NPG organizes contest to promote outdoor area design for increased animal welfare

– by Laura Van Vooren (BioForum)

In order to demonstrate the efforts of the organic farmers for animal welfare, the Flemish NPG on layers has set up a contest to select the ‘best outdoor area for chickens’. In May and June, farmers could sign up for the election by answering a questionnaire on the design of their outdoor area and on their motivation to work on animal welfare and by providing several pictures of the farm and surroundings to the jury. The jury consisted of several researchers with expertise in animal welfare and poultry, as well as a member of a farmers’ association and a member of a consumers’ organization. The jury selected three laureates and on each of these farms a short video was made. In October, both the jury and consumers could vote for their favourite farm. The contest was closed on the 24^th of October and both the jury, and the consumers chose the same farm as the final winner.  More than 1000 consumers have voted in this contest. More information and the videos of the farms can be found here.