Federated Farmers Submission on Proposed Animal Welfare Regulations (Care & Conduct and Surgical & Painful Procedures)
MPI Discussion Paper No: 2016/12
Federated Farmers takes the management of livestock and animal welfare very seriously. Good animal welfare practices are an important component of productive, sustainable and profitable livestock farming, our members businesses and New Zealand’s agricultural industry. We are proud of our first equal ranking with Austria, the UK and Switzerland according to the World Animal Protection for our animal welfare system. Practical rules which provide clarity and transparency and are enforceable are important to maintain the integrity of our animal welfare systems and continuing to keep animals safe and achieve good animal welfare outcomes.
As part of the preparation of this submission extensive discussion has been carried out with our elected representatives including our national board, our provincial leaders and our national and provincial industry representatives. We also received 475 responses to our member survey of which 272 were dairy farmers, 232 were sheep and beef farmers, 28 arable, 22 deer farmers and 21 other (respondents are able to farm in more than one industry).