Additional comments to the House of Commons Agriculture Committee Inquiry on Organic Farming from Dr N H Lampkin on the animal welfare implications of the new EU organic livestock regulation

I would like the opportunity to comment further on the questions raised by Mr Todd MP (paras 116-121) concerning organic farming and animal welfare, now that I have had the opportunity to read the written and oral evidence by Professor McKelvey from the SAC.

In my view the written submission correctly states that there could be negative impacts on animal welfare if the provisions of the regulation are not implemented with care. However, this is a very different issue from saying that organic farming does have negative impacts on health and welfare. The organic sector bodies and UKROFS have always placed great emphasis on ensuring that these provisions are implemented with a view to animal welfare and I believe that UKROFS will ensure that this continues to be the case when the new UK standards are published later this month. In addition, organic standards and the new Regulation incorporate a range of other measures, from animal nutrition to housing conditions, ability to exhibit normal behaviour patterns and outside access, designed to promote animal health and welfare.

I have been asked to comment specifically on the situation in the uplands. Here, the past and ongoing MAFF-funded research on organic hill livestock production conducted by ADAS Redesdale is most relevant. Detailed results can be obtained from ADAS, but in general terms the research has shown that balanced organic systems with a mixture of cattle and sheep and appropriate stocking rates can avoid health problems within the constraints imposed by organic standards. It is not realistic to attempt to maintain intensive, sheep only systems under organic management.

I would support strongly the need for animal health plans, as suggested by the SAC and others, and there is nothing to stop UKROFS including a requirement for these. But I would also argue that if standards are too lax with respect to inhibiting pharmaceutical use then farmers may well choose to carry on as before and still not implement an effective preventive management strategy. Clearly, this is a situation where an appropriate balance needs to be found.