Farm Animal Welfare Committee (FAWC)
FAWC advises the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales on the welfare of farmed animals.
Our terms of reference
FAWC is an expert committee required to:
- advise Defra and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales:
- on the welfare of farmed animals
- on any legislative or other changes that might be considered to improve standards of animal welfare
- provide independent scientific support and advice as required by on the protection of animals at the time of killing
- publish its formal reports
Our priorities
Our priorities are to:
- complete our assessment of the evidence base for farm animal welfare policy
- finish a review of the welfare of beef cattle
- provide quality assurance for revised codes of practice for the welfare of farmed livestock
- respond to governments’ requests for scientific support on the welfare of farmed animals at the time of killing
- work closely with the European Forum of Animal Welfare Councils (EuroFAWC)
Opinions and reports
Our main publications are reports, opinions and letters of advice to governments
Latest
- Welfare of animals killed on-farm
- Sustainable agriculture and farm animal welfare
- Wellbeing of farmers and farm animal welfare
- Free farrowing systems
- Calf nutrition
- CCTV in slaughterhouses
- Evidence and the welfare of farmed animals
- Welfare of farmed fish
Assessment of farm animal welfare - Five Freedoms and a Life Worth Living
We believe that good animal welfare implies both physical fitness and a sense of wellbeing. Our Report on Farm Animal Welfare in Great Britain: Past, Present and Future, 2009 explains how the Five Freedoms form a logical and comprehensive framework for analysis of animal welfare and goes on to outline our position that all farm animals should have a life worth living, from their point of view, and that an increasing proportion should have a good life.
Our members
Members of this group are:
- Peter Jinman, Chair, past President, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
- Martin Barker, pig farmer
- Dr Andy Butterworth, Reader at the University of Bristol Veterinary School
- Richard Cooper, veterinary surgeon
- Dr Jane Downes, independent veterinary consultant
- Dr Troy Gibson, Lecturer in Animal Welfare Science, Royal Veterinary College
- Dr David Grumett, Senior Lecturer in Theology and Ethics, University of Edinburgh
- Dr Maria Carmen Hubbard, agricultural economist
- Richard Jennison, veterinary surgeon
- Richard Kempsey, poultry farmer
- Dr Dorothy McKeegan, Senior Lecturer, University of Glasgow
- Professor Richard Moody, fellow of the Institute for Food Science and Technology
- Debbie Stanton, ruminant farmer and livestock assurance scheme manager
- Mark White, veterinary surgeon
Minutes
Contact
Email: fawcsecretariat@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: 0208 02 63936 or 63577
FAWC Secretariat
Area 5B, Nobel House
17 Smith Square
LONDON
SW1P 3JR