Britain "Sidelined" on Animal Welfare

BRITISH FUR TRADE ASSOCIATION PRESS RELEASE
NOVEMBER 17, 1999

"Britain Sidelined on Animal Welfare," Warns British Fur Trade Association

LONDON: The British Fur Trade Association (BFTA) warns today that the only outcome of any political decision to ban fur farming will be to sideline Britain in the future debate on further improving animal welfare standards in more than 6,000 fur farms throughout Europe.

If concern for animal welfare is the reason for a ban, it is appropriate for the Government to work through the European Union and the Council of Europe to further improve standards on all European fur farms including those in Britain. A move to work through the Council of Europe on fur farm animal welfare was signalled by Government minister, Elliot Morley, two years ago.

If Parliament decided to ban fur farming, it would unjustly ban a particular method of farming that already adopts high animal welfare standards. It would also destroy the livelihood of a small group of British farmers and their families and have a knock-on economic effect for local communities, employees and suppliers.

The BFTA says: "There are significant international implications if such a draconian step was taken as 85% of the world's fur is produced on farms - the majority within the European Union. It would be unjust if Britain went out on a limb to ban fur farming based only on emotion whilst ignoring sound, internationally agreed scientific animal welfare parameters."

Notes to editors:

(1) The BFTA is a trade association with members across the supply chain from commodity trading to craftsmanship and fashion retailing. The BFTA represents members' views and interests to Westminster and Whitehall and to other national and international administrations. BFTA members purchase the majority of world trade in fur at primary or wholesale level.

(2) The Labour Party made a pre-election pledge to ban fur farming. In January 1999 Labour MP Maria Eagle's Private Member's Bill to prohibit fur farming was announced. Maria Eagle said in Parliament (5 March 1999) of her draft Bill that "it is not about banning fur as a by-product", that "where animals are produced primarily for food, nothing in the Bill will prevent the use of their skins or fur as a by-product" and it is "not about prohibiting the wearing, purchase, sale or trade of fur". At the end of the Parliamentary Term on 23 July 1999 the Bill failed to be passed into law.

(3) Some EU countries have national legislation covering the existence and operation of fur farms and all operate under EU animal welfare directives including EU Council Directive 98/58/EC of 20 July 1998 on the protection of farmed animals which specifically includes fur animals along with pigs, cows and sheep for example.

(4) The European fur farming community was actively involved, along with governments, their advisors and welfare organisations in the preparation of the latest Council of Europe recommendations concerning fur farmed animals (adopted Summer 1999). Some European countries have already adopted these recommendations into national law.

(5) Elliot Morley MP, the minister responsible for animal welfare at the Ministry of Agriculture, said in parliament in 1997 that the Government will be working within the Council of Europe to ensure "the adoption of the highest possible standards consistent with the scientific evidence and expert opinion" in relation to European fur farming. (Hansard, November 1997).

Euro Fur Farmers Say Any UK Ban "Totally Unjustified" European Fur Breeders' Association press release, Nov. 17, 1999.

Base Fur Farming Decisions on Animal Welfare Parameters, Not Emotion British Fur Council press release, May 14, 1999.

UK's Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill "Fundamentally Wrong" European Fur Breeders' Association press release, May 14, 1999.

For more information, please contact: Jan Brown Tel: mobile 07881 821413 fax: 0171 281 1374; info@britishfurcouncil.com; www.iftf.com

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