Defra Ministers Meeting on Animal Welfare 12.3.25

Background

The Government has a manifesto commitment to improve animal welfare. It is currently hosting a series of roundtables to help inform its strategy. We were invited to the meeting with the two Defra Ministers alongside representatives of the farming sector including the NFU, NBA, NSA, NPA and BEIC. Key points below

 

Ministers’ Introduction

• Minister said keen to get the view of producers and consumers on how animal welfare could be improved
• He said they recognise the difficult environment for producers (mentioned the closing of SFI in passing) but want to make progress in line with the manifesto.

 

Farming Responses

• Support importance of high welfare standards, important for consumers and enhances reputation of UK farming
• Support evidence science based improvements
• Large support for enhancing vaccination programmes. This was supported by Ministers but agreement on hurdles of investment in vaccines and availability of vets
• Big focus on slaughter. Both support for local access to abattoirs and importance of ensuring Halal market (big proportion of sales) demonstrates high welfare at slaughter
• Some support for labelling if required, particularly in out of home and catering
• Concerns about measures which move too quickly and require investment which are out of line with the market eg removal of enriched cages, lower stocking densities
• Urged comparable standards on imports, otherwise UK farmers will be undercut
• Specifically on pigs, NPA pushed move to flexible farrowing but stressed would need investment and time to make the change
• Want greater link between assurance schemes and demonstrating compliance to reduce burdens

 

BRC Comments

• Supported farmers on not undercutting enhanced standards with imports. Also supported need for science, outcome based enhancements
• Stressed importance of animal welfare to consumers, in demonstrating compliance as well as regulations
• Stressed it was a difficult market which meant consumers had less money to trade up and there was less money for investment by suppliers
• Key would be to ensure consumers recognise and are prepared to pay for the value of any enhanced welfare requirements to pass to suppliers

 

Next Steps

• Minister was quite vague on next steps, he didn’t give a timetable and just said consultations were ongoing and there would be further meetings with this group.