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All animals reared for food should be in higher welfare systems as a minimum and where possible follow regenerative principles and practices that will restore the land, replenish our soils and increase biodiversity.
We encourage companies to shift towards more regenerative, nature-friendly farming through adopting practices that:
- Integrate farm animals into mixed rotational systems, where animals have the potential to experience the highest quality of life and become an integral part of the farming ecosystem.
- Build soil health, conserve water, increase biodiversity of flora and fauna, capture carbon, reduce artificial inputs and reduce pollution
- Enable companies to commit to purchase from regenerative farming systems
The welfare potential of a system is determined by the method of production, with key housing features, practices, and the genetics of the animal being primary defining factors. A farming system with a high welfare potential promotes positive mental states while minimising negative experiences, ensures the animals’ physical health and wellbeing, and allows them to express their behavioural preferences.
Conventional systems have a low welfare potential as they provide restrictive environments and prioritise selection for productivity over welfare. While many aspects of the physical health of the animal that impact productivity may be ensured, the mental wellbeing and behavioural preferences are not, and aspects of poor physical wellbeing which have a lower impact on productivity are common (e.g. poor leg health in broiler chickens).
The more the environment provides (space, enrichment, behavioural freedom) and the more selection prioritises welfare (robust breeds suited to the environment), the higher the welfare potential of the system. Higher welfare indoor systems, which provide more space and resources and use animals selected for better welfare outcomes, have a higher welfare potential than conventional intensive systems.
Extensive (free range, organic, regenerative) have an even higher welfare potential as they provide even more opportunities for the performance of behavioural preferences and positive experiences. When systems with a high welfare potential are well managed (underpinned by good stockmanship, feeding, environment, etc) they can provide a high level of welfare for the animals.
Regenerative systems are extensive in their nature - they provide outdoor living to the animals as they are based on integrated livestock on the land - and therefore also have a high welfare potential. Providing good management and the inclusion of additional animal welfare standards within regenerative farming practices would ensure that regenerative systems can actually achieve this welfare potential and deliver the best quality of life for the animals integrated into it.
Regenerative farming involves restoring animals to the land as rotational grazers or foragers, where they can express their natural behaviours – making for happier animals with better health too. It aims to harness natural processes, not just minimize negative impacts but to be a positive force.
Key characteristics include free-ranging animals fed only on pasture and materials that cannot be eaten by people, minimizing the use of chemicals, keeping soil covered all year to avoid corrosion and using mixed, rotational farming methods.
We understand the potential regenerative farming has and the positive role farmed animals can play, but regenerative farming itself does not automatically mean high welfare. As the leading international animal welfare charity, we seek to ensure that animal welfare is considered and implemented in all farming systems: including regenerative farming.
- Expanding and exploring regenerative practices within production systems
- Introducing initiatives to support supply chain transition to more regenerative modelling
- Investment in systems (pilots, trials and upscaling)
- Commitment to purchase
- Promote and assess soil health
- Closed-loop fertility (eg. manure management, nutrient cycle)
- Water conservation (e.g. drip irrigation, recycling water…)
- Use of integrated pest management
- Minimize the use of external inputs (eg. artificial fertilizers and chemical pesticides)
- Implement measures that have a positive impact on biodiversity (eg. Bees, hedges) [refer to CIWF Sustainable Food and Farming Award ]
- Encourage diversity of crops and animals
- Integrated livestock (pasture-fed animals)
- Use of cover crops & crop rotation
- No tillage/low tillage
- Customer education, messaging and information would enable customers to make more informed choices.
It is widely recognised that a future-fit, humane and sustainable food system requires not only significant shifts towards higher welfare and regenerative farming, but also a considerable reduction in the number of animals produced and consumed each year in high-consuming nations (3). Compassion Food Business can help companies along that journey.
Contact us to find out more.
