Chicken Farmers of Canada

What Chicken Farmers of Canada does

Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) is the national industry association that governs chicken production and marketing in Canada, representing approximately 2,877 chicken farmers (over 90% family-owned) across all 10 provinces through affiliated provincial marketing boards. Headquartered in Ottawa, the organization operates within Canada's federally-backed supply management system, coordinating production planning, import control, and producer pricing between farmers, 185 processors, further processors, and the restaurant trade on an eight-week allocation cycle. CFC itself does not produce or sell chicken; it functions as a non-profit national coordinator funded through producer levies with a small professional staff organized across Trade and Policy, Finance, Human Resources, Brand Marketing, Public Affairs and Communications, Food Safety and Animal Health, Animal Care and Sustainability, and Market Information and Systems.

CFC's core offering is a suite of interconnected mandatory national programs delivered under the 'Raised by a Canadian Farmer' certification mark. The On-Farm Food Safety Program (OFFSP) covers biosecurity, feed and water management, cleaning, flock monitoring, and records and was the first commodity program in Canada to achieve full government recognition from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The Animal Care Program, launched in 2009 on all 2,800+ farms, codifies 80 mandatory and 9 highly recommended elements drawn from the National Farm Animal Care Council Code of Practice. The Responsible Antimicrobial Use Strategy eliminates preventive use of Category I and II antibiotics important to human medicine, with mandatory flock-level reporting monitored by CFIA. These programs are mandatory for all Canadian chicken farmers and are subject to annual third-party audit, with the Animal Care Program achieving 100% farm certification.

Beyond compliance programs, CFC operates a Farmer Resource Portal, funds an annual research portfolio through the Canadian Poultry Research Council and direct grants to universities (Dalhousie, McGill, Guelph, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montreal, PEI, and industrial partners such as Cytophage and VaxAlta), and runs a multi-channel consumer and government-relations program including the #IHeartChickenFarmers campaign, the Inside Coop podcast, the Meet Your Farmers platform, a flagship nutritional sponsorship with Swimming Canada, an annual Ottawa Food Bank donation program, and an ongoing federal Lobby Day on Parliament Hill. The organization also maintains a stable governance structure built around a 15-member Board appointed by provincial marketing boards and a cross-Canada bilingual operation (English and French), with a current 2026-2028 Strategic Plan orienting activity around consumer trust, sustainable growth, and preservation of the supply management system.

Name

Chicken Farmers of Canada

Legal name

Chicken Farmers of Canada

Website

https://chickenfarmers.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Chicken Farmers of Canada is the national non-profit association, headquartered in Ottawa, that governs Canada's supply-managed chicken industry by coordinating production, import control, and pricing for 2,877 chicken farmers and 185 processors across all 10 provinces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Industry Association / Poultry Supply Management

NAICS

Broilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production (11232), Poultry and Egg Production (1123)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Broiler Chicken Production (Meat Birds) (AFAEADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Poultry Export & Specialty Certification Processing (Halal/Kosher, Organic, Antibiotic-Free, Traceability Programs) (AFANACAL)

Keywords

• Supply management
• Poultry production
• Agricultural marketing
• Food safety programs
• Animal care standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Supply Management System: Chicken Farmers of Canada operates under a supply management system where the organization coordinates production planning, import control, and producer pricing to ensure farmers produce the right amount of chicken to meet Canadian demand. Revenue flows through quota allocation and producer levies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Chicken Farmers of Canada administers the national supply management system for chicken, coordinating production between 2,800+ farmers, 185 processors, and the restaurant trade every eight weeks to match Canadian demand. The organization delivers mandatory national programs under the Raised by a Canadian Farmer brand, including the On-Farm Food Safety Program (OFFSP), the Animal Care Program, and the Responsible Antimicrobial Use Strategy, which collectively hold full government recognition from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Revenue flows through producer levies and quota allocations under the federally-regulated three-pillar system.

Product overview

Chicken Farmers of Canada is a national agricultural organization representing approximately 2,800 chicken farmers across Canada. The organization's core offering is not a single product but a suite of interconnected programs under the 'Raised by a Canadian Farmer' brand. These include the On-Farm Food Safety Program (OFFSP) ensuring food safety from farm to table, the Animal Care Program maintaining high animal welfare standards, and the Responsible Antimicrobial Use Strategy managing antibiotic reduction. The organization also operates a Farmer Resource Portal providing educational content, invests annually in research through the Canadian Poultry Research Council, and administers Canada's supply management system for chicken production. All programs are mandatory for Canadian chicken farmers and subject to annual third-party audits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Raised by a Canadian Farmer: The brand certification program ensuring chicken is raised on Canadian farms with animal care and food safety standards.

Products and services

• Raised by a Canadian Farmer On-Farm Food Safety Program (OFFSP) A mandatory national on-farm food safety program emphasizing animal health, cleanliness, and safety across each step of the chicken production cycle, including biosecurity, feed and water management, cleaning and disinfecting, inputs, flock monitoring, and flock records. Fully recognized by federal, provincial, and territorial governments. For Canadian chicken farmers and supply chain stakeholders.
• Raised by a Canadian Farmer Animal Care Program A mandatory national animal care program implemented on all 2,800+ chicken farms in Canada, with 80 mandatory and 9 highly recommended elements covering feed, water, space, temperature, air quality, lighting, back-up systems, bedding, bird handling, health care practices, and record keeping. Based on the National Farm Animal Care Council Code of Practice. Achieves 100% farm certification rate.
• Responsible Antimicrobial Use (AMU) Strategy

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% farm certification rate for Animal Care Program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Canadian Poultry Research Council (CPRC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Chicken Farmers of Canada is a founding member of CPRC, established in 2001 to provide leadership in poultry research in Canada. CFC invests annually in research projects through CPRC and has committed significant funding to research addressing priority questions for the broiler sector. CPRC has coordinated $6 million in member commitments to 129 research projects with $34.8 million total raised from various sources.
• Swimming CanadaflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerChicken Farmers of Canada serves as the official nutritional sponsor of Swimming Canada, supporting Canadian athletes in their quest for Olympic success. The partnership promotes chicken as a nutritious protein source for athletic performance.
• Ottawa Food BankcoreOthersChicken Farmers of Canada has been a proud partner and supporter of the Ottawa Food Bank since 2007. The annual Chicken Challenge food donation program provides $50,000 worth of frozen chicken products to the food bank, totalling over $430,710 in contributions since the partnership began.
• National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNFACC is a world leader in developing Codes of Practice for farm animal care, bringing together stakeholders including farmers, scientists, veterinarians, animal welfare associations, processors, retailers, restaurants, transporters, and governments. CFC's Animal Care Program is based on NFACC's science-based Code of Practice.
• Animal Health CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicken Farmers of Canada participates in Animal Health Canada, working on coordinated approaches to animal health issues affecting the poultry sector.
• Canadian Federation of AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicken Farmers of Canada is represented at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, which represents agricultural producers across Canada on shared policy priorities.
• Provincial Chicken Marketing BoardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFC works with 10 provincial chicken marketing boards (BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrador, PEI) to coordinate national production planning, quota allocation, and policy implementation across Canada's chicken sector.
• Provincial and Federal GovernmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicken Farmers of Canada works closely with government partners at both provincial and federal levels, including the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), to maintain regulatory recognition of on-farm programs and ensure policy alignment.
• 4-H CanadaminorOthers4-H Canada has a Healthy Living Initiative with resources supporting the wellbeing of 24,000 4-H members. Chicken Farmers of Canada supports agricultural education and mental health awareness in farming communities through various partnerships.
• DoMoreAgminorOthersDoMoreAg champions mental wellbeing for Canadian agricultural producers. CFC provides resources and support for mental health initiatives in the farming community.
• Farm Credit CanadaminorOthersFarm Credit Canada supports agricultural entrepreneurs and shares knowledge and expertise with customers across Canada, including wellness resources for farmers.
• Canadian Red CrossminorOthersCFC supports Canadian Red Cross initiatives including psychological first aid training and wellness resources for agricultural communities.
• University of MontrealminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple research partnerships including M. Boulianne's work on organic acids for intestinal pathogen control ($60,000 CFC funding) and gut health control in antibiotic-reduced broiler flocks.
• VIDO, University of SaskatchewanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership on in ovo vaccination platform as an alternative to antibiotics to reduce harmful bacteria in poultry ($60,000 CFC funding from $300,000 project).
• Cytophage Technologies Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership on bacteriophage treatment for controlling Necrotic Enteritis in broiler chickens infected with Clostridium perfringens ($60,000 CFC funding from $156,825 project).
• Dalhousie UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Dr. Deborah Adewole as Industry Research Chair for Sustainable Antibiotic Reduction in Poultry Production, receiving approximately $1.8M in research dollars and publishing over 30 peer-reviewed articles.
• McGill UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with J. Ronholm on manipulating chicken gastrointestinal microbiome to resist avian pathogenic E. coli infections ($50,000 CFC funding from $648,370 project).
• University of GuelphminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership on application of Plasma Activated Water as a disinfectant solution for cleaning poultry houses ($60,000 CFC funding from $120,000 project).
• VaxAlta Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with C. Szymanski on oral vaccine targeting Campylobacter jejuni and Clostridium perfringens ($59,500 CFC funding from $119,500 project).
• University of AlbertaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with D. Stuart on development of biological pesticide for control of darkling beetles.
• University of Prince Edward IslandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with M. Ahmed on antimicrobials loaded diatoms to control darkling beetle population in farms.
• University of MontrealminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with P. Valdes Donoso on using artificial intelligence to predict and help reduce condemnations due to cellulitis in Canadian broiler farms.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Turkey Farmers of Canada: National commodity organization representing Canadian turkey farmers under a parallel supply management system. Directly comparable in governance, structure, mandate, and quota-based production model to CFC, just for turkey rather than chicken.
• Egg Farmers of Canada: National supply-managed commodity organization for Canadian egg farmers. Closest structural peer to CFC — same supply management architecture, federal-provincial board structure, on-farm programs (Start Clean Stay Clean), and brand marketing model.
• Canadian Hatching Egg Producers: National agency governing hatching egg production under supply management. Direct upstream input supplier to CFC's broiler farmers; identical governance framework with farmer-appointed provincial boards.
• Dairy Farmers of Canada: National supply-managed commodity organization for Canadian dairy farmers. Closest large-scale parallel of CFC's supply management model with a more developed national consumer brand (Blue Cow) and similar food safety/animal care program structure.
• Canadian Pork Council: National hog producer association in Canada. Operates without supply management but serves as the equivalent industry-wide representative body for Canadian pork producers, with comparable food safety and animal care program responsibilities.
• Canadian Cattle Association: National beef producer association in Canada. Analogous industry-wide representative body to CFC for the cattle sector, with similar provincial affiliate structure, policy advocacy, and on-farm program responsibilities.

Emerging players

• National Chicken Council (US): US trade association representing broiler producers, processors and allied companies. Closest international peer to CFC but operates without a comparable supply management system — making it a useful comparator for benchmarking how CFC might operate in a more market-driven environment.

Regional players

• British Poultry Council: UK trade association for the poultry meat sector. Comparable in role and mandate to CFC (representing producers, coordinating industry programs on antibiotic stewardship and welfare) but operates in a different regulatory and trade environment post-Brexit.
• Australian Chicken Meat Federation: Peak Australian poultry industry body. Comparable role to CFC in coordinating industry-wide standards and representing chicken meat producers, but operates outside Canada's supply management framework.

Others

• Canadian Federation of Agriculture: Umbrella organization representing Canadian agricultural producers at the national policy level. CFC is an active member; CFA provides an upstream policy platform and cross-commodity advocacy analogous to the broader ecosystem CFC operates within.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theinsidecoop
• Facebookfacebook.com/chickenfarmers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chicken Farmers of Canada