Animal Health & Welfare Board for England Presentation

Michael Seals MBE

Michael Seals

• Farmero Corn Cattle & Horses

• Recent Postso NFU

• Food Law, Standards, Councilo EMDAo NRoSOo NFSCo

“A once in a lifetime opportunity to empower farmers and animal keepers, build trust and forge a working partnership at all

levels”

Animal Health and Welfare Board for

England

AHWBE –Its Place, Its Role• Advising Ministers and Communicating• Setting strategic policy and budget priorities• Develop key policies and funding• Disease risk assessment and management• Surveillance & Research Priorities• Implementation and delivery• Effectiveness and proportionality of regulation• Approval of operational and contingency

planning

Our Priorities

Team workingMerge the expertise of non executive and

executive membersBuild trust and partnership with animal keepers

and officialsGetting to know Defra/AHVLA staff Communicate

Who is the Board?

• The Chairman

• The Executive team

• The non Executive Team

• All members are individuals, not

representative of the industry or Defra

The Board at Work• Board Meetings

• Papers, Debates, Conclusions and Recommendations

• Establishing sub-groups and working groups

• Linking up with stakeholders and sectors

• Communication

• The Board’s meetings will involve external expertise and officials

• The outcome of our debates will be published as will our recommendations to Ministers

• We will involve external industry in our sub groups bringing their expertise into the core debate

• We will hold workshops to map our progress and seek input

• We will communicate by meeting key stakeholders and animal keepers.

The Work Plan

• To understand the Board’s role• The Development of Animal Health & Welfare Policy and its Delivery• Build trust and a working partnership between government and animal keepers• Work towards improving the health and welfare of kept animals, acknowledging

that there are related benefits for industry and wider society• Encourage innovation, alternative approaches and best practice to achieve

maximum value for money in the use of resources • Work with industry to fund development of AH&W• Work swiftly towards a future where animal keepers develop self-reliance with

strategic support from government.• Reconsider and re-define the roles and responsibilities of government and animal

keepers, to achieve the right balance and meet our shared aims

• Develop an Industry / Government Implementation Agenda

Risks

Failure to earn trust Being seen as a talking shop Cost cutters and cost transfer only Allowing stragglers to avoid compliance Interfering in delivery and existing stakeholder

links and communications

Benefits Building trust Challenges old ways whilst bringing new and innovative

ideas forward Develops AH & W with industry Effective presentation of animal keepers in policy making Supports Officials and Stakeholder Groups Communicates well to all parties Cuts cost and shares cost seamlessly, while making animal

health and welfare delivery more efficient Sets, maintains and improves standards Delivers a sense of partnership

Summary

I like to think of our work as the 3 ‘D’s

• Deliberation – the Board’s deliberations will lead to a clear,

• Destination – the Board will clearly outline a direction of travel

• And DETERMINATION – the Board will lead and encourage industry with determination

Challenge and Opportunity

• Developing this Board is a challenge for all of us

• Changes ahead for everyone dealing with aspects of animal health and welfare, every animal keeper, owner or custodian

• An opportunity to find new ways of working, and delivering

• With one aim, to establish better animal health and welfare

Thank You

• Any questions?