Summary of council meeting on 7 November 2002

Chairwoman's Report
Reports from the Working Group
Next meeting

This is the report of the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) plenary meeting on 7 November 2002, chaired by Dr Judy MacArthur Clark. The Council meets three times a year. Working Groups that convene more frequently undertake most of the preparatory work.

The meeting discussed proposals for an updated Council position on registration of livestock farmers. This would be re-drafted for consideration at the next meeting. Council also addressed its continuing concerns about broiler leg health. The value of the research project being undertaken at Bristol into the prevalence, risk factors and management practices linked with broiler chicken leg problems was recognised. FAWC asked officials to press for continued inclusion of welfare provisions within current CAP reform proposals.

Chairwoman's Report

The Chairwoman reported on her meeting with the Minister and various stakeholders during a visit to Scotland. Similar meetings were scheduled with Ministers and stakeholders in Wales. This re-inforced the advisory role FAWC had to Government in England, Scotland and Wales. The regular meeting of the Chairs of the various FAWC Working Groups had been held before the Council meeting to take a strategic view of how FAWC was progressing its work.

Reports from the Working Groups

As is customary the meeting heard progress reports from the Chairmen of the various Working Groups.

Farm Assurance Schemes - The Group was now researching its second report on the animal welfare implications of farm assurance schemes. This would include more attention to the catering sector and a section on the welfare implications of organic livestock production.

Strategy and Communications - The Group had been discussing the format of the next years, open meeting and annual review. New members had joined the Group to replace those who would step down from FAWC at the end of the year.

Research and Development -The Working Group was developing proposals on the monitoring and control of biotechnologies in animal breeding direct from research, or via importation, to commercial farming. These proposals were to be discussed with a number of organisations and within the Animal Welfare Advisory Bodies Liaison Group in order to refine the document with the maximum involvement of those interested parties.

Markets and Transport - The Group had issued another consultation on the extension of the scope of the markets study to include marketing of livestock by alternative means, such as electronic sales, video sales collection centres and farm to farm transfers. Visits were being planned to markets in France and Ireland and a drafting group had been convened to begin to produce the Group's draft report.

Poultry Issues - The Group had been tasked with providing advice on the acceptability, or not, of enriched cages for laying hens. It had visited those carrying out experimental work at ADAS Gleadthorpe and seen commercial trials. There was no consensus within Council to recommend an outright ban on enriched cages. Despite reservations expressed about their suitability, the scientific work was not complete enough to come to this conclusion. Advice was later sent to Ministers along these lines.

Slaughter - With the end of the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak the Group could recommence its practical information gathering. Visits had been undertaken to see Shechita slaughter of sheep and the slaughter of fallow deer and ostrich. Verbal evidence was also taken from interested parties. Drafting of the Group's report continued to progress well.

Date of next meeting

11 February 2003

Further Information

Contact:

Richard Aram
Assistant Secretary FAWC
Area 511, 1A Page Street
LONDON SW1P 4PQ

Tel: +44 (0)20 7904 6532
Fax: +44 (0)20 7904 6993
E-mail: richard.n.aram@defra.gsi.gov.uk