APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOR AND WELFARE (NCR131)

To keep American agriculture competitive while ending world hunger is one of the grand societal challenge priority areas outlined within the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative request for applications. Keeping American agriculture competitive and ending world hunger will likely require intensive food animal production. Intensive rearing of animals for human food can present significant animal welfare challenges. Therefore, it is crucial that scientific understanding and knowledge of animal welfare be available to the agricultural industry. Through this multistate project (currently NC-1029), we have established a national scientific committee to generate and disseminate objective scientific information on animal welfare issues. This committee is comprised of approximately 20 scientists working in multiple disciplines at different locations throughout North America. Our research is critical to provide the science and technology to help producers and those involved in animal production maintain their freedom to operate as potential trade barriers are implemented.