More Flocking Options – 2017 Artisanal Chicken Applications open in June
Posted: June 1, 2016
Categories: GoodFoodBites / News from Sustain Ontario
Applications for the 2017 Artisanal Chicken Program will open in June 2016. The Chicken Farmers of Ontario (CFO) introduced the program in July of 2015 to increase chicken quota options for farmers.
Sustain Ontario wants to hear experiences from farmers who have applied, please see the survey below!
It’s been almost a year since Sustain Ontario announced the Flocking Options Campaign’s success in securing more flocking options in Ontario’s chicken quota system. Sustain’s initiative arose out of a campaign launched by The Practical Farmers of Ontario (PFO) in 2012 asking for change in the supply managed system of chickens in Ontario. In July 2015, the Chicken Farmers of Ontario (CFO) introduced the Artisanal Chicken Program. According to the Chicken Farmers of Ontario 80 local farmers have been approved for the program , with an average of 1,800 chickens per farmer.
Graphic from http://cfoprograms.ontariochicken.ca/About/Artisanal-Chicken-Production-Stats.aspx
Flocking Options help small and mid-scale farmers!
Prior to the development of this program, farmers had to choose between buying quota at $1.75 million for the right to produce a minimum of about 90,000 birds a year, or buy no quota and produce a maximum of 300 birds a year and only sell at their farm gate. According to research by Sustain Ontario, all other provinces had exemption levels much higher than the 300 bird exemption here in Ontario. The 300 bird exemption limit was not viable for many farmers who run small or mid-scale farms who didn’t have money to invest in quota. Some farmers wanted to run diversified businesses and didn’t want to produce so many chickens. Others wanted to benefit from raising more than 300 chickens a year and selling at locations other than their farm gate. The Ontarian restriction also didn’t represent the market demand for large roasters or other specialty birds.
Under the new Artisanal Chicken program, non-quota holding farmers who wish to grow between 600 and 3000 chickens each year can now partner with independent processors to provide Artisanal Chicken for select identified markets. Therefore, not only has the exemption limit increased under this program to allow more diversified producers to raise and sell chickens, but some farmers can now access new markets for their products and finding processors for their meat. Consumers now also have a greater choice in accessing locally grown, free-range, organic, and/or pastured chicken.
Sustain Ontario wants to hear from you! We are looking to hear about your experiences in applying for the program to share this knowledge with other farmers! Please take a minute to fill out the form below.
Stay tuned with Sustain Ontario as we explore the process of this program and share farmers experiences!