scholarly journals From Protest to ‘Holy Writ’: The Mainstreaming of Welfare Politics

2021 ◽  
pp. 205-222
Author(s):  
Claas Kirchhelle
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Farm Animal ◽  
Farm Animal Welfare ◽  
Relative Independence ◽  
Public Recognition ◽  
Five Freedoms ◽  
Holy Writ ◽  
Welfare Politics ◽  
Welfare Reforms

AbstractThis chapter examines the evolution of British farm animal welfare politics during the last two decades of Harrison’s campaigning. In 1979, the RSPCA boycotted the Thatcher government’s new Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC). The short-lived protest triggered a membership revolt and moderation of RSPCA policies. It also coincided with a weakening of agricultural corporatism in Westminster. FAWC was granted relative independence from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food and explicitly acknowledged an updated version of the five freedoms. Ensuing British welfare reforms were also driven by the increasing involvement of European bodies in animal welfare. Now in her 60s, Ruth Harrison joined FAWC as a welfare member. Her increasing public recognition as a senior welfare campaigner enabled her to proactively push for reforms, expand her fundraising activities, and sponsor additional welfare research. By the late 1990s, most of her welfare positions had become part of mainstream politics.

scholarly journals Non-conform Evidence: The Impasse of 1990s Welfare Research

2021 ◽  
pp. 223-237
Author(s):  
Claas Kirchhelle
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Farm Animal ◽  
Farm Animal Welfare ◽  
Animal Welfare Science ◽  
Welfare Politics

AbstractThis chapter traces the evolution of welfare science and the marketisation of farm animal welfare between 1980 and 2000. During this time, dedicated welfare publications soared, and welfare scientists obtained prestigious university posts. The field’s growth was aided by assurance schemes for animal welfare, which enabled mutually beneficial cooperation between researchers, industry, and NGOs like the RSPCA, whose Freedom Foods Label enjoyed great popularity from 1994 onwards. Assurance schemes shifted welfare politics to the marketplace and generated funds for research and NGOs. They also deescalated frontstage welfare politics by restricting access to corporate- and expert-led discussions about standards and enforcement. Ruth Harrison was sceptical of label claims and welfare’s transition from a moral into an economic value. Meanwhile, researchers continued to disagree on how to define welfare. While most researchers remained confident in their ability to produce meaningful results, animal welfare science entered a prolonged phase of epistemic navel-gazing.

Edinburgh Farm Animal Welfare Scale

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth J. Austin ◽  
Ian J. Deary ◽  
Gareth Edwards-Jones ◽  
Dale Arey
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Farm Animal ◽  
Farm Animal Welfare

scholarly journals Designing an Institutional Network for Improving Farm Animal Welfare in the EU

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 1081-1093 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Jones ◽  
Joop Lensink ◽  
Maria Cecilia Mancini ◽  
Richard Tranter
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Farm Animal ◽  
Farm Animal Welfare ◽  
Institutional Network ◽  
The Eu

scholarly journals Costs and Benefits of Improving Farm Animal Welfare

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 104
Author(s):  
Jill N. Fernandes ◽  
Paul H. Hemsworth ◽  
Grahame J. Coleman ◽  
Alan J. Tilbrook
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Economic Cost ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Farm Animal ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Farm Animal Welfare ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Course Of Action

It costs money to improve the welfare of farm animals. For people with animals under their care, there are many factors to consider regarding changes in practice to improve welfare, and the optimal course of action is not always obvious. Decision support systems for animal welfare, such as economic cost–benefit analyses, are lacking. This review attempts to provide clarity around the costs and benefits of improving farm animal welfare, thereby enabling the people with animals under their care to make informed decisions. Many of the costs are obvious. For example, training of stockpeople, reconfiguration of pens, and administration of pain relief can improve welfare, and all incur costs. Other costs are less obvious. For instance, there may be substantial risks to market protection, consumer acceptance, and social licence to farm associated with not ensuring good animal welfare. The benefits of improving farm animal welfare are also difficult to evaluate from a purely economic perspective. Although it is widely recognised that animals with poor welfare are unlikely to produce at optimal levels, there may be benefits of improving animal welfare that extend beyond production gains. These include benefits to the animal, positive effects on the workforce, competitive advantage for businesses, mitigation of risk, and positive social consequences. We summarise these considerations into a decision tool that can assist people with farm animals under their care, and we highlight the need for further empirical evidence to improve decision-making in animal welfare.

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