Embracing change for a better future

As England finds itself in lockdown 2.0, the impact of COVID-19 on our lives, the business we're part of and the lives of our clients is clearly (and rightly) front of mind. There is little doubt that there is likely to be some impact on the health and welfare of the livestock under the collective care of our industry because of the impacts of COVID on the food supply chain. It is encouraging that the UK governments have not forgotten about animal welfare and the potential impact COVID may have; advisory bodies such as the Animal Welfare Committee have been consulted on what form these impacts may take and what can be done to mitigate some of the threats that have been identified.

While COVID is set to cast long shadows on our economy and cultural landscape, it is likely to be wider social changes that have the greater impact on the livestock farming industry. While global demands for livestock products continue to rise in response to increased global wealth, particularly in economically developing nations, in post-industrial economies there is a reduction in their consumption. This reduction stems from a variety of factors, some of which clearly relate to concerns about the environmental impact of livestock production, animal welfare and the ethics of utilising sentient beings for human benefit, an increasing range of alternatives and growing wealth inequality. Consumers may not understand the intricacies of the farming industry, but it is clear that they expect farmers to produce safe, nutritious food from systems that respect both the environment and animal welfare — and that most do not want to have to think about this too closely at the point of purchase.