History & Achievements
Compassion in World Farming was established in 1967 by British dairy farmer Peter Roberts. Peter and his wife Anna had become increasingly concerned with the animal welfare issues connected to the new systems of intensive farming that began to take hold in the 1960s.
Unfortunately, at the time, Peter couldn't convince any of the major animal welfare societies to campaign against factory farming, so he decided to do it himself and Compassion in World Farming was born.
Originally run from the Roberts' family house, Compassion in World Farming has grown into an organisation with offices in Ireland, France and Holland and representatives in seven more countries, including South Africa and Oceania.
40th Anniversary Film
Compassion in World Farming has achieved significant advances for farm animal welfare in the decades since our humble farmhouse origins.
Relying entirely on the generosity of our supporters, we have grown into a globally respected lobbying and campaigning organisation with a reputation for objective research.
Over the decades, our work has been extremely successful in improving farm animal welfare:
Our achievements
Here is a short list of some of the achievements we are most proud of:
FOOD BUSINESS IMPACT: OVER 311 MILLION ANIMALS SET TO BENEFIT EACH YEAR
The Good Dairy Award - launched 2011
Since it was established in 2007, Compassion in World Farming’s Food Business Team has pioneered a unique partnership approach to its work with the European food industry – with great results. Some of the world’s top food companies are on board and millions of farm animals have already benefitted.
Read more about our impact here >>
VEAL CRATES: BANNED IN UK & EUROPE
Narrow veal crates banned
Veal crates - banned across the EU
In 1987, the UK government voted to phase out cruel veal crates for calves following a court case and campaign from Compassion in World Farming. The ban came into place in the UK in 1990.
Six years later, continued pressure from Compassion in World Farming also resulted in legislation to ban on veal crates across Europe from 2007. Because of this campaign, veal crates are now outlawed in all countries in the EU.
Read more about veal >>
SOW STALLS: BANNED IN UK, RESTRICTED IN EUROPE
Sow stalls banned
Sow stalls - banned in the UK, restricted in Europe
Following intense campaigning by Compassion, keeping pregnant sows in narrow stalls has been banned in the UK since 1999.
Continued pressure means that, from 2013, these stalls are prohibited across the EU after the first four weeks of pregnancy.
Read more about sow stalls and pig welfare >>
ANIMALS CAN FEEL PAIN AND SUFFER: EU LAW AGREES
Animal Sentience © Martin Usborne / Compassion in World Farming
Animal sentience recognised by the EU (1997)
In 1997, animals were legally recognised as sentient beings (capable of feeling pain and discomfort) by the EU, following a ten-year campaign by Compassion in World Farming. This fundamental agreement now underpins and paves the way for all future improvements to farm animal welfare in Europe.
Read more about animal sentience >>
BARREN BATTERY CAGES: BANNED IN EUROPE
Barren battery cages banned © Martin Usborne / Compassion in World Farming
Barren battery cages - banned across the EU (from 2012)
In 1999, against all the odds, the EU agreed to ban barren battery cages for laying hens from 2012.
Hailed by many as the single biggest victory for animal welfare in recent history, Compassion is now working tirelessly to ensure the ban comes into force as agreed. In 2007, the UK government stated the ban would be enforced in the UK despite continued opposition from many in the egg industry and many EU member states.
Read more about the welfare of laying hens >>
LIVE EXPORTS: AN END TO SUBSIDIES
Live_export_subsidies_eliminated
Live exports - subsidies eliminated
In 2005, the export subsidies for EU farmers transporting live cattle to the Middle East were eliminated. Compassion in World Farming continues to fight for a maximum journey time of eight hours to be endorsed by EU Agriculture Ministers.
Read more about the long distance transport of farm animals >>
COWS BELONG IN FIELDS: NOCTON DAIRIES WITHDRAWS PLANS FOR THE UK'S FIRST MEGA-DAIRY
Mega dairy
Plans for the UK's first Mega Dairy - withdrawn.
On 16th February 2011, after more than a year of campaigning, controversy and public debate, Nocton Dairies withdrew its plans for a 3,700 cow zero-grazing farm at Nocton Heath in rural Lincolnshire. If the Nocton Dairies planning application had been approved, Lincolnshire would have been home to the UK’s first mega-dairy farm: thousands of cows, confined in giant sheds and milked three times a day.
Read more about our ongoing work to combat intensive dairy farming >>
With your support we will be able to achieve even more in the future. If you agree that farm animals should not and need not suffer, please support us today.
Just £3 a month can help us tackle all forms of intensive factory farming - the biggest cause of animal cruelty on the planet.
