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Debate on animal welfare standards in farming

A debate will take place on 3 June 2024 on the animal welfare standards in farming, which will be introduced by Adrian Ramsay (Green). 

Farm animal welfare is a devolved matter. In England it is covered by the Animal Welfare Act 2006, The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007  provide more specific requirements for the welfare of farmed animals. There are also on-farm welfare codes of practice for each type of farmed animal. 

Enforcement of animal welfare on farms is the responsibility of trading standards, the Animal and Health Plant Agency (APHA) and the Food Standards Agency, which covers welfare at slaughter. There has been criticism of how farm animal welfare requirements are been enforced and of private farm assurance schemes. 

Animal welfare campaigns for farm animals focus on a number of areas including the use of carbon dioxide to stun and kill pigs, the use of cages for hens and farrowing crates for pigs, improved welfare labelling for meat and eggs, large intensive farms and non-stun religious slaughter.