FAWC News Release

Appointment of new members to the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC)

Ministers have appointed two new members to the Farm Animal Welfare Council with effect from February 2008.
The new members are:

Professor Henry Buller – Chair of Rural Geography at the University of Exeter and currently Director of the BA Human Geography programme at Exeter.   Past Chair at the University of Gloucestershire. He is also editor of the international rural science journal Sociologia Ruralis.  

Dr Joanne Conington – Senior Animal Breeding Specialist in the Sustainable Livestock Systems group at the Scottish Agricultural College. Her research interests are in the development of broader breeding goals in sustainable breeding programmes for livestock systems. Past sheep specialist with the Meat and Livestock Commission.

Notes for Editors

1. The Farm Animal Welfare Council is an independent, non-departmental public body. It was established by Government in 1979 to keep under review the welfare of farmed animals on agricultural land, at market, in transit and at the place of slaughter; and to advise the Government of any legislative or other changes it considers necessary.

2. Appointments to the Council are normally made for a three – year period which may be renewed. All members serve in a personal capacity and do not represent any organisations with which they may be associated.

3. FAWC is chaired by Professor Christopher Wathes who holds the Chair of Animal Welfare at the Royal Veterinary College, University of London.

4. Robin Anderson, Ian Baker, Alistair Lawrence stepped down as FAWC members in 2007.

5. More information about FAWC is available from this website or the address below:

FAWC Secretariat
Area 5A
9 Millbank
c/o Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR

Tel. 020 7238 5192
Fax. 020 7238 6113

Email: Barbara.Silberstein@defra.gsi.gov.uk