It will be a joint meeting of the APPG on Science & Technology in Agriculture and the APPG on Animal Welfare to explore and discuss the issue of large-scale livestock production and its implications not only for the productivity and efficiency of primary food production, but also for animal welfare and the environment. The keynote speaker is a visiting US farmer, Kenn Buelow, who will describe how he uses the latest advances in systems automation, livestock genetics, nutrition and healthcare to manage an 8,000 cow dairy herd in Wisconsin. This will be followed by a panel discussion about the issue of large-scale livestock production in a UK context and to consider the strongly-held concerns, particularly in relation to animal welfare, which have made recent planning applications for large-scale pig and dairy units in England such a heated and controversial topic.

Please contact the secretariat if you would like to attend.

The next APGAW meeting will be THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT IN PRACTICE on Monday 15^th April 1500-1700 with RSPCA Inspectors and Prosecutors.

Recent press coverage has seen very light sentencing on animal cruelty cases as well as high profile cases on fox-hunting and live transportation so APGAW will be discussing how the animal welfare law really works and how it could be improved. Speakers will give an overview on how the RSPCA investigates and prosecutes and what differences the Animal Welfare Act has made to animals in England and Wales.

Please contact the secretariat for further details.

Having been approached by HSI and the Born Free Foundation, APGAW has been looking at the impending CITES conference in March this year. It is a vital moment to seek measures which protect endangered animals and those poached in the wild. Consequently, APGAW has written to Richard Benyon MP, asking him to apply pressure from the UK when the EU is forming its position for the March meeting. The EU has some clout as it represents a large number of nations and it is important that they support the measures set out in APGAW's letter.

You can click here to read the letter.

This week, EFRA published their report on Dog Control & Welfare: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmenvfru/575/575.pd

The committee suggests the introduction of consolidated dog legislation, Dog Control Notices and tighter limits on unlicensed dog breeding which are all things that we have been promoting.  APGAW will press the Government to consider the EFRA report, alongside the APGAW reports and take action.