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A long term strategy for farm animal welfare in Great Britain - ethical principals & welfare assessment, surveillance and standards.

25 September 2006

1. The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) has set up a Working Group tasked with developing a strategy for farm animal welfare in Great Britain for the next twenty years. Council is seeking the views of stakeholders on the future strategy and what farm animal welfare goals your organisation sees as important over this period.

2. We are reviewing the ethical principles relating to the treatment of farm animals. As part of this we are considering the value and further development of animal welfare frameworks such as the Five Freedoms. We recognise the need for dialogue between various interest groups and respect for alternative views, with the goal of consensus.

3. The Group will address the future strategies and standards for farm animal welfare that might be expected to develop over the next twenty years and the methods by which these could be recognised, measured and monitored throughout the production cycle, from birth to death. For instance, they might include measures of health, such as lameness, productivity in the absence of associated disease, and welfare, such as routine use of enrichments, appropriate space allowance, freedom to carry out normal behaviours and absence of abnormal behaviour. We are keen that industry helps in developing relevant, practical and objective measures of negative and positive welfare states, which might be incorporated in surveillance schemes.

4. It is important that all stakeholders in the process of livestock production, processing, supply and consumption are aware of their ownership, responsibilities and obligations to farm animal welfare. These roles need to be understood clearly and the processes, controls and incentive components that can lead to improvement in welfare standards need to be in place. Other aspects we will consider are the roles for benchmarking and self-audit as well as independent assessment. Integration with existing schemes (e.g. NADIS, farm assurance schemes) would avoid duplication and might be advantageous. In addition, we need to consider off-farm activities such as markets, transport, abattoirs, and the role of others in the food chain. There will also be a need for future research and development in welfare science.

5. We will investigate the role of education of all members of society, including children, farmers and animal handlers, advisers, retailers, consumers and others, in understanding issues related to farm animal welfare.

6. Finally, the strategy will review what long-term goals should be set for farm animal welfare over the next twenty years and how these might be achieved, as well as interim reviews to allow for technical developments in measuring welfare.

7. During the development of FAWC’s long term strategy there will be liaison with those engaged in similar, shorter-term exercises to ensure logical progression to the long term.

8. In addition to this consultation exercise, we may write to some organisations with specific questions as work progresses. Some may also be invited to discussions with the Group. Normally FAWC reports list the names of the organisations that gave evidence. Should you prefer to be excluded from the list, please let us know when you reply.

9. If you believe there are any important omissions from the list of consultees, I should be obliged if you would let me have the name and address of an appropriate contact.

10. FAWC thanks you for your co-operation and looks forward to receiving your comments by 15th December 2006.

Further information on the role of FAWC is available on this website.

Yours faithfully

Richard Aram
FAWC Secretariat

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ADAS
Advisory Committee on Organic Standards
Advocates for Animals
Agricultural Industries Confederation
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland
Aldi Stores
All Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare
Alliance of Independent Retailers
Animal Aid
Animal Air Transport Association
Animal Diseases Research Association Moredun Institute
Animal Health Trust
Animal Procedures Committee
Animal Rights Law Centre
ASDA Group Plc
Askham Bryan College
Associated British Foods
Association of British Abattoir Operators
Association of Scottish Colleges
Assured British Meat
Assured Food Standards
Aviagen Ltd
AWSELVA
Babraham Institute
Barony College
Berkshire College of Agriculture
Bicton College of Agriculture
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Bishop Burton College
Board of Deputies of British Jews
Bridgewater College
British Chicken Information Service
British Cattle Veterinary Association
British Deer Farmers Association
British Deer Society
British Egg Industry Council
British Free Range Egg Producers Association
British Goat Society
British Institute of Agricultural Consultants
British Meat Processing Association
British Pig Association
British Pig Executive
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British Poultry Council
British Retail Consortium
British Society of Animal Science (BSAS)
British Trout Association
British Veterinary Association (BVA)
British Veterinary Poultry Association
Budgen Stores Ltd
Cobb Vantress Inc.
Cambridgeshire College of Agriculture
Carmarthenshire College
Campaign for the Protection of Shechita
Catholic Concern for Animals
Coleg Powys
Companion Animal Welfare Council
Compassion in World Farming
Conservative Animal Welfare Group
Consumers Association
Consumers in Europe Group
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
Co-operative Group (CWS) Ltd
DARD
Defra
Duchy College
English Nature
Eurepgap
Eurogroup for Animal Welfare
Farm & Food Society
Farm Animal Care Trust
Farm Animal Initiative
Farm Animal Welfare Network (FAWN)
Farm Assured Welsh Livestock
Farmers' Union of Wales
Federation of Muslim Organisations
Federation of Veterinarians in Europe
Food and Drink Federation
Food Aware
Food Standards Agency
Freedom Food Ltd
Game Conservancy Trust
Game Marketing Executive
Halal Food Authority
Halal Monitoring Committee
Hannah Research Institute
Harper Adams University College
Humane Slaughter Association (HAS)
Institute for Animal Health
Institute of Biology
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Institute of Grocery Distribution
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International Fund of Animal Welfare (IFAW)
International League for the Protection of Horses
International Supreme Council of Sikhs in GB
Islamic Cultural Centre
Islamic Food and Nutrition Council
Islamic Foundation
J Sainsbury plc
John Lewis plc
LACORS
Lantra
Licensed Animal Slaughterers and Salvage Association
Linking Environment and Farming
Livestock Auctioneers Association
Local Authorities Caterers Association
Macaulay Land Use Research Institute (MLURI)
Marks & Spencer plc
Meat Hygiene Service
Meat and Livestock Commission
Middlesex University
Milk Development Council
Muslim Council of Great Britain
National Animal Health & Welfare Panel
National Assembly for Wales, Environment, Countryside and Planning Department
National Association of Agricultural Contractors
National Association of Local Councils
National Beef Association
National Consumer Council
National Consumer Federation
National Council of Shechita Boards
National Council of Women of Great Britain
National Farmers Union
National Farmers' Union of Scotland
National Farmers’ Union (Wales)
National Federation of Meat & Food Traders
National Federation of Womens' Institutes
National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs
National Game Dealers Association
National Office of Animal Health Ltd (NOAH)
National Pig Association
National Proficiency Tests Council (NPTC)
National Secular Society
National Sheep Association
Network of Sikh Organisations
Nuffield Council on Bioethics
Organic Farmers and Growers
Organic Food Federation
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Provision Trade Federation
Quaker Concern for Animal Welfare
Quality Meat Scotland
Queens University of Belfast
Road Haulage Association
Roslin Institute (Edinburgh)
Rowett Research Institute
Royal Agricultural College
Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE)
Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)
Royal Veterinary College
Scottish Agricultural College
Scottish Centre for Animal Welfare Science
Scottish Consumers Council
Scottish Dairy Association
Scottish Federation of Meat Traders' Association
Scottish Meat and Livestock Commission
Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
SEERAD
Shechita UK
Sheep Veterinary Society
Shetland Salmon Farmers Association
Soil Association
Somerfield Stores Ltd
Sparsholt College
SUSTAIN - The Alliance for Better Food & Farming
Tenant Farmers Association
Tesco Stores Ltd
Union of Muslim Organisations of UK & EIRE
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University of Birmingham
University of Bristol
University of Cambridge
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University of Exeter
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University of Stirling
University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Bangor
Vegetarian Economy & Green Agriculture (VEGA) Research
Veterinary Laboratories Agency
Veterinary Medicines Directorate
WM Morrison Supermarkets Ltd
Waitrose Ltd
Welsh Consumer Council
Welsh Local Government Association
Women's Food & Farming Union
World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)
Wye College
Zoos Forum