1. The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) was established 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 the place of slaughter, and to advise Agriculture Ministers of any legislative or other changes that may be necessary. The Council has the freedom to consider any topic falling within this remit.
2. Previously FAWC has produced a number of reports concerning the welfare of poultry including the Welfare of Poultry at Slaughter (1982), Advice to Ministers on the Handling and Transport of Poultry (1990) and the Welfare of Laying Hens in Colony Systems (1991). The most recent poultry publication was the Report on the Welfare of Broiler Chickens (1992).
3. The Council was asked by the G.B. Agriculture Departments to consider the welfare of turkeys produced in this country and to make recommendations to Ministers. Accordingly, a working group of FAWC members was established and asked to report to the Council and thereafter to Ministers. See Appendix A for the Council's membership.
4. The remit of the turkey working group was to examine all aspects of the welfare of turkeys being reared for the table, from their arrival at the farm to their arrival at the slaughterhouse. This included on-farm slaughter, transport on and around the farm, loading and unloading but not large-scale commercial transport from farms to commercial slaughterhouses. The study also covered the welfare of breeding stock.