Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
It is a sign of the times. The Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan (FACS) and the Saskatchewan Horse Federation have launched the first edition of their Awards of Distinction for Equine Welfare.
This is a program designed to recognize excellence in equine animal care and the first such partnership of its kind in Saskatchewan, according to Saskatchewan Horse Federation Executive Director Mae Smith.
“Horse owners today are extremely demanding in terms of the standards of welfare horse breeders and industry members in general adopt,” Smith says. “How they conduct themselves in their day-to-day activities matters. Therefore, it is important to recognize the contributions of people who do good work.
“The Saskatchewan Horse Federation is a founding member of the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan, and it made sense for us to partner with them in offering awards in four distinct categories of animal care,” adds Smith.
The first of these categories is the Equine Welfare Innovation Award of Distinction, which recognizes a person or company who has developed a new process, product or source of knowledge that has had a significant impact on the improvement of the welfare of horses in Saskatchewan. The recipient will also be saluted for efforts to work collectively with the horse industry to share the innovation.
The Equine Welfare Leadership Award of Distinction recognizes a person or syndicate, or another equine business owner, who integrates animal welfare into their core business strategy and has set their own bar higher for expectations regarding animal welfare. The recipient will have demonstrated leadership and commitment in dealing with issues relevant to animal care. The award will go to an active horse owner.
The Equine Welfare Communication Award of Distinction recognizes a person, organization or company who has taken an active role in effectively raising awareness of equine welfare issues among the general public and within the agri-food industry. It is generally acknowledged that factual and honest information leads to trust for the industry.
Lastly, the Equine Welfare Steward of the Future Award of Distinction will be handed out to a young person between the ages of 13 and 25 who has shown, through practices as a horse owner or collaboration with others, the importance of commitment to responsible equine care.
Adele Buettner is Executive Director of the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan.
“We are putting special emphasis on youth in the awards because they have the potential to lead the way in helping us establish best practices for the industry. All our members recognize that the society in which we live today has certain expectations that we need to take into consideration when we raise any kind of livestock. This is just one of the ways in which we can make a difference collectively as industry stakeholders.”
For more information, contact:
Mae Smith, Executive Director
Saskatchewan Horse Federation
(306) 780-9244
http://www.saskhorse.ca
Adele Buettner, Executive Director
Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan
(306) 249-3227
http://www.facs.sk.ca
It is a sign of the times. The Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan (FACS) and the Saskatchewan Horse Federation have launched the first edition of their Awards of Distinction for Equine Welfare.
This is a program designed to recognize excellence in equine animal care and the first such partnership of its kind in Saskatchewan, according to Saskatchewan Horse Federation Executive Director Mae Smith.
“Horse owners today are extremely demanding in terms of the standards of welfare horse breeders and industry members in general adopt,” Smith says. “How they conduct themselves in their day-to-day activities matters. Therefore, it is important to recognize the contributions of people who do good work.
“The Saskatchewan Horse Federation is a founding member of the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan, and it made sense for us to partner with them in offering awards in four distinct categories of animal care,” adds Smith.
The first of these categories is the Equine Welfare Innovation Award of Distinction, which recognizes a person or company who has developed a new process, product or source of knowledge that has had a significant impact on the improvement of the welfare of horses in Saskatchewan. The recipient will also be saluted for efforts to work collectively with the horse industry to share the innovation.
The Equine Welfare Leadership Award of Distinction recognizes a person or syndicate, or another equine business owner, who integrates animal welfare into their core business strategy and has set their own bar higher for expectations regarding animal welfare. The recipient will have demonstrated leadership and commitment in dealing with issues relevant to animal care. The award will go to an active horse owner.
The Equine Welfare Communication Award of Distinction recognizes a person, organization or company who has taken an active role in effectively raising awareness of equine welfare issues among the general public and within the agri-food industry. It is generally acknowledged that factual and honest information leads to trust for the industry.
Lastly, the Equine Welfare Steward of the Future Award of Distinction will be handed out to a young person between the ages of 13 and 25 who has shown, through practices as a horse owner or collaboration with others, the importance of commitment to responsible equine care.
Adele Buettner is Executive Director of the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan.
“We are putting special emphasis on youth in the awards because they have the potential to lead the way in helping us establish best practices for the industry. All our members recognize that the society in which we live today has certain expectations that we need to take into consideration when we raise any kind of livestock. This is just one of the ways in which we can make a difference collectively as industry stakeholders.”
For more information, contact:
Mae Smith, Executive Director
Saskatchewan Horse Federation
(306) 780-9244
http://www.saskhorse.ca
Adele Buettner, Executive Director
Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan
(306) 249-3227
http://www.facs.sk.ca
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