The GCAW Pig Welfare Working Group was pleased to welcome Dr Abbie Viscardi, Assistant Professor at Kansas State University to its meeting on 3 April 2024. Dr Viscardi provided a comprehensive overview of the use of and options for pain relief during routine mutilations in piglets, including castration, tail docking,...

Company commitments can be powerful drivers for transitioning livestock production to higher welfare systems. Implementing these commitments, however, requires an adaptive approach to overcome myriad challenges. These challenges are both external, including access to supply, regulatory conditions, traceability, and limited purchasing influence, and internal, such as poor integration of animal...

Members of GCAW’s Broiler Welfare Working Group met on 6 March 2024 and welcomed guest speaker Peter van Horne, an agricultural economist specialising in broiler chicken production at Wageningen University & Research. Peter presented an overview of how the Netherlands rapidly transitioned from conventional to slower growing broiler breeds. Now...

A quarterly meeting for all members of the Global Coalition for Animal Welfare took place on 7th February 2024. At this meeting, members were joined by guests from the Brussels-based Association of Poultry Processors and Poultry Trade in the EU Countries (AVEC). AVEC represents 19 national association members from 17...

Research published by the GCAW reveals that many of the world’s largest food companies are facing setbacks in their ability to source cage-free eggs. The GCAW Cage-Free Eggs Global Landscape Review presents the status of global egg production, collating available data on the 40 countries that together represent over 90%...

GCAW convened members of its Laying Hens Welfare Working Group on 24 January 2024. The Group was pleased to welcome representatives from IQC for an expert briefing on a cage-free egg certification scheme which it is operating in China. Members were keen to understand the scope and requirements of this...

After three years in the role, Dr Birte Nielsen is stepping down as GCAW’s Independent Chair. Dr Nielsen said, “The challenge of improving the welfare of animals across global food production systems cannot be understated: it entails not only a wide variety in cultural and legislative standards from one country...

On 28th and 29th November, the Global Coalition for Animal Welfare gathered for an in-person meeting; an opportunity to come together to share information and updates on the member companies’ individual approaches to animal welfare, and their progress and challenges over the last 12 months. We are most grateful to...

GCAW convened members of its Broiler Welfare Working Group on 11 October 2023. The Group was pleased to welcome Paul van Boekholt, who oversees Northern European operations for Hubbard Breeders. Paul has been involved in introducing slower-growing broiler breeds for producers, retailers and food service companies operating in many countries...

The Global Coalition on Animal Welfare has become a signatory to the Beijing Consensus on Farm Animal Welfare, an initiative which seeks to strengthen international cooperation and exchanges, and build a sustainable, responsible and efficient future for the livestock industry. Dr Nathan Rhys Williams signed the declaration on behalf of...

GCAW is pleased to be attending the World Farm Animal Welfare – Beijing Consensus Conference at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters in Italy, September 2023. Dr Nathan Rhys Williams accepted an invitation to participate in a panel discussion on Sharing Animal Welfare Best Practice...

GCAW convened members of its Pig Welfare Working Group on 6 September 2023. The Group was pleased to welcome speakers from Canadian pork producer, duBreton, whose mission it is to connect 400 family-run farms in Eastern Canada to consumers who value sustainability and animal welfare. Attendees were most  grateful to...

The quarterly meeting for all GCAW members was held on 26 July 2023. The group was pleased to welcome guest speaker David Speller, Founder and CEO of Optifarm for an expert briefing about technology as an enabler for driving improvements in animal welfare at scale. From his own experience of...

In collaboration with the Dutch Young Farmers’ Association (NAJK), GCAW organised a study tour to Sweden for the next generation of Dutch pig farmers. Sweden has an advanced welfare programme in which tail docking of meat pigs and close confinement farrowing crates for sows and piglets are not permitted, and...

GCAW's Broiler Chicken Welfare Working Group have developed a GCAW Recommendation on the Use of Welfare Outcome Measures for Broiler Chickens which sets out GCAW’s recommendations for using welfare outcome measures alongside input-based measures for supporting improvements in broiler chicken welfare.

Starbucks and 2 Sisters Food Group have become the newest members of GCAW.

Laying Hen Welfare Working Group members publish progress towards meeting cage-free egg commitments.

GCAW's Laying Hen Welfare Working Group has published a formal position statement on combination systems for laying hens.

Leading US food retailer, The Kroger Co., is the latest company to join GCAW, on the heels of Tesco, Tyson Foods, Maple Leaf Foods, The Cheesecake Factory and Hilton Food Group. The Global Coalition for Animal Welfare (GCAW), the world’s first industry-led collaboration aimed at advancing animal welfare standards throughout...

The Global Coalition for Animal Welfare (GCAW), the world’s first industry-led collaboration aimed at advancing animal welfare standards throughout the global food supply chain, is marking its second anniversary with the addition of five new members. Tesco plc (LON: TSCO, “Tesco”) Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN “Tyson” ), Maple Leaf...

GCAW members believe that cage systems for laying hens (including battery cages, furnished/enriched cages, and combi-cages used inappropriately) severely restrict behavioural freedom and prevent hens from expressing highly motivated behaviours. In contrast, cage-free systems (including single or multi-level barns or aviaries) allow the expression of a more diverse array of...