Philip reflects on the challenging and turbulent times, but also reasons for hope and the historic steps forward made in the past year, in our shared vision to drive meaningful, lasting change for farmed animals.

This was the year when a 50-year campaign came to fruition with a ban on live animal exports from Britain. A momentous achievement involving so many people over decades who fought relentlessly for what is right. That we stop treating animals like objects to be carted around over horrendously long distances. That we stop the cruel and totally unnecessary trade in transporting animals with long journey times for slaughter or fattening. A moment to celebrate. One from which to draw inspiration. To draw breathe and comfort before moving forward with the next great stride for animals.  

Europe’s Newfound Consensus on Food and Farming

Another big moment this year was when EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, convened the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture. I was honoured to be the sole representative for animal welfare through my role as president of Eurogroup for Animals, a pan-European federation of over 100 member organisations, including the RSPCA. 

Whilst talks were challenging, the outcome was positive, making clear recommendations on a transition toward more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food and farming. The final Report included far-reaching statements on animal welfare, including consensus recommendations on the need to phase out cages and to review the EU’s outdated animal welfare legislation by 2026.

Ending the Cage Age

Caged farming affects billions of animals worldwide. These animals, including pigs, hens, rabbits, ducks, geese, and quail, spend their lives confined in tiny, cramped cages, unable to perform natural behaviours. This inhumane practice not only causes immense suffering but also raises serious ethical concerns about how we treat sentient beings.

Globally, caged farming is a massive issue, with the EU alone confining around 300 million farmed animals in cages annually. In the UK, approximately 8 million farmed animals endure these cruel conditions each year. Despite progress in moving towards cage-free systems, millions of animals still suffer daily.

I’ve long said that banning the caging of animals for food is the first thing we should be doing if serious about a sustainable future. Cage farming is a symbol of all that is unsustainable in farming these days. And getting food and farming back on a sustainable footing is vital if we are to save the future for our children.

In Europe, a team of citizen heroes, formed by Compassion, launched a first-of-its-kind legal action to End the Cage Age, demanding that the European Commission delivers on its democratic promise to legislate to ban cruel cages across Europe. The launch of this first-of-its-kind legal action wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of our donors across the world. 

In the USA, we’ve helped 4.6 million families on government nutrition assistance get access to cage-free eggs. In addition, we’ve played a part in ensuring that California’s flagship anti-confinement legislation for farmed animals was successfully defended in the US Supreme Court – the highest court in the land. 

In China, our dedicated team have persuaded yet more companies to dispense with cages and move to higher welfare practices, with a further 62 million animals a year set to benefit from better lives as a result. 

Momentous achievements like this wouldn’t be possible without you by our side

Time to Stand up for Aquatic Animals

Whilst we strive to end factory farming, it is tragic that humankind still find ever more ingenious ways to introduce new species such as the remarkable octopus, to the cruelty of intensive farming.  

But we won’t give up and I am delighted to say that in the USA, we celebrated a major campaign victory, with Compassion having direct involvement in shutting down the nation’s only octopus farm. We also gave evidence that helped the state of Washington introduce the first ban on octopus farming in March, followed in September by California, which will be the first state to prohibit both the farming and sale of farmed octopus products. 

Compassion’s teams worldwide mobilised to fight against plans through the Pescanova Corporation to build the world’s first commercial octopus farm in the Canary Islands. Our campaign generated significant worldwide attention and positioned us as experts in this field. 

A heartfelt thank you to all our supporters here, in Spain and around the globe who supported us and to those 66,000 members of the public who emailed Canary Islands’ Government President Fernando Clavijo Batlle urging him to reject the octopus farm plans.

We will continue to work to ensure everyone ‘rethinks fish’ in their diet and understands the importance of caring and conserving our precious marine life.

The Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards 

Through our corporate outreach programme, we have been working with companies far and wide to make game-changing commitments for animal welfare. 

Our Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards recognise market leading food companies for their policies or commitments that benefit farmed animals. Our event this year in Paris was hosted by Deborah Meaden business entrepreneur and Dragon’s Den star and welcomed nearly 50 companies from 15 countries for committing to changing animal lives for the better. Household names included Waitrose, Lidl, M&S and Ferrero. 

In total, the commitments made by companies receiving awards that night amounted to more than 500 million animals benefiting from better lives. 

Transforming food systems

How we produce, distribute and consume food are critical issues for the health and wellbeing of animals, people and the planet.  To that end, I am delighted that on 4^th September we launched a hugely important book ‘Regenerative Farming and Sustainable Diets: Human, Animal and Planetary Health’.  Co-edited by our Compassion colleagues, Joyce D’Silva and Carol McKenna, chapters explore topics including the opportunity of agrifood systems transformation in accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals, the role of food systems transformation in preventing pandemics and why our children’s future depends on a global agreement on food, climate and animal welfare. Published by Routledge it is available in hardback, paperback and Open Access ebook.  

There is so much more that I could mention here, thanks to the enormous dedication of our supporters, staff, and trustees. I cannot thank you all enough. Nor applaud you highly enough for the wonderful difference you are making for farmed animals. 

In closing, it simply remains for me to wish you very happy festive holidays and send heartfelt thanks from us all at Compassion.  We really could not achieve these milestones without your unfailing commitment to stand up for farmed animals.

Thank you.