The EU must transition to animal farming which provides higher welfare and better health and environmental outcomes, according to a new policy briefing by Compassion in World Farming released today (21 January).

Published ahead of a meeting of the European Board on Agriculture and Food tomorrow, the briefing calls on the European Commission to use the upcoming EU Livestock Strategy to address the structural weaknesses of the current livestock sector and deliver better outcomes for animals, farmers, public health and the environment.

As part of the EU Livestock Workstream, the Commission’s work is underway to present the Sustainable Livestock Strategy this summer. In parallel, the European Parliament is set to adopt a resolution on the topic in the spring, under the rapporteurship of MEP Carlo Fidanza.

The position paper, Putting the EU livestock sector on a path to sustainability and resilience, calls for the upcoming EU Livestock Strategy to:

Phase out intensive animal farming
Shift towards higher animal welfare systems
Prioritise food for people over feed for animals
Support a just transition for animal farmers and workers
Adopt a One Health approach

Vinciane Patelou, Head of EU at Compassion in World Farming, said:

The upcoming EU Livestock Strategy is a unique opportunity to address the structural flaws of our food system.

The resilience and sustainability of animal farming depend on the ability of the sector to transition towards more extensive farming methods – where fewer animals are farmed but with higher welfare standards, food for people is prioritised over feed for animals, and farmers are empowered to work with nature, not against it.

EU must end harmful subsidies to intensive animal farming