Animal Welfare Action

Virtually every day in the last week or so has seen a story supporting better animal welfare.

It started with Jamie Oliver denouncing battery chicken farming on Channel 4, closely followed by Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall on the same topic. As we know, where these two go today public opinion tends to follow tomorrow.

Then we had the introduction of "faux gras", a goose friendly way of producing foie gras where the birds are not force fed but rather have access to a rich diet to fatten naturally. The product has been launched in Waitrose which stopped selling foie gras 6 years ago, as well as Fortnum and Mason.

Monday's Times featured the launch of a campaign by farmers and industry figures to develop the British veal market, based on calves raised in first class welfare conditions, either outdoors and fed grass and milk, or grass only until the animals are about 16 months old. The industry is keen to see whether consumers will respond if they are reassured about welfare, as a veal market in the UK would stop the controversial export of live calves, and help find an outlet for dairy beef.

And radio 4's British Food and Farming Awards gave the top prize for Best Campaigner/Educator to Compassion in World Farming for their work in improving conditions for farmed animals.

All in all a good week for those committed to raising their animals in the best possible conditions.