GCPA Eligibility and criteria

Criteria for the Good Chicken Production Award for Chinese producers

1. Scope of Award winners
   The candidates need to be medium to large scale commercial broiler producers and agricultural/husbandry companies or co-operations that have chicken production as their main business. Candidates should have official registration in State Administration for Industry and Commerce in China and producers with a GAP standard (of People’s Republic of China) certificate will be considered first.
2. Qualification
   Producers with indoor and free range production systems will be considered and the following standards must apply:
   
   • Enterprises must be of medium to large scale, with more than 20,000 broilers in indoor systems and 3,000 in free range systems
   • The waste disposal (manure and dead birds) and waste water discharge must meet national environmental standards
   • The business must be legitimate; no illegal records are permitted
   • The producer must be a member of ICCAW
3. Basic requirements (1 star Award)
   Producers must meet 5 basic requirements in order to enter the award:
   
   • Provide a good environment for the birds, including a comfortable temperature dependent on age, dry floor, good air quality (CO2<2500 ppm and NH3< 25 ppm), hygienic drinking water, and safe feed
   • Rearing requirements: There MUST be a commitment to end the use of cages within 5 years; for producers using net / slatted and bedded ground floor rearing systems, the maximum permissible stocking density must be less than or equal to 33kg/m2.
   • Flock records including daily mortality and culls must be completed and a bird health management plan in place
   • Use of hormones is prohibited. Antibiotics should not be used routinely in feed or water, unless in an event of a disease outbreak, in collaboration with your vet
   • Chicken products must not contain hormones, antibiotics, heavy metals or other residues, and third party testing report should be provided
4. Additional commitments for 2 to 5 star Awards
   Current policy or commitment to achieve one or more of the following conditions in 5 years:
   Please note caged production systems are NOT permitted
   
   • Indoor environmental enrichment: Provision of natural light, perches/raised platforms and substrates for pecking, scratching are provided (at least 1/3 floor area scratch opportunities – solid floor with litter or sand boxes)
   • Use of a slower growing breed: average growth rate over the production cycle should be equal or less than 50g/ day (age at slaughter is usually more than 56 days)
   • Increased space allowance:
     • Indoor systems: Net/slatted systems are not used. Birds are housed on bedded floor at a maximum stocking density of less than or equal to 30kg/m2, OR
     • Free Range Systems: Outdoor access is provided for at least half the life of the bird, with natural and artificial shade and shelter; dust bathing and pecking opportunities must be available. Birds must be housed at a stocking density less than or equal to 27.5kg/m2
   • Management provisions:
     • For Fast and Intermediate growth rate breeds (average 45-65g/d): A leg health plan must be implemented to monitor and improve walking ability, OR
     • For Traditional slow growing breeds: Beak trimming is not permitted. A monitoring and treatment programme should be in place to record and reduce any occasional pecking problem
5. The award selection process
   • The review process consists of two rounds. The judging panel will decide which producers are eligible to pass to the verification stage (second round) according to the documents provided by the producers.
   • The verification and selection of winners will be based on scores, attributed by the judging panel during an on-site inspection, and relating to the basic requirements.
   • The basic requirements will be used to evaluate the farm’s current welfare conditions. Making a commitment means the producer has the intention to meet one or more of the additional requirements in 5 years and the panel will discuss with the producer, how he / she is going to meet the commitment. The panel will assess if the producer is likely to meet the commitment and will agree the number of commitments the producer can realistically make - due to the complexity of the issues addressed, we are unlikely to award more than two additional commitments per winner.
6. The Good Chicken Production Award is a 5-star award, and producers MUST meet the basic requirements in order to apply. The ratings are as follows:
   • Producers meeting the basic requirements will receive a 1 star
   • Producers meeting the basic requirements and achieving or committing to one additional criterion will receive a 2-star award
   • Producers meeting the basic requirements and achieving or committing to two additional criteria will receive a 3-star award
   • Producers meeting the basic requirements and achieving or committing to three additional criteria will receive a 4-star award
   • Producers meeting the basic requirements and achieving or committing to four additional criteria will receive a 5-star award
7. Further information:
   • The awards will be implemented each year and will be valid for 5 years.
   • The winning companies will be required to report regularly on the improvement of their commitments to ICCAW and CIWF. CIWF will provide technical support as needed.
   • The award winners will be deprived of the award if they fail to honour the commitment(s) made within the 5 year timeframe, and will be publicized on both CIWF and ICCAW’s websites.
   • The award application and selection are free of charge. Candidate companies who enter the verification stage should pay ICCAW for the onsite verification. Winning companies should bear the travel cost of the trip to London if they want to attend.
   • CIWF reserves the right for final interpretation of the Good Chicken Production Award.