FAWC’s new report on farm animal welfare in GB

The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) reviews the welfare of farm animals on agricultural land, at markets, in transit and at the place of slaughter; and advises the Government of any legislative or other changes that may be necessary. It has just published it’s report on ‘Farm Animal Welfare in Great Britain : Past, Present and Future’ (October 2009).

In this landmark Report, FAWC has examined the effectiveness of British policy on farm animal welfare since the Brambell Report in 1965 and sets out a strategy that will lead to improvements in welfare over the next 20 years.

The main conditions that FAWC believe to be necessary for ethical consumerism and improved farm animal welfare are:

i. The Government to act as the guardian of farm animal welfare

ii. Standards for a good life to be defined by an independent body

iii. Minimum welfare standards to be defined by an animal’s quality of life

iv. Stockmen to be educated and trained to a high standard about animal welfare

v. Welfare assessment to be valid, feasible and rigorous with independent audit

vi. The food supply chain to show due diligence with marketing claims verified

vii. Citizens to be educated about food and farming from childhood

viii. Animal products to be labelled according to welfare provenance to provide consumer choice.

To read the full report go to http://www.fawc.org.uk/pdf/ppf-report091012.pdf

posted by Steph