Livestock Welfare Product Claims: The Emerging Social Context

¹ Department Philosophy, Michigan State University
² Department of Sociology, Michigan State University
³ Institute for Food and Agricultural Standards, Department of Sociology, Michigan State University
⁴ Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: thomp649{at}msu.edu.

	Abstract

An increasing number of product claims about food animal welfare or well-being have appeared in the global food industry and market in recent years. These claims have significant consequences for producers, processors, transporters, retailers, consumers, and the animals themselves. Furthermore, recent restructuring of the global food industry has altered the power relationships of various actors. Regulation of the industry is moving toward greater private control, and the power of retailers has dramatically increased. The changing structure of the industry carries implications both in terms of how standards are created, and the types of standards themselves. The purpose of this article is to provide greater understanding of how these product claims are made, their implications, and the challenges they present.

Key Words: bioethics, labels, trade

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