Info session | Advancing Scientific Knowledge on the Welfare of Turkeys on farm: Insights from the EFSA Scientific Opinion

Background

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a comprehensive Scientific Opinion on the welfare of turkeys on farm, alongside with a Technical report reviewing the most common housing systems and husbandry practices for turkeys kept in the European Union (EU). These outputs respond to a mandate from the European Commission (EC) and form part of EFSA’s broader work to strengthen the scientific basis for animal welfare policy in the EU. This public webinar marked the final engagement activity within EFSA’s engagement strategy plan for animal welfare mandates related to turkeys. The strategy was designed to ensure transparency, inclusiveness, and meaningful dialogue throughout the scientific assessment process. 

The engagement activities began with a ‘Stakeholder meeting on the welfare of turkeys: farming practices and data’ held in Brussels on 8th November 2023, during which EFSA presented the EC mandate, the scope of the assessment, and the planned scientific approach. This initial exchange allowed stakeholders to better understand the process and provided an opportunity to identify key issues and expectations at an early stage. As part of the assessment process, EFSA also organised technical hearings with stakeholders, enabling in depth exchanges on specific aspects of turkey welfare, housing systems, and husbandry practices. In parallel, EFSA experts participated in an EC factfinding study, supporting the collection and evaluation of practical information on how turkeys are kept in the EU.

In addition, EFSA’s Networks on Animal Welfare and of the scientific National Contact Points for Council Regulation (EC) 1099/2009 were consulted on specific technical topics relevant to the mandate. These consultations focused in particular on animal-based measures (ABMs) at slaughter that may be used to monitor welfare on farm, as well as on mutilations practiced in turkeys. 

Building on these activities, EFSA launched a public Call for Evidence, inviting stakeholders to share relevant data, experience, and perspectives between 8th December 2023 and 31 January 2024. The call received 89 submissions from 24 stakeholders across 7 countries. These contributions were carefully considered by EFSA’s scientific experts during the development of the welfare assessment and the housing systems report.

Objectives of the webinar

The objective of this webinar was to present the main conclusions and recommendations of EFSA’s Scientific Opinion on the welfare of turkeys and reply to relevant questions. 

The webinar was open to all Stakeholders and interested parties upon registration and aimed to support a shared understanding of the scientific evidence underpinning turkey welfare in the European Union. The webinar was attended by over 100 participants from industry, Public Research institutions and academia, NGOs, Member States representatives amongst others. 

The presentations highlighted hazards of housing systems and management and their links to welfare consequences and animal-based measures to assess them. In line with EFSA’s commitment to openness and dialogue, the webinar also included a dedicated questions and answers session. Time was reserved to address questions submitted by stakeholders during the registration phase, as well as questions raised live during the event. In total over 15 questions were answered by the Chair of the EFSA working group on the welfare of turkeys and two EFSA staff.

The programme and the presentations have been made publicly available.

Contact

Do not hesitate to contact us via AskEFSA for more information.