Executive summary
Background
Public attention to the welfare of farm animals has been increasing for the past half century in
the industrialized countries, and world-wide especially during the past decade. This has resulted
from cultural changes that have caused animals to be more valued, from economic pressures
that have required producers to limit production costs, and from the practical recognition that
attention to animal welfare often leads to improved animal health and productivity. A result of
these and other developments is an increasing expectation, both domestic and international,
that animals will be raised, transported and slaughtered humanely, and that suppliers will be
able to demonstrate adherence to appropriate standards.