THE Farm Animal Welfare Council has launched its opinion on policy instruments for improving animal welfare.

The opinion advises the Government about policy instruments suitable for protecting and improving farm animal welfare. Prof Wathes, chairman of FAWC, said: "To achieve the standard of farm animal welfare that people want or expect requires a co-ordinated approach to policy instruments. Legislation will always be necessary to protect animals from unacceptable treatment and cruelty, or to avoid unnecessary suffering and distress, but other policy instruments have a valuable role to play in other circumstances.

"Society has an expectation that the Government should intervene to ensure animal welfare is protected in relation to products from farm animals, including imported produce."