Ministers told to improve farm assurance

3 September 2001



Ministers told to improve farm assurance

By FWi staff

FARM assurance schemes must improve to help raise animal welfare standards and boost consumer confidence, warn government advisers.

The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) said farm assurance scheme standards need to be developed to enhance the animal welfare components.

Ministers should encourage more participation in assurance initiatives, said a council report on the Animal Welfare Implications of Farm Assurance Schemes.

The report also recommends the establishment of “independent expert groups” to advise on welfare standards of individual schemes.

The council wants the recommendations to be implemented before the final report on the subject is published in 2002.

FAWC chairwoman Dr Judy MacArthur Clark said farm assurance schemes have the potential to raise welfare standards and demonstrate this to the public.

However, this potential needs to be developed further, she said at the launch of the report in London on Monday (3 September).

Assurances on welfare provided by the food industry must be informative and trustworthy to command consumer confidence, the report said.

• FAWC pushes for global welfare stance, FWi, 5 June 2000
• Farm assurance under fire, FWi, 22 July 1999
• Morley names new FAWC chairman, FWi, 8 January 1999