More people are getting to eat farm fresh chicken than ever before thanks to a program launched by the Chicken Farmers of Ontario.
The Artisanal Chicken Program allows small farmers to raise up to 3,000 chickens on their farm and able to sell them at farmer’s markets, restaurants and local retailers.
Three Forks Farms, based out of Warren and run by Éric Blondin and Peggy Baillie , is now one of the handful of farmers of across the North East that is selling local chicken at farmer’s markets thanks to the Artisanal Chicken Program.
The farm sells its chickens at Sudbury's farmer's market, and once the season is over — the last weekend is Oct. 8-9 — it will be doing home deliveries once a week.
This is the first time in more than 30 years that small scale farm fresh chicken has been allowed for sale at markets, and customer are responding. Customers want to know where their food comes from and chicken is no exception.
People are stocking their freezers with local chicken so they can enjoy it throughout the winter.
Before the program's launch, small farmers were only able to grow up to 300 birds per year and were unable to sell the chicken off the farm. This restricted consumer access to locally raised chicken.
The previous marketing structure also greatly restricted farmers from entering new markets with chickens due to regulatory barriers. This new program works to address these challenges.
In 2015, the Chicken Farmers of Ontario conducted a consultation across the province to look at how to allocate new production numbers. Farmers rallied from across Northern Ontario to make sure it was heard loud and clear that northern Ontario farmers need to be able to sell to local customers. The CFO responded with the launch of this program.
By February 1, 20 farmers across the north had been accepted into this new program. Three Forks Farms was approved to raise 1,000 chickens in 2016.
The owners of Three Forks Farm even say that the program has made them be better farmers by following the CFO food safety and animal welfare regulations. It improves the standards for production on small farms to ensure the safety and wellbeing of both the consumer and the animals.
The CFO program accepted more applications to the program so expect to see more local chicken from more small farmers next year.
