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| Marta Prado |
Graduates and trainers at HSI-Bristol University Animal Welfare
Training Graduation ceremony. |
By Jennifer Felt and Jordan Taylor
In February 2007, an unlikely duo took the stage in the auditorium at the University of Costa Rica—Manuel Miranda from the Costa Rican Ministry of Agriculture and Orman Solano from the Central American School of Livestock and Agriculture. Although both worked in the Costa Rican livestock sector for many years, their paths hardly ever crossed prior to the initiation of an animal welfare program three years ago.
But there they were, delivering probably one of the best presentations on farm animal welfare we had ever seen given in Latin America.
The event, a graduation ceremony for 48 Central American farmers, was the culmination of efforts starting five years ago. In 2002, Humane Society International and Costa Rica's National Cattlemen's Association (CORFOGA), invited Bristol University (United Kingdom) to conduct an animal welfare evaluation within Costa Rica's livestock industry.
During the initial visit, officials from Bristol collected detailed information from slaughterhouses, auction facilities, farms and transport vehicles in order to develop a training program aimed towards improving welfare. Bristol's Animal Welfare Training Team, with the support of HSI, then set about planning and conducting a series of training seminars over the next three years.
While the Bristol trainings focused primarily on animal welfare during stunning and slaughter, HSI delivered presentations and provided technical assistance to improve animal welfare from the farm to slaughter.
The ceremony marked an important day in the lives and careers the graduating livestock farmers. After receiving one evaluation visit followed by five intensive training seminars over three years, all of the participating farmers were certified as local trainers able to deliver education and training on animal welfare issues for pigs and cattle.
At the ceremony, Edgar Villalobos of the Costa Rican Ministry of Agriculture proudly stated, "[i]t is our responsibility as participants in this workshop, and for me personally as a veterinarian working for the government, to spread this information throughout the livestock industry in order to reduce the suffering of animals and to improve the lives of animal handlers, transporters as well as the animals in the industry."
Program graduate James Arias, a veterinarian at the largest slaughterhouse in Costa Rica, gushed, "Receiving these trainings and setting up the animal welfare committee in Costa Rica has been an important step for the livestock industry in this country. Now as a trainer in animal welfare I can return to the facility where I work and teach others the importance and benefits of implementing changes to improve the way we work with animals."
As a result of these in-depth trainings, two national animal welfare committees were developed in both Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The purpose of these committees is to retain the knowledge gained over the last three years and to develop sustainable "farm to slaughter" animal welfare programs in the region. The committees are made up of representatives from government, academia,and industry, allowing equal participation of each sector in the development of animal welfare priorities.
At the initiation of any long term program, we always feel a tremendous amount of excitement, as well as some anxiety for the program participants. As we sat in the front row at the graduation, we felt only relief and accomplishment. At the conclusion of this phase of the program, animal welfare is clearly a priority for the livestock industry in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
Jennifer Felt is a Regional Director for Trade Capacity Building for HSI and is based out of Costa Rica. Jordan Taylor serves as Deputy Counsel for International Trade Policy for HSI.
