Survey says?! Canadians love their chicken

Ottawa – How well do you know chicken?

That’s more or less the question the Chicken Farmers of Canada asked consumers in a recent survey conducted by Leger.

In a statement, the Chicken Farmers of Canada says it discovered through the survey that chicken is a favourite protein of Canadian consumers.

The survey found that 84 per cent of Canadians purchase fresh chicken on a regular basis, and 90 per cent place chicken among the top three meats they eat most often.

But the survey also found “many Canadians don’t have the full story when it comes to their knowledge of the Canadian chicken farming industry,” says the Chicken Farmers of Canada.

Here’s what the survey found (as listed in the statement):

• Only 43% of respondents believe that Canadian chickens are raised without hormones or steroids, when in fact hormones and steroids have not been used in Canadian chicken production for more than 50 years.
• On average, respondents who gave an answer, believed only 45% of chicken farms in Canada are family owned and operated, when in reality Canada is home to 2,800 chicken farms and over 90% are family owned and operated.
• 57% of respondents correctly believe there are animal welfare standards applicable to all chicken farms across Canada. These standards are consistent, mandatory and third-party audited.
• 34% of Canadians believe chicken is the most sustainable meat, and this checks out: Canadian chicken farms lead in sustainability with the lowest greenhouse gas emissions among all livestock commodities.