Measuring what works: which indicators actually assess animal welfare?

As the EU moves forward with the revision of its rules on farmed animal welfare, ensuring that requirements deliver meaningful improvements for animals and farmers is essential. Highlighting the importance of reliable, science-based and practical welfare indicators is crucial to developing effective animal welfare policies.

This Intergroup session brings together lawmakers, researchers and livestock sector representatives. They will examine which indicators can truly assess animal welfare in practice, and where the current approaches are limited. Speakers will present the findings of the aWISH project and share industry experience in measuring animal welfare along the production chain, discussing it with the MEPs afterwards.

Date: 26 November

Location: Strasbourg

Focus: Animal welfare indicators

Title: Measuring what works: which indicators actually assess animal welfare?

Proposed programme:

I. Welcome Remarks (10 minutes)

• MEP Maria Grapini, MEP Alexander Bernhuber, MEP Benoit Cassart

◦ Co-Chairs of the Sustainable Livestock Intergroup

II. European Commission Intervention (10 minutes)

• Andrea Gavinelli, DG SANTE, Head of unit Animal Welfare

III. Policy Interventions (30 minutes)

• Jarissa Maselyne (Scientist) – aWISH Project Coordinator, ILVO (BE)

◦ Findings from the project: what is and what isn’t feasible

• Johannes Van der Doelen – Spanish broiler farmer:

◦ Practical experiences and perspectives on animal welfare assessment in poultry farming.

• Ronald Klont, Vion Food Group

◦ Expectations and experiences of the pork industry with respect to animal welfare measurements along the pork production chain.

IV. Exchange of Views with MEPs (25 minutes)

V. Closing remarks (5 minutes)

• MEP Benoit Cassart

◦ Co-chair of the Sustainable Livestock Intergroup