Farming and breeding goals for sustainable animal breeding – views and expectations of stakeholders from the production chains and the general public

Abstract

To contribute to the management of European farm animal genetic resources in Europe, the project «COSADD» identified and testedrelevant sustainable breeding goals, according to the preferences of the food chain and general public stakeholders. Four species- cattle, fish, pigs and poultry - were studied, as representatives of the diversity of meat production systems and breeding schemes. In2008 and 2009 about 60 semi-guided interviews were carried out with representatives of the breeding schemes, agro-industrial actors,retailers and representatives of general public NGOs (consumers, animal and environment protection). Stakeholders’ priorities wereanalyzed in both current economic and sustainable development contexts. The interviewees from the economic sector shared someviews: the priority of the economic and marketing aspects, the necessity to produce animals, both easy to raise and resilient to sanitaryrisks. Environment and animal welfare were also important traits even if considered as external demands. However, many differencesin priorities were associated with the specificities of each species’ production system (intensive, linked to the soil, or not inboth cases) and breeding schemes (private or public). The representatives of general public NGOs focused on public views and expectationstoward animal production, definition of sustainable development and opinion on some controversial questions about the relationshipsbetween animal production and environment or animal welfare. Two different paradigms are in fact described, even if manypeople think that both will coexist through the next decade. On the one hand, a «green growth» paradigm, productive but respectingstrict regulations; and on the other hand an «alternative and extensive» one, with quality schemes and a lower level of meatconsumption.