The Business of Farm Animal Welfare

Globally, nearly 70 billion animals are farmed annually for meat, milk and eggs, with two-thirds of these animals being farmed intensively. The views held by food companies on animal stewardship, and the management practices and processes that they adopt, are therefore of critical importance in determining the welfare of these animals. From a business perspective, farm animal welfare is an increasingly important issue for companies across all sectors of the food industry - be they retailers, service companies, manufacturers, processors or producers. This has been driven by a range of factors, including regulation, consumer concern, pressure from animal welfare organisations on food business companies and their investors, retailers expecting their suppliers to comply with corporate responsibility policies, and the brand and market opportunities for companies that adopt higher farm animal welfare standards. Yet, despite the scale of the food industry's impact on animal welfare and the business case for action, farm animal welfare as a management issue is relatively immature and there remains a lack of consensus around how companies should manage related issues. This edited collection provides a comprehensive and authoritative analysis of current corporate practice on farm animal welfare. It critically reviews and assesses the ethical and business case for action, proposing farm animal welfare management and reporting frameworks for companies. Through a series of practitioner case-studies, describing how companies have addressed farm animal welfare in their operations and supply chains, the book explores potential challenges, pathways of action, and the associated costs and benefits of these actions. An indispensable guide for researchers, practitioners and general readers looking to build or consolidate their understanding of farm animal welfare in relation to current corporate practice.