ENCOURAGING ANIMAL WELFARE IN FARMING

Improving animal welfare in farming in France through economic and legislative levers.

Theme(s)
Duration2019-2023
LocationsFrance
Partners
  • Compassion in World Farming France (CIWF France)
Project funding
BACKGROUND

More than 80% of the animals consumed for their meat in France come from intensive livestock farming.

Numerous surveys of civil society organizations made the public aware of the disastrous consequences of these modes of production on animals, humans and the environment. However, an alternative path to factory farming is possible and more respectful farming practices deserve to be supported and encouraged. All over the world, and in France in particular, solutions are emerging for more sustainable food and farming methods that takes into account the close links between animal welfare, public health and the environment.

INTERVENTION STRATEGY

Offering advice and expertise, CIWF France engages with the food industry and supply chains to promote innovative and economically viable alternative solutions improving animal welfare.

CIWF France is also actively campaigning to transform French and European legislation to achieve effective better animal welfare standards.

In France, the law promoting “a fairer and more sustainable food and farming sector”, known as the “EGA” law, passed in 2018, aiming at reforming the way French agriculture works, laid the foundations for action to promote animal welfare. CIWF France aims to ensure that the commitments of the government and the food industry are implemented and monitored with a high level of ambition to effectively improve animal welfare in breeding in France.

Additionally, CIWF France promotes better consumer information through the development of clear product labelling.

ACTION

1- Implementation of one workshop bringing together the main stakeholders around major animal welfare issues to facilitate exchanges and progress over time.

2- Development and dissemination of case studies on innovative best practices in France.

3- Active participation in consultations with the various farming industry sectors including Interbev’s on beef cattle, on slaughter practices, fattening of young males and their transport.

4- Participation in the development of labelling standards and monitoring labels and assurance schemes.

5- Advocacy on the implementing decrees of the EGA law and related experiments.

EXPECTED RESULTS

– Dissemination of good breeding practices to workshop participants, followed by concrete positive changes.

– Concrete progress on animal welfare labelling with 4 new major companies joining the experiment.

– Improving the general public’s knowledge of the reality of livestock farming and labelling.

– Significant improvement of animal welfare in farming in France through to the implementation of effective decrees and controls.

© CIWF France
© CIWF France
© CIWF France
© CIWF France
Partners

CIWF, Compassion in World Farming, aims to study and implement all measures and encourage all initiatives to develop animal welfare-friendly farming practices and propose viable and sustainable alternatives to intensive livestock farming. One of CIWF France's main missions is to contribute to the development and dissemination of information on the consequences of harmful intensive farming practices on animals, people and the environment. CIWF France also aims to develop in France public sensitization on the suffering of animals in factory farms, and to encourage farming practices that respect animal welfare and the environment.

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