19 December 2017
Following the controversial debate aboout methods of animal slaughter in relation to provision of Halal meat, at the County Council's October meeting where it was claimed that a large number, if not all, councillors are concerned about animal welfare of farmed animals, Green County Councillor Gina Dowding brought a motion to the December meeting hoping for wider improvements.
The aim was simple in that it referred to increasing the commitment to the Soil Association Food for Life Awards. This is a scheme to which the County is already proud to subscribe and sets out standards including those for animal welfare. Lancashire County Council is currently at level Silver. A move to Gold would be easiest for the procurement team to adopt in that staff are already familiar with the processes involved.
Most of County's meat is currently certified under the British Farm Assured or Red Tractor Scheme ( these two names seem to refer to the same scheme of certification). Farm Assured is the most basic of the certification schemes and does not offer farm animals much solace. The next best level is the RSPCA freedom foods. But it is widely acknowledged by animal welfare organisations such as Compassion in World Farming that Soil Association Organic food means the best animal welfare standards in animal husbandry.
The move to Food for Life Gold Award would not mean a move to 100% serving of organic meat - even though this is the surest way to improve farmed animal welfare. It does not require all meat being of the lower RSPCA Freedom certified standard. However moving toward the FFL Gold Award would certainly mean improvements in animal welfare for a larger percentage of meat purchased by the County, and there would be an obvious knock on effect for those farmers trying to sustain better conditions for farmed animals.
Gina said:
"Given that the Conservatives have made a lot of noise about how much they support animal welfare it was galling that the Conservatives voted en bloc against the motion and it was lost. This would have been a great opportunity for the County Council to make a practical difference to animal welfar. I will continue to press the case for adopting the improved standards."
The Motion as presented to the meeting:
Council is proud of its commitment to, and action to date, to increase animal welfare standards in food procured and served by the County Council in schools and other establishments.
As a local authority Lancashire County Council is accredited to the Soil Association Food for Life Silver Award which accounts for over 85% of the 65,000 meals served across Lancashire on a daily basis.
In light of widely shared concern Council will increase its commitment to animal welfare and therefore resolves:
- To consider efforts and initiatives which will result in the wider uptake of plant-based meals in schools and other county establishments as the best way to reduce animal suffering.
- To work towards adoption of the Soil Association Food for Life Gold Award within the next 6 months which will ensure greater standards of animal welfare. The Gold Award would mean a minimum 15% of total spend will be on organic products and therefore that spend on animal products will be backing the highest welfare systems in agriculture, with a further 5% minimum on free range or organic poultry and pork.
In addition Council notes:
- That achieving higher standards of animal welfare would require a commitment to all animal products purchased being organic.
- That the UK farming sector anticipates the expansion in the number and volume of huge poultry factory farms, known as 'poultry mega farms' (due to forthcoming changes to the UK's markets and associated regulations related to Brexit), which are the antithesis of increasing animal welfare.
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