Farm Animal Welfare Council Annual Report 1997
1. The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) is an independent advisory body established by Government in 1979. Its terms of reference are to keep under review the welfare of farm animals on agricultural land, at market, in transit and at place of slaughter; and to advise the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales of any legislative or other changes that may be necessary.
2. The Council can:
3. The 23 members are drawn from a wide range of disciplines and serve in a personal capacity, not as representatives of any organisation or interest group. Members include farmers, veterinarians, animal welfarists, consumers and researchers. Biographical details are at Appendix A. They attend not only meetings of the Council and its working groups, but often represent FAWC at events organised by others. In common with most government-appointed advisory bodies, FAWC maintains a register of members' commercial interests copies of which are available from the Secretariat (see paragraph 23).
4. FAWC commences studies for a variety of reasons. There may be public concern about a particular issue, the Agriculture Departments may request advice or the Council may itself decide that a subject warrants review. FAWC's approach is to give close consideration to the way in which the use of farm animals affects the welfare of the animal and to suggest reasonable and practical principles and procedures to improve their well being.
5. Studies are carried out by small working groups of members who undertake the detailed analysis and prepare recommendations for approval by the whole Council. When embarking on a new topic, the Council consults the full range of interest groups including the farming industry, animal protection organisations and research institutes. Members carefully consider responses to consultation and detailed written and verbal evidence from invited experts; they examine scientific data; and visit farms and research centres.
6. Most reviews culminate in published reports which are widely distributed throughout the UK and overseas. As part of the pre-publication procedure, and in addition to those meetings which take place as members gather background, discussions are held with farming, animal welfare and veterinary organisations before reports are finalised. The launch of each of the most recent reports, on the welfare of laying hens and dairy cattle, was accompanied by a press conference. Members regularly give interviews to the media, particularly when a new report is released. In these ways, FAWC aims to keep interested organisations and the public informed. Further steps on openness are planned during 1998 when members intend to consider other methods of making information about FAWC more easily accessible.
7. Reports are primarily addressed to GB Agriculture Ministers and, in due course, the Government publishes a formal response. The Council may also pass advice to Ministers by letter.