Representation
 

Representation is more than showing up — it’s how the Canadian Sheep Federation turns our Strategic Plan into tangible results for Canadian sheep farmers. Every committee we sit on, every working group we chair, and every board we influence is another way we protect producer interests, shape policy, and strengthen the future of the industry.

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Our participation ensures that the needs of sheep farmers are heard, respected, and built into the frameworks that govern animal health, trade, traceability, welfare, and market access. These roles aren’t symbolic — they directly impact how farms operate, the markets they sell into, and the policies that support their long-term success.

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Strengthen National Leadership

National leadership means farmers have a direct line into the decision-making rooms that set the course for our industry. These positions let us shape policy before it becomes regulation, making sure it works for producers on the ground. It’s how we defend market access, influence disease-preparedness plans, and ensure sheep farming is represented alongside other major livestock sectors.

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Key commitments:

• FAD Emergency Management Board (EMB) – Keeps sheep front-of-mind in Canada’s national foreign animal disease response planning.

• National Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) Leadership Group and FMD Vaccine Strategy Working Group – Direct influence over Canada’s prevention and outbreak response playbook for one of the most serious livestock diseases.

• Animal Protein Table (Technology, Regulations, Supply Chain Resiliency WGs) – Ensures cross-sector policies and strategies don’t overlook sheep production.

• Market Access Secretariat and free trade consultations – Protects export opportunities and prevents trade barriers that could shrink domestic markets.

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Enhance Industry Sustainability

Sustainability isn’t just about the environment — it’s about keeping farms viable in the face of disease threats, shifting markets, and climate change. Our presence in these groups lets us push for practical solutions to real farm-level challenges, whether that’s access to veterinary drugs, science-based disease monitoring, or strategies for adapting to new risks.

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Key commitments:

• CAHSS Surveillance Networks – Ensures sheep are included in national disease monitoring for AMU/AMR, small ruminant health, and vector-borne diseases.

• Access to Veterinary Drugs Working Group – Tackles the availability of essential medicines so farmers aren’t left without treatment options.

• Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council – Helps shape programs to address labour shortages and workforce needs in sheep production.

• Global Sheep Producers Forum & Next Generation Working Group – Strengthens international collaboration and brings innovation back to Canadian farms.

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Promote Transparency and Communication

Transparent communication builds trust and ensures that when policies change or disease threats emerge, farmers aren’t caught off-guard. Our involvement here means the CSF is a two-way bridge — we take producer concerns into national discussions and bring back timely, accurate information you can act on.

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Key commitments:

• Canadian Sheep Identification Program (CSIP) Leadership – As the Responsible Administrator, we set national ID and traceability standards that work for sheep farmers, balancing regulatory needs with on-farm practicality.

• National Identification Management Advisory Committee (NIDMAC) – Influences tag approval, quality, and standards so identification tools meet real-world farm needs.

• Regulatory Implementation Committee (Traceability) – Ensures new rules are workable for producers and rolled out with clear guidance.

• Canadian Livestock Market Information Advisory Committee – Pushes for fair, accurate market reporting that supports informed selling decisions.

• Food Sector Network & Food Advisory Committee – Makes sure sheep are part of national food-system risk planning and innovation efforts.

 

Support Producer Success

Standards, assurance programs, and animal welfare codes can open market doors — or close them. Our work in these groups ensures that requirements are grounded in practical sheep-farming realities and that they position Canadian producers as high-quality, responsible suppliers without adding unnecessary red tape.

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Key commitments:

• Canadian Verified Sheep Program (CVSP) Oversight – Maintains an assurance program that helps you prove quality, safety, and welfare to buyers.

• National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) – Shapes Codes of Practice so they reflect both science and practical sheep husbandry.

• Animal Health Canada (Membership & Finance Committee) – Ensures sheep priorities are funded and represented in national animal health governance.

• Community for Emerging Zoonotic Diseases (CEZD) – Keeps us plugged into early warning systems for new disease threats that could impact flocks and markets.

• CgFARAD Advisory Board – Influences withdrawal guidelines so veterinary treatment options remain viable without jeopardizing food safety.

 

Representation is how we turn our Strategic Plan into results you can see on the farm.
Every role we hold serves a purpose: stronger markets, better disease readiness, fairer regulations, and a more resilient industry for Canadian sheep producers.