Deadline looms for members of Ontario's chicken industry to make digital conversion

Saturday, September 27, 2014

by SUSAN MANN

Ontario chicken farmers, transporters and processors have until Sept. 30 to have an email address in place for business purposes as part of Chicken Farmers of Ontario’s continuing transition to a digital communications system.

But that’s not going to be a problem for most farmers. Already about 90 per cent of the more than 1,000 chicken farmers in the province are “communicating with us by email,” says Michael Edmonds, Chicken Farmers communications and government relations director.

“It’s a fairly sophisticated industry with lots of production forms and information passed back and forth” by digital means already, he explains. “I would say our farmers are for the most part very well prepared to make the transition.” Processors and transporters will also not have any problems complying with the regulation.

The need for all industry members to have an email address is part of Chicken Farmers electronic and transactions regulation. The regulation is part of the organization’s efforts to shift its communication and transaction processes to a digital operating system. The project is called CFO Connects.

Farmers without the ability to comply with the electronic aspects of the regulation must apply to the board for permission to use an alternative communication method, according to the notice on the Chicken Farmers website. The board makes a decision on all applications.

Edmonds says for those farmers who need additional help to make the transition, staff members are available to assist them.

For farmers who don’t comply with the regulation, Chicken Farmers has the option of imposing a series of penalties up to and including declining to allot quota to the farmer.

For transporters or processors who don’t adhere to the regulation, Chicken Farmers may suspend their license. BF