(JP)Symposium sets agenda for farm reform

[Guest guest]

http://www.wspa-international.org/site/index.php?page=609

 

Symposium sets agenda for farm reform

 

28 Jan 03

JAPAN

 

WSPA has taken part in a ground-breaking symposium

which has helped raise awareness of the need for farm

animal welfare reform in one of Asia's most

influential countries.

 

The event, held in November, was organised by the

Japan Farm Animal Welfare Initiative in co-operation

with WSPA member society, ALIVE. It brought together

140 academics, farm professionals and students

concerned at the increasing intensification of

farming.

 

A key speaker at the symposium was Dr Shusuke Sato, of

the National Institute of Livestock and Grassland

Science, who presented a detail picture of farm animal

welfare in Japan. Dr Shusuke explained how the farming

sector has developed rapidly over the past 20 years,

with animals loosing out to the demands of increased

yields and bigger profits. The country is reputed to

have developed the world's largest battery chicken

systems, in which 'high-rise' cages are stacked 18

tiers deep. BSE, or 'mad cow disease' has also been

recorded in Japan's cattle herd recently.

 

WSPA's Philip Lymbery presented a paper on trends in

farm animal welfare within the European Union

(available on this website). 'This symposium was one

of the first occasions in which the plight of farm

animals has been raised as an issue of public concern

in Japan. We are now assisting our member society in

Tokyo in developing a campaign against the factory

farming of animals, as part of WSPA's World Farmwatch

programme' said Philip.

 

The World Farmwatch campaign was launched in August

last year in the Philippines, where information is now

being distributed to promote free-range methods of

livestock production.

 

 

 

 

 

Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.

http://mailplus.