Slow Food to tackle welfare and meat consumption
The results of the survey were revealed at a conference in Italy called "Who Cares about Animal Welfare?", and it revealed 70% of respondents were concerned about the health and environmental implications of meat consumption and production.
According to Slow Food, the survey was launched in order to better understand its members’ and producers’ attitudes towards meat consumption and animal welfare as well as the association’s involvement on the issues.
The conference was also the occasion for Slow Food to present its Policy Paper on Animal Welfare (LINK), a strategic document which outlines the association’s current position on the issue and its future strategy.
According to the organisation, the paper focuses on the importance of working with producers to continue to improve welfare for their animals as well as working on raising consumer awareness of animal welfare and encouraging a reduction of meat consumption.
Introducing the conference, Piero Sardo, the president of the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity, said: "More and more people understand we have a duty to respect animals and that we must modify our consumption habits accordingly. Slow Food members have demonstrated that animal welfare is important to them, as it guarantees a better quality product and is more sustainable. As an association, Slow Food will have to work over the next few years to understand where a line must be drawn and define what is acceptable to us when it comes to raising animals. This must be done by working alongside farmers and raising attention amongst consumers."
