Jiglu: Farmtalking: Discussion: Re: RSPCA says - Animal Welfare Can Help Developing Countries

Originally from: coleen

Perhaps the RSPCA would be better to look to 'home waters' before they go taking any World stage. We have yet to develop Animal Welfare in many areas of this Country, and should not go preaching and telling other Countries how to do it – before we put our own house into order. Perhaps they should reflect back to FMD! How can they expect to be taken with any credibility. This makes me so angry.

There might well be a trend for High Welfare Food – but how is it governed and who makes sure the consumer is getting what they are paying for? Not the RSPCA – their freedom food scheme has been discredited.

Is not 1 cow suffering in a field entitled to 'Welfare' even though that cow does not raise the profile of the RSPCA.

Look on any message board regarding animals, and the complaints regarding the RSPCA not coming out to reports of cruelty, attending horse auctions and standing most of the time around the burger bar (taken from a horse site) visiting markets and letting the sale of 4 week old puppies go unchecked etc etc are abound.

Welfare in this Country is totally down to the people who own the animals and whether they have a caring attitude as to the animals they own. It is not and does not, stem from anything the RSPCA say or do.

Coleen

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Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 10:38 AM
Subject: [farmtalking] RSPCA says – Animal Welfare Can Help Developing Countries

Raising Farm Animal Welfare Can Help Developing Countries, Says RSPCA
RSPCA says WTO conference should recognise importance of high welfare
farming

The RSPCA will be pressing ministers to seize an historic opportunity and
place animal welfare centre stage in international agriculture at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) conference starting in Cancun, Mexico, tomorrow.

Far from holding farming back, improving animal welfare standards and
providing humanely-produced food can give developing countries a marketing e dge over competitors, argues the RSPCA in its new report, *Developing Animal Welfare.

David Bowles, head of RSPCA external affairs, said: "The report shows that
animal welfare can provide important trade advantages for developing countries rather than be something to fear. For instance the Namibian beef industry has the only meat assurance scheme in Africa which has ensured that Namibia is now the largest exporter of African beef to the UK. Thailand also recognises that animal welfare can add value to its exports and is developing a marketing strategy for free range chicken to the EU and Japan."

The UK and EU provide important niche markets for developing countries as
the popularity of farm assurance schemes continues to grow, says the Society.

Free-range eggs now account for one-third of the total UK egg market while
many major international retailers source food domestically on animal welfare grounds and expect the same standards from foreign suppliers.

Bowles continued: "As people's awareness of animal welfare problems grows
so does their determination to do something about it. Consumers are becoming more discerning and demanding humanely-produced food, which is reflected in the growth of farm assurance programmes such as the RSPCA's **Freedom Food scheme. Developing countries should take advantage of this growing trend for high welfare food."

At the conference the RSPCA will be calling for subsidies for high welfare
products and mandatory labelling on humanely produced food. The WTO has committed itself to concluding agricultural negotiations in Cancun.

The WTO is meeting 10–14 September to agree new trade rules on farm
products.
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