WSPA exports Model Farm practices

Sep 11, 2006

WSPA has launched an international campaign to spread awareness of humane and sustainable farm practices to developing countries where the practice of cruel, intensive factory farming is exploding.

Working in partnership

Starting in Brazil and China, two of the world’s biggest meat producing countries, Farmwatch will work with the Oxford-based Food Animal Initiative (FAI) to improve conditions of animals in the factory farms.

On its working farm FAI has developed reliable and cost effective ways to produce high quality meat and eggs humanely, as audited by Oxford University researchers – and still make a profit for the farmers.

While the European Union slowly legislates to improve conditions for farm animals, intensive factory farming is exploding in the developing world.

WSPA has asked us to work with them in developing model farms appropriate to local conditions for chickens, pigs and cows.

With these farms we will endeavour to improve animal welfare by providing training, inspiration and guidance to farmers involved in animal husbandry.

The suffering of farm animals around the world

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that 4 billion mammals and 55 billion poultry are currently farmed each year.

“These animals are caged, chained or crammed and forced to grow super-fast, pumped full of antibiotics and pushed to their physical limits in the quest for ever more meat, milk or eggs” adds Peter Davies.

The Farmwatch campaign activities

As well as establishing model farms the WSPA Farmwatch campaign will:

• Provide ongoing training in humane slaughter and monitor the situation in slaughterhouses and live animal transport.
• Raise awareness of conditions in factory farms with Brazilian and Chinese consumers.
• Monitor and report on the above.

You can help make a difference

You can support the Farmwatch campaign in the following ways: 

• Choose only meat, milk and eggs with labels such as ‘free range’, ‘organic’, or ‘outdoor reared’. These mean that the animals were reared without cages and crates. More information >>

• Beware of labelling terms such as ‘fresh’, ‘farm fresh’, ‘country fresh’, or ‘farm assured’. These labels mean nothing about animal welfare and the products are produced on a factory farm. 

• Urge your local store to stock more free range and organic produce.

• Use customer comment cards, customer helplines, and other facilities to show that you care about farm animal welfare. 

• Sign the WSPA petition asking the UN to make a universal declaration on the welfare of animals at www.animalsmatter.org
  

Learn more about the Model Farm Project >>

Learn more about WSPA's work with farmed animals >>