2024 has been a turbulent one on the global stage, with nearly half the world population voting in elections.

When it comes to farmed animal welfare, there have been highs and lows. Here we celebrate some of the accomplishments we and our partners have achieved, leading to better lives for farmed animals around the world.

Octopus farming bans gather momentum

Back in February, the US state of Washington introduced the world’s first legislation to ban the cruel and environmentally damaging practice of octopus farming. Our US Campaigns Manager, Allison Molinaro attended a hearing to testify in support of a ban.

California followed suit, but going one step further by also prohibiting the import of farmed octopus meat into the state. In December, a state bill to ban octopus farming in New Jersey was introduced by our friends over at Animal Rights Initiative. There has even been a bipartisan bill introduced to the US Congress which could ban commercial octopus farming throughout the entire USA.

In Europe, our campaign to stop the world’s first octopus farm being launched in Spain continues. In October, we revealed that millions in public funds have been spent worldwide on research into this cruel and unsustainable practice. Not surprisingly, the public response to this news was overwhelming and more than 32,000 people took part in our action to email the Spanish government urging it to immediately stop this funding. We also led 90 NGOs and experts in writing directly to the Spanish Prime Minister urging him to stop the funding and ban octopus farming.

Britain bans live exports – Australia is next

In Great Britain, in May, history was made when following more than 50 years of campaigning, a bill banning live animal exports was enshrined in law, meaning farmed animals can no longer be exported for slaughter or fattening.

We had worked tirelessly for decades to bring an end to this horrific, unnecessary, and archaic trade, and joined our friends at the RSPCA and KAALE (Kent Action Against Live Exports) to celebrate with a projection on the White Cliffs of Dover thanking our supporters.

Meanwhile, Down Under, the Australian government announced that a ban on the live export of sheep by sea will come into force by 1 May 2028.

On 14 June we teamed up with hundreds of NGOs across the world for the ninth annual Ban Live Exports International Awareness Day, collectively calling for governments around the world to follow GB’s lead and introduce a ban.

Legal action launched against EU Commission

In March, the Citizens' Committee of the End the Cage Age European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) launched a legal action against the European Commission over its failure to deliver its commitment to ban caged farming. In 2021, the European Commission committed to introducing proposals to ban the use of cages for farmed animals, following our successful ECI signed by 1.4 million people. Yet the deadline for introducing proposals came and went.

In June, several other NGOs asked the Court to join and support the case, to demonstrate how issues from democracy and environment protection to consumer protection are at stake if the Commission does not fulfil its commitment to introduce a ban.

Food systems transformation debated at the highest levels

We championed the importance of food systems transformation, and the need for a reduction in the overconsumption of animal-sourced foods at several events on the global stage this year.

Our International Affairs team raised awareness of the importance of sustainable nitrogen management in agriculture at UNEA-6 in Nairobi, at the Bonn Climate Change conference in Germany, at the UN HQ in New York, and finally in partnership with the Government of Pakistan at COP29 in Baku.

The team also promoted responsible antimicrobial use in animal agriculture at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN in Rome. We were then invited to join a select group on the FAO’s LEAP (Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance) Partnership, providing guidance and solutions to improve the environmental performance of livestock supply chains.

Our Global CEO, Philip Lymbery, in his capacity as President of Eurogroup for Animals, joined 29 major federations from the European agri-food sector, civil society and academia to take part in the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture.

In September, the group produced a report with a consensus on recommendations for the way forward for EU agriculture, which called for the European Commission to publish proposals for the EU ban on cages and a review of animal welfare legislation by 2026. We were enormously encouraged that a consensus was reached for a transition towards sustainable agri-food systems prioritising high animal welfare standards, supported by public money, not least from the EU’s longstanding subsidy scheme, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Just weeks ago, Philip was appointed a member of the newly established Food Systems Advisory Board of the United Nations Food Systems Hub, where he will contribute his time and expertise to help inform the food systems debate.

Public support welfare legislation for farmed fish

A poll we released this Autumn in partnership with Eurogroup for Animals found that 9 out of 10 people across Europe believe the welfare of fish should be protected to the same or greater extent as other farmed animals. Similar surveys in the UK and US also found high awareness of fish sentience, along with low understanding of some of the cruelty involved in fish farming, such as that in the EU there is no legal requirement for fish to be stunned before slaughter. We are campaigning to ensure that, as well as increasing public understanding of the suffering that industrial fish farming causes, legislation to protect welfare will be introduced by policy makers.

Power of regenerative farming & sustainable diets explored in new book

Our groundbreaking Extinction of Regeneration conference in May 2023 showed there is collective will for food systems transformation from all corners. Several speakers at the conference, as well as many other thought-leaders across food, farming, business, animal and planetary health have collaborated on a new book, Regenerative Farming and Sustainable Diets. Co-edited by our Ambassador Emeritus Joyce D’Silva and Special Advisor Carol McKenna, it is believed to be the first book of its kind to couple dietary shifts with regenerative farming to provide solutions.

Food businesses making progress to improve animal welfare

We’ve been working with more and more food businesses than ever across the world, helping them to make, and crucially, meet commitments to improve animal welfare. We rewarded those leading the way at our Good Farm Animal Welfare awards in Paris, recognising 49 winners from over 16 countries which are, collectively, positively benefiting 500 million animals each year.

Philip Lymbery, Our Global Chief Executive, comments:

“It’s been another momentous year with much to celebrate. We’ve seen groundbreaking legislation in Britain banning the barbaric trade in live exports and in some US states to stop octopus farming before it has the chance to get off the ground. Across the world, we’re seeing businesses leading the way to reduce suffering for the farmed animals caught in their supply chain.

“And we’ve seen momentum growing at the highest levels for policies to End the Cage Age and to address the harmful impacts of industrial animal agriculture. I feel empowered and optimistic about what we can achieve as I look ahead to 2025, for a more positive future for animals, people and the planet.”

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Historic progress for farmed animals in 2024