Animal protection - and animal welfare promoting measures

How we keep our animals is regulated by the animal welfare legislation. All animals cared for by humans, for example farm animals, sporting and companion animals, are thus affected by the animal welfare legislation. Good animal protection means a clear legislation that are complied with and good animal protection is the foundation for good animal welfare. Animal welfare can, in turn, be defined by the five freedoms: freedom from hunger or thirst, freedom from discomfort, freedom from pain, injury or disease, freedom to express normal behaviour and freedom from fear and distress.

Sweden is one of the leading countries regarding animal protection and animal welfare and it is the ambition of the Swedish government that Sweden shall remain in that position. Furthermore, the Swedish government raises in the bill 2016/17:104 -A long term food strategy for Sweden that the demand for animal products will increase globally as the result of an increased population and an improved economy. This will in turn increase the demands in knowledge of and the requisites for a sustainable animal husbandry in which preventive measures for animal health and welfare are important.

Research need to be developed together with business practitioners, and we encourage contact between researchers and the surrounding community to help ensure that the research is rooted in society’s needs. Formas therefore organised a workshop with invited representatives from society and academia in May 2018 with the aim to identify areas in need of research and development within animal welfare and animal protection.

According to the letter of regulation from the government, Formas has committed totally six million SEK per year for animal protecting- and animal welfare measures. Furthermore, Formas shall announce the call in consultation with the Swedish board of Agriculture which in turn is assigned by the government to ensure a high level of animal protection and to work for a sustainable development and a competitive food industry.

The purpose with the call is to promote an increased development of measures that can actively improve the welfare and/or increase the animal protection for those animals that are kept permanently, or for a limited period of time, by humans. The projects may address, for example, a process, a product or a concept. The projects must have an explicit and clear relevance for the welfare of the particular animal species the application concerns because in addition to development, this call focus on utilisation.

Formas encourage inter- and transdisciplinary approaches when applicable. In this call, companies and other organisations, which are by Formas approved administrating organisations, are also welcome to apply for funding. Please observe that for participating companies apply state aid regulations.

If the project concerns farm animals, horses or insects it is eligible that the project is associated to one of the identified areas in need of research stated in the document “Demanded research”, which was compiled after the seminar in May 2018.

Project length may be up to one year and the maximum grant for a one-year project is one million SEK. Formas believes that an average budget is 200 000 – 800 000 SEK. Formas has committed totally six million SEK for 2019.