Is Compassion in World Farming a vegetarian or vegan organisation?

Compassion in World Farming is the charity that campaigns exclusively for the highest welfare standards for farm animals reared for food.

We are not a vegetarian or vegan organisation and we do not seek to promote vegetarianism or veganism. However, we fully understand and respect that many of our supporters are vegetarian and vegan.

Our ‘Global Warning!’ campaign aims to encourage consumers to eat less meat for the good of farm animals, themselves and the planet.

Compassion in World Farming was set up forty years ago by a farmer, Peter Roberts, who was appalled and saddened by the increase in the use of industrial farming methods and wanted to ensure a brighter future for farm animals across the world. As a result, one of our key aims is to ensure that all meat and dairy produce that is available has been produced to the highest standards of farm animal welfare.

Our key goal is to end the suffering endured by the largest population of animals used by humans in the world: farm animals.. Widespread attitudinal change is vital for this to occur. Much of the world’s population eats meat and we find that we are able to reach more people and bring about more far-reaching improvements for animals through the use of a pragmatic approach.

We fully appreciate the merits and achievements of those organisations that campaign specifically for vegetarianism and/or veganism but feel that duplicating their work would not lead to the most effective outcome. In this way, in terms of the bigger picture, collected animal welfare organisations are able to reach the widest audience possible and get the best results possible.

These are some of the reasons why we do not actively promote vegetarianism or veganism on a continual basis, although we do encourage the public to eat less meat and dairy.

As well as pushing for reform on a political level and seeking farm animal welfare victories within retail, we look to educate the public on farm animal welfare issues and their own personal consumer power so that they are able to make individual, informed and responsible choices. When suggesting that consumers make a move to choosing free range or organic produce, we often point out that cutting down on meat and dairy consumption is one of the most effective ways they can make a difference.

Our ‘Stop Factory Farming’ campaign, in particular, goes into this in more detail. We would like to reiterate that our aim is to work as effectively as possible and to improve the lives of as many animals as possible to as great a degree as possible. All that we do is geared to this aim.