Animal welfare's impact on the food chain

The impact of animal welfare on the food chain is considerable. Firstly, an animal's welfare, its health status, level of stress prior to slaughter etc. has a direct impact on the quality of the product from that animal. The second impact is via citizens, whose strong commitment to animal welfare has led to increasing EU policy in the area. The third is by consumers concerned about the welfare quality of the products they buy. Although linked to food safety, this concern incorporates the whole area of animal welfare including the different criteria inherent in the concept of good animal welfare.