FAWC News Release

Farm Animal Welfare Council Report on Welfare Labelling

The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) launches its report on Welfare Labelling (144 KB) today.

The report considers the information that can and should be transmitted to the interested consumer and others about the animal welfare provenance of the livestock products they purchase and addresses the benefits, effectiveness and practicalities of welfare labelling. The report makes recommendations to improve the welfare of farmed animals through effective welfare labelling.

Professor Wathes, Chairman of FAWC, said “Consumers are increasingly concerned about the characteristics of the products that they purchase and, in the context of farm welfare, increasing numbers are looking to buy those with a stated welfare provenance. Retailers, caterers and other suppliers should therefore provide information that satisfies the purchaser about these characteristics.”

He continued “Not all of this Report’s recommendations are addressed solely to Government: consumers in the widest sense ultimately dictate the standards of welfare to which livestock are raised to provide their food and other products and the recommendations should be of general interest to many.”

Professor Wathes concluded “I hope that this Report will serve to promote greater adoption of welfare labelling among consumers and, by proxy, food retailers, who are so influential in determining the welfare standards of livestock products by virtue of their very considerable power in the market place.”

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Notes for Editors

1. The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) is an independent advisory body established by Government in 1979 to keep under review the welfare of farm animals on agricultural land, at market, in transit and at place of slaughter; and to advise Ministers in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales, of any legislative or other changes that may be necessary.

2. Professor Christopher Wathes was appointed Chairman of FAWC with effect from 1 January 2005. He is Chair of Animal Welfare at the Royal Veterinary College, University of London.

3. All FAWC members serve in a personal capacity and do not represent any organisation with which they may be associated.

4. Copies of FAWC publications are available from the FAWC Secretariat at the address below. Approaches for interviews should also be routed through the Secretariat.

FAWC Secretariat
Area 511, 1A Page Street
London
SW1P 4PQ
Tel.: 020 7904 6741
Fax.: 020 7904 6993

E-mail: simon.renn@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Website: www.fawc.org.uk