Producer Input Is Essential: Have Your Say on the Draft Sheep Code of Practice
The public comment period for the draft Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Sheep closes on October 9, 2026. Saskatchewan sheep producers should take this opportunity seriously and submit feedback before the deadline.
The final Code will establish national requirements and recommended practices for sheep care. It must support strong animal-welfare outcomes while remaining practical for the wide range of Canadian production systems.
Several proposed changes could have significant implications for Saskatchewan producers. These include daily monitoring requirements, written farm plans and documentation, personnel-training expectations, pain-control protocols for castration and tail docking, and euthanasia planning. As producers, you are strongly encouraged to submit feedback on how these proposals would affect real farm conditions.
Please take the time to review the proposed changes and submit constructive feedback, identifying where a proposed change may be impractical, costly, unclear or difficult to apply. Recommendation of alternative wording is also welcome.
Effective comments should be specific, be sure to explain:
- Which proposed requirement is of concern.
- How it would affect your operation.
- Why it may be difficult to implement.
- What alternative approach or wording do you recommend.
This is our opportunity as an industry to influence the Code before it is finalized. After the consultation closes, the Code Committee will review the comments and use them to help shape the final Code, which is expected to be released in 2027.
Please review the Detailed Comparison prepared by the Canadian Sheep Federation and the complete draft Sheep Code of Practice, then submit your comments through NFACC’s online feedback system.
Your experience matters. A practical and effective Code depends on producers taking the time to participate.
Deadline for feedback: October 9, 2026.