Introduction - Killing Happy Animals: Explorations in Utilitarian Ethics - page 6

supply. The focus on sufficient, safe food supply and economic efficiency
resulted in an industrialisation of the production process, including
animal production. Since then, the aim of safeguarding food supply in
Western countries has been reached. In particular, since the late 1970s
ethical concerns regarding our treatment of animals have been voiced.
Those ethical concerns have influenced policy making about animal use
in general, and animal production in particular. For instance, concerns
about animal welfare have been translated into animal welfare laws and
regulation. 10
Many people, however, are still unsatisfied with the treatment of
animals in common production systems. Recent food scares such as
swine influenza, foot and mouth disease and avian flu - with the accom-
panying pictures in the media - have again contributed to ethical criti-
cism of intensive animal farming. Moreover, intensive animal husbandry
is broadly criticised because of its negative effects on animal welfare. For
instance, in the Netherlands there has been a citizen's initiative, titled
'Stop wrong meat', which asked for - and indeed resulted in - a parlia-
mentary reconsideration of intensive animal husbandry. 11 The Party for
the Animals, which has entered Dutch Parliament, speaks out against
intensive animal husbandry. In radio spots, prominent party-members
told the public something along the lines of: 'It is up to you whether or
not you eat meat, but please be aware of how it is produced and choose
the animal-friendlier meat.' Other organizations on behalf of animals air
a similar message. For instance, the yearly flyer of Varkens in Nood ( Pigs
in Peril ) starts with: 'Don't eat meat from factory farms at Christmas.'
Many people consider intensive animal husbandry morally unaccept-
able. The actual striving of politicians, societal organizations, citizens
and consumers for a more animal-friendly agricultural sector must be
understood in this context.
European governments promote 'animal-friendly husbandry systems'
and citizens acknowledge the moral superiority of more animal-friendly
products. 12 For instance, the Dutch government strived for 5 per cent
of all animal sheds being 'entirely sustainable and animal-friendly' in
2011. 13 A growing number of producers and consumers (though still less
than 5%) choose organic animal products. 14 More than 95 per cent of
meat consumed in the Netherlands is from intensive production systems,
but this fact does not represent a lack of support for animal-friendly
animal husbandry. Rather, many people who consume products from
intensive production systems agree, on reflection, that animals should
not be treated in this way. 15 People indicate that they would rather like to
consume products from animal-friendlier production systems and would