UK Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards
6 July 2011, London

Ben and Jerry's collect their Good Dairy Award

On July 6th 2011, the leading lights of the food industry gathered in London for Compassion’s prestigious Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards, hosted by TV Chef Paul Merrett. The awards celebrate and reward major food companies for committing to higher welfare policies, and were attended by a number of celebrity guests. This year they were bigger than ever, with the launch of the first ever Good Dairy Award.

In total, 48 winners received awards at the ceremony in a range of categories comprising the Good Supermarket, Good Dairy, Good Chicken and Good Egg Awards. Recognition was also given to producers leading the way in pig welfare, in advance of the Good Pig Award which launches in 2012.

The event is fast becoming a key part of the food industry calendar and demonstrates the huge potential we have to transform farm animal welfare through changing company policies.

The Winners

UK supermarkets that point the way

Supermarkets are hugely important to farm animal welfare due to their enormous purchasing power and the vast number of shoppers they attract; six of the largest supermarkets in the UK account for 87% of the money we spend on groceries. They can achieve massive improvements for farm animals simply through their everyday procurement decisions. The 2011 Supermarket Awards are based on Compassion’s latest Supermarket Survey, which scores and rates the UK’s top supermarkets on their approach to farm animal welfare.

Most Compassionate Supermarket 2011

In addition to being crowned Most Compassionate Supermarket for the fourth time, Waitrose also won a Good Dairy Award. Duncan Sinclair, Agriculture Manager, said: “A belief in the very highest standards of animal welfare is right at the heart of the way we do business. Our customers always expect us to treat animals fairly, and with respect at all times, so we make enormous effort to make sure this trust is well placed”.

Best Volume Supermarket

This Award goes to the best of the ‘big four’ UK supermarkets and was collected by Sainsbury's for the third time for its continued efforts in animal welfare. The supermarket also won a Good Calf Commendation in the Good Dairy category for setting up an alternative supply chain for black and white bull calves, which then go to Sainsbury's beef supply chain.

Most Improved Supermarket

In addition to its Elmwood chicken, the Co-operative Food continues to expand its higher welfare Elmwood range to cover more species, including turkey – one of the reasons the Co-operative were awarded Most Improved Supermarket 2011.

Good Dairy Award

The Good Dairy Award is helping to address key welfare issues in intensive dairy farming. The commitments made by our Good Dairy Award winners include sourcing milk from cows that graze on pasture – at least in the grass growing season - and ensuring male calves are reared in high welfare systems and are not exported.

Winners leading the way in better welfare include Ben & Jerry’s, Beemster Cheese, Green & Black’s, Yeo Valley, OMSCo, Laverstoke Park Farm and major supermarkets ASDA, The Co-operative Food and Waitrose. Commendations were awarded to M&S, Sainsbury’s, Dovecote Park and Brookfield Farm.

Good Chicken Award

Good Chicken Award winners’ policies demonstrate a commitment to using higher welfare standards by addressing the stocking density, growth rate and the need for environmental enrichment for broiler chickens.

The five companies receiving a Good Chicken Award were The National Trust, The Black Farmer, Lake House Table, Packington Poultry and Traditional Norfolk Poultry.

Good Egg Award

Good Egg Award winners’ policies address the confinement of laying hens and show a commitment to using only cage-free eggs (i.e. free-range, barn or organic).

Among the 21 new Good Egg Award winners were the happy egg co., Mr Kipling, Linda McCartney and Ocado.

Leaders in Pig Welfare

Our Leadership in Pig Welfare Award recognises producers demonstrating that higher welfare for sows and meat pigs is possible in UK systems, paving the way for the industry to aim for a Good Pig Award in 2012. Laverstoke Park Farm, Packington Pork, Bishop Burton College, Braemar Farm, Brydock Farms and Dent Ltd were all recognised for their Leadership in Pig Welfare.

To find out more about these winners visit: www.compassioninfoodbusiness.com/awards

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