SFPFC's Mission, Vision, & Principles

SFPFC's Mission, Vision, & Principles, Version 7 (Adobe Acrobat pdf Document)

Mission

 The Small Flock Poultry Farmers of Canada ("SFPFC") is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to communicate, discuss, and advocate for the civil rights and important role that small flock poultry farmers can play (and should play) in Canadian Society.

Vision             Rev. 1     2014/03/15
Our Vision is for small flock poultry farmers to be respected, valuable, and effective producers of safe, nutritious, and affordable poultry meat, eggs, and related products for their local communities; with minimal regulatory restrictions.


Principles                                  Rev. 6   2014/01/01

We, the Small Flock Poultry Farmers of Canada, believe and support the following principles:

1. Serving the greater good of the public is paramount.
   
   
2. All livestock shall be treated with care, dignity, and respect at all times (ie. before, during, and after the harvesting of the animal).  The owner of livestock shall develop a reasonable plan for ensuring animal welfare for the entire lifecycle of the animals.  This plan will include the “Freedom Five” (see Farm Animal Welfare Council "FAWC") as far as can be reasonably achieved, and shall consider international/national/industry guidelines and best practices.  The owner of livestock shall ensure their animal welfare plan is implemented in an effective and consistent manner, periodically assess the suitability and effectiveness of their plan, and continuously improve their plan and its implementation.
   
   
3. If we discover or reasonably suspect significant violations of animal welfare responsibilities, we have a duty to immediately rectify the situation and prevent its re-occurrence; or bring it to the attention of those immediately responsible, or those authorities who can protect the animal(s).
   
   
4. We believe in fulfilling our duties to all our stakeholders through open and honest communications, competency, and predictability.
   
   
5. Canadians want and deserve the best quality food (ie. safe, nutritious, accessible, affordable, etc.).
   
   
6. Canada as a whole, and each local region within Canada, must continuously work towards sustainable and self-sufficient food production and distribution.
   
   
7. If it wasn't for farmers, rich people would only have money to eat.
   
   
8. All farmers, like all other people, need to be respected and appreciated for the work they do.
   
   
9. Skillful, prudent, and hard working farmers must be able to earn reasonable financial gains from farming.
   
10. All farmers shall plan and reasonably ensure that all raw materials, on- and off-farm processes, products, by-products, wastes, and emissions are done in a lawful, moral, reasonable, sustainable, and socially acceptable manner for the entire life cycle of the materials and/or processes involved.
    
    
11. Incompetent, reckless, or lazy farmers must learn and improve, or stay out of the way, or find a different career.
    
    
12. If Supply Management ("SM") is the most effective means to serve the public, then we believe in and support SM.
    
    
13. If SM isn't today, but could become the most effective means to serve the public, and SM is willing and able to make the necessary changes in a timely and effective manner, then we believe in and support SM as long as those necessary changes are proceeding as planned.
    
    
14. The SM system, like all other systems, must continuously improve as rapidly and effectively as possible.
    
    
15. The SM system, like all other systems, must serve the public (ie. deliver the best quality food for a fair price, minimize risks, maximize both trust and reliability).
    
    
16. Unlike the over-riding priority for maximum profit sought by quota-based or industrialized poultry farming, small flock farming is also about participation in the circle of life;   an expression of life and participation in it;   a statement to the industrialized farms and society as a whole that we reject the principles behind industrialized farms;  a spiritual practice that transcends the acts themselves;   a system of education for self, family, and community;   and is part of a higher purpose.
    
    
17. The rights of individuals are more important than the rights of groups.
    
    
18. The rights of all citizens are more important than the rights of organizations.
    
    
19. While recognizing and protecting the rights of minorities, the majority shall lead towards the greatest good for all, and never take more than their fair share of the benefits.
    
    
20. The role of government is to set reasonable standards and monitor performance; then protect, co-ordinate, facilitate, and assist its citizens where needed; otherwise stay out of their way.