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FBR March 2016

20 | MARCH 2016 | FOOD & BEVERAGE REPORTER www.fbreporter.com SPOTLIGHT ... Continued from previous page Africa, Lovell says all hens, whether caged or cage-free, are beak trimmed using infra-red light that has a very low injury rate or by an older method using a hot knife. Both caged and cage-free hens may typically be slaughtered at less than two years old, far less than half their normal lifespan and are often transported long distances to live sale without food or water. And while the word “barn” might conjure up the image of a bucolic red building in the countryside, experts say these hens are usually confined to aviaries, “massive industrial barns that house thousands of birds”. These do allow birds to walk around, perch, lay their eggs in a nest and spread their wings, all of which are important natural behaviours. But as Lovell points out, it can also be a brutal life – a case of “nature red in tooth and claw”, a quote from Shakespeare about the violence that is part of natural living. A study by Michigan State University, for example, shows that while cage-free birds have more feathers, stronger bones and exhibit more natural behaviours, they have double the chance of dying prematurely, mostly as a result of pecking by other chickens. That puts a very different spin on the announcement late last year by food giants McDonalds and Nestle that they were moving towards exclusively cage-free eggs - ostensibly to promote the welfare of hens. It spurred the US National Association of Egg Farmers to publish a stinging attack on the two companies, accusing them of the “greatest case of fraud”. ... Continued on next page A fascinating insight into how global food companies are tackling animal welfare issues can be found in the latest (2015) Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW). It’s a review of 90 of the world’s leading food processors, retailers and restaurant chains (eg Nestle, Marks & Spencer, Yum Brands, Con Agra, Unilever, Tyson, General Mills, Danone, Carrefour, McDonald’s, Costco etc etc). The report, the fourth so far, compiled in collaboration with animal welfare organisations Compassion in World Farming and World Animal Protection, and investment firm Coller Capital, reveals that many companies are increasing the importance they attach to farm animal welfare. It shows, for example, that: * 70% of those surveyed now have published farm animal welfare policies (compared to 46% in 2012) * 54% have published targets on farm animal welfare (up from 26% in 2012) The report zooms in, in extraordinary detail, on every aspect and stage of farm animal welfare, revealing how complex the subject really is. In his foreword, Donnie Smith, President of food giant Tyson, says: “People today want to know that the animals used to produce their food are raised and handled humanely. It’s a shared responsibility among farmers and food companies to provide transparency, candour, continuous improvement and clear measurement at every stage of the value chain – from farm to table. “As farm animal welfare moves up the business agenda and companies invest more resources in it, those who are serious about improvement need to ask themselves three questions: 1. Are we curious – and open-minded – enough to find better ways? ... We must open our minds to creative improvements in all aspects of animal welfare, including solutions for complex challenges such as housing systems, pain mitigation and antibiotic usage; 2. Can we accept that we may not have all the answers ourselves? We must be humble enough to ask for expert advice and engage in constructive, collaborative dialogue with others in the food chain, research, science and advocacy communities. Continuous improvement must be the driver, but an open mind is the facilitator; 3. Are we telling our story openly, honestly and understandably? We need to share our performance in a way that is meaningful and relevant to our stakeholders, and we need to be responsive to their questions.” Two UK majors, Mark’s & Spencer and Waitrose, were in the top 3 of the BBFAW survey, along with Switzerland’s Coop Group. You can read the full report at http://www.bbfaw.com ANIMAL WELFARE Are we telling our story openly, honestly? Laws regulating

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