The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) launched two calls for evidence to collect data and information to support EFSA’s risk assessments to deliver scientific opinions on the welfare of beef cattle and turkeys on farm on December 8, 2023, according to a recent US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report. 

Interested parties can submit a contribution on the topic until January 31, 2024. These evidence calls are a key step in EFSA’s development of the scientific opinions to be delivered by June 30, 2025, for beef cattle and by December 31, 2025, for turkeys. EFSA previously organised a stakeholder meeting regarding this topic on November 7-8, 2023 in Brussels.

The European Commission’s review of the European Union animal welfare legislation is an integral part of the EU’s Farm to Fork strategy. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was tasked by the Commission to provide new scientific advice that reflects the most up-to-date scientific research and data on the welfare of broilers, calves, pigs, laying hens, dairy cattle, ducks, geese, and quails on farm as well as the welfare during transport of pigs, bovines, equids, small ruminants, and animals transported in containers.

In October 2023, the European Commission sent two mandates to EFSA to deliver scientific opinions: by June 30, 2025 on the welfare of beef cattle on farm, and by December 31, 2025 on the welfare of turkeys on farm. The Commission also presented a legislative proposal in December 2023 to revise the EU rules on the protection of animals during transport as part of the animal welfare package.

From November 7-8, 2023, EFSA hosted a stakeholder meeting in Brussels to initiate an open dialogue on the risk assessment process and offer stakeholders the opportunity to learn about EFSA’s work on animal welfare. The event engaged a range of partners in a technical discussion on the available data and sources that will contribute to EFSA's scientific advice on the welfare of beef cattle and turkeys on farm. The meeting was also a component of a new engagement approach for the animal welfare mandates, and EFSA plans to engage regularly with stakeholders until the publication of its scientific opinions.