Maple Leaf Foods says it wants to become a leader in animal care.
To reach that goal, the company has launched a formal Animal Care Commitment.
The Commitment is based on what's called the Five Freedoms.
They are: freedom from hunger or thirst - freedom from discomfort - freedom from pain, injury or disease - freedom to express normal behaviours - and freedom from fear and stress.
Maple Leaf's plan includes moving all sows under its management to loose housing, with at least 37 thousand sows in loose housing by 2017.
The company will require all of it's pork and poultry operations undergo an annual independent audit.
It aims to continue to reduce or eliminate antibiotic use across the supply chain while recognizing the importance of providing the necessary medication to sick or injured animals.
Maple Leaf says it is also implementing remote video auditing in it's production and processing facilities, starting with three of it's plants this year.
Maple Leaf Foods describes itself as the largest meat protein company in Canada.
