SCIENCE AND CERTIFICATION IN ANIMAL WELFARE

Craig Harris

Paul Thompson

Carmen Bain

Institute for Food and Agricultural Standards

Michigan State University

SOURCES OF ACTIVISM FOR FARM ANIMAL WELFARE IN THE U.S.

• Historically in the U.S., farm animal welfare constructed separately from domestic animal welfare– Humane Society USA focused on domestic

animals– Most recent farm animal welfare regulation was

promulgated in 1950– Whereas rhetoric of “cruelty” and “unnecessary

pain and suffering” was applied in both realms, level of standard was much lower in agriculture

SOURCES OF ACTIVISM FOR FARM ANIMAL WELFARE IN THE U.S.

• Historically in the U.S., farm animal welfare constructed separately from domestic animal welfare

• New social movements of the 1960s– Civil rights of racial and ethnic minorities– Human and economic rights of women– Anti-Vietnam War movement– Student rights– Environmental movement

• Species conservation– Animal rights

SOURCES OF ACTIVISM FOR FARM ANIMAL WELFARE IN THE U.S.

• New social movements of the 1960s– Civil rights of racial and ethnic minorities– Human and economic rights of women– Anti-Vietnam War movement– Student rights– Environmental movement– Animal rights

• Animal Liberation Front – laboratory animals• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

SOURCES OF ACTIVISM FOR FARM ANIMAL WELFARE IN THE U.S.

• New social movements of the 1960s– Civil rights of racial and ethnic minorities– Human and economic rights of women– Anti-Vietnam War movement– Student rights– Environmental movement– Animal rights

• Animal Liberation Front – laboratory animals• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)• Single issue groups (e.g., Farm Sanctuary)

2. Husbandry Practices2.1 Feeding Practices2.2 Surfaces and Lameness2.2.1 Indoor walking surfaces2.2.2 Mattresses and bedding2.2.3 Outdoor walking surfaces2.3 Housing2.3.1 Tie stalls2.3.2 Free stalls2.3.3 Straw yards2.3.4 Drylots2.3.5 Pasture2.4 Environmental Conditions2.4.1 Environmental sanitation and mastitis2.4.2 Air temperature and humidity2.4.3 Stray voltage

2.5 Surgical Mutilations2.5.1 Tail docking2.5.2 Dehorning, disbudding2.5.3 Supernumerary teat removal2.5.4 Identification2.6 Handling Practices2.7 Downed Cows2.8 Calf Rearing Practices2.8.1 Separation from cow2.8.2 Calf feeding2.8.3 Calf housing2.8.4 Handling of male calves

Tie Stalls

SOURCES OF ACTIVISM FOR FARM ANIMAL WELFARE IN THE U.S.

• New social movements of the 1960s– Civil rights of racial and ethnic minorities– Human and economic rights of women– Anti-Vietnam War movement– Student rights– Environmental movement– Animal rights

• Animal Liberation Front – laboratory animals• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)• Single issue groups (e.g., Farm Sanctuary)

– Shift toward rhetoric of “duty of care”

Mahatma Gandhithe greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way in which its animals are treated

SOURCES OF ACTIVISM FOR FARM ANIMAL WELFARE IN THE U.S.

• Historically in the U.S., farm animal welfare constructed separately from domestic animal welfare

• New social movements of the 1960s

• Sustainable agriculture movement

– Stewardship of agricultural resources

– Challenging industrial model of farming

• Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO’s)

SOURCES OF ACTIVISM FOR FARM ANIMAL WELFARE IN THE U.S.

• Historically in the U.S., farm animal welfare constructed separately from domestic animal welfare

• New social movements of the 1960s• Sustainable agriculture movement• Unified animal welfare movement

– Humane Society USA – Spectrum of approaches

• Direct action• Civil society discourse• Market based actions• Government regulation

MASS MEDIA RESPONSES

• Regular and ongoing coverage in major newspapers

CONSUMER RESPONSES

• Increasing vegan and vegetarian diets

• Increasing consumption of organic foods

• Increasing emphasis on kosher and halal

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE - 1

• State government

– 19 states pass laws making interference with food or agriculture a criminal behavior

– California legislation to make foie gras humane

PRIVATE SECTOR RESPONSE

• Some producers occupy market niche– Niman Ranch– Free range poultry– Nolan Ryan Beef– Grass fed beef

PRIVATE SECTOR RESPONSE

• Some producers occupy market niche

• Some producer groups and integrators and retailers negotiate with advocacy groups– United Egg Producers– McDonalds– Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)

PRIVATE SECTOR RESPONSE

• Some producers occupy market niche

• Some producer groups and integrators and retailers negotiate with advocacy groups– United Egg Producers– McDonalds– Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)

• Some retailers act independently

Whole Foods Market Announces Director of Animal Compassion FoundationCompany Launching Foundation with Funds

Raised by First Global Five Percent Day on January 25Austin, Texas — January 18, 2005.

Whole Foods Market®, the world's leading natural and organic foods supermarket, today announced Anne Malleau will serve as executive director of

the new Animal Compassion Foundation. To help meat producers achieve a higher standard of animal welfare excellence while still maintaining economic

viability, the Foundation will:

Search the planet for innovative ranchers and farmers who raise their animals with the well-being of the animal rather than producer productivity as the primary

goal

Create a worldwide network comprised of animal compassionate ranchers and farmers to share knowledge to learn and improve together

Collect and compile the global knowledge of animal compassionate methods into an online library to help other interested ranchers and farmers successfully

convert to more animal compassionate methods

Provide research money to animal scientists at universities around the world to address any challenges faced by producers trying to raise animals more

compassionately

• From our perspective of food and agricultural standards, we ask five questions . . .

VALUES AND GOALS

• What are the values and goals and objectives for animal welfare standards?– Limitation of harm to some acceptable

level– Achieve state of wellbeing

WHAT STANDARDS ARE BEING DEVELOPED?

• Producers use production standards

• Husbandry guidelines – veterinary and physiological health indicators

WHAT STANDARDS ARE BEING DEVELOPED?

• Producers use production standards

• Husbandry guidelines – veterinary and physiological health indicators

• Consumers use visual standards derived from traditional farming and animals “natural environments”

• Nature of welfare – relationship to pain

HOW AND BY WHOM ARE STANDARDS BEING DEVELOPED?

• Many stakeholders at various nodes of the system are currently developing standards, both individually and in negotiation with other stakeholders

• USDA developing a voluntary “grass fed” label standard

HOW AND BY WHOM IS COMPLIANCE WITH STANDARDS

BEING CERTIFIED?

ROLES OF SCIENCE IN ANIMAL WELFARE STANDARDS

• Scientists seek quantifiable parameters to measure welfare

• Which disciplinary research methods – veterinary, animal science, ethology, cognitive science, genetics, evolutionary biology