazette 1 by the fall at the earliest.