More than 75% of the world’s farmed animals live in Asia, including 90% of farmed fish and 45% of land animals. As the region’s economies have grown, demand for meat, fish, eggs, and dairy has risen sharply. This growth has driven rapid expansion of intensive animal farming practices, often with few welfare protections. For these reasons, we’re interested in seeing a successful and growing farm animal advocacy movement in Asia.
Across the continent, movement leaders are building a pipeline of talented advocates working to secure corporate animal welfare pledges, help companies implement them, and promote the widespread adoption of better welfare practices.
Advocates in Asia have secured impressive wins for farmed animals, including commitments from global companies to expand their animal welfare policies to Asia. Today, nearly 300 multinational food companies have cage-free policies that apply to Asia, while many Asian food companies have broader farm animal welfare policies. For example, Thai-based CP Foods, a global top-three producer of poultry and pork, committed to increase its production of cage-free eggs, and to phase out all painful mutilations (like castration, teeth clipping, and tail cutting in pigs).
Many multinational food companies with cage-free policies haven’t applied those policies in Asia. Part of our funding strategy involves supporting groups to help companies implement their pledges in the Asian market. We are also looking to support the growth of advocacy groups in countries with large numbers of farm animals.