European Livestock Voice

In short:

Who: Leading EU-based organisations actively working on livestock/animal farming issues.

What: A joint EU-focused communication platform proactively engaging in key livestock debates.

Where: Active primarily in the « European Bubble », with national partners and/or sister platforms in key EU Member States.

When: Launched in September 2019 following the proliferation of false claims, simplistic narratives and reductive communication campaigns in the wake of the European elections.

Why: Countering misinformation with facts and figures from research or in-the-field experience.

Our guiding principles and core values:

European Livestock voice is a unique project designed around strong and clear principles that we ask all our partner associations to respect carefully whether at European or local level. In essence, European Livestock Voice is structured around five key principles:

  1. We welcome ALL organisations that have a direct connection with livestock/animal farming: Today, very often in public debates, livestock is called into question as a whole or strategically singled out, therefore we choose to answer collectively! Any EU/national sectoral organisation that is connected with livestock/animal farming is welcome to join our project.
  2. We are doing comms: What makes European Livestock Voice different from many other platforms in Brussels is that it is not a policy project. As a collective we do not publish position papers or propose amendments to MEPs, for example. Our main aim is to communicate, explain and raise awareness of the actual practices and difficulties encountered in the field by livestock/animal farming professionals. This is based on the simple observation that there is a growing gap between the field and decision-making in Brussels, often due to a lack of information or the persistence of clichés or false information. We are convinced that taking part in bridging this gap will help to depolarise debates and restore a vision and sustainable solutions that meet society’s expectations.
  3. We are relying on science and first-hand testimonials: Livestock debates are not one-sided. Lively debates are happening in multiple academic fields from agronomy to nutrition regarding the negative and positive externalities of animal farming. European Livestock Voice aims to share facts resulting from the latest research as well as give a microphone to professionals in the sector to offer first-hand expertise that is often absent from media debates, particularly in Brussels.
  4. We are respectful: As citizens, we all have a more or less pre-formed opinion on everything to do with our relationship with farm animals, animal welfare, the consumption of meat, milk, fish and eggs or other products derived from animals or alternatives. European Livestock Voice is a project that respects the diversity of these opinions. Our main objective is to increase the knowledge of a wider public on these subjects by presenting the vision and a subjective point of view of one of the players in this debate: the professionals working with farm animals. As presented in our first ‘Meat the facts’ campaign in 2019, we believe it is important for consumers and decision-makers “when making a choice to understand all its consequences”.     
  5. We are collaborative: European Livestock Voice brings together the main European organisations working on livestock issues, as well as a national network of organisations sharing our approach and vision. Co-working is at the heart of this project and is reflected in concrete ways on a daily basis. The entire output of European Livestock Voice is made available to its members in a transparent manner and can be re-used, translated and shared by all.

Organisation and Structure:

In 2019, European Livestock Voice was designed around an initial communication campaign bringing together seven European organisations in cooperation with Copa-Cogeca and AnimalhealthEurope. Given the clear interest and need for information on livestock farming in Brussels, the project took root and structure was formed.

Today, European Livestock Voice is a platform grouping 14 European organisations, all registered in the EU transparency register, with a national network of organisations that have signed an MoU proposing to follow our guiding principles and core values.

On a day-to-day basis, European Livestock Voice operates on the principle of a rotating one-year presidency, managed by the respective Secretary General of each of the European associations involved in the project. With AVEC Poultry having chaired in 2022 and Clitravi in 2023, AnimalhealthEurope is now taking on this mainly coordinating role.

The communication work of European Livestock Voice has been managed by a campaign coordinator since 2022, Andrea Bertaglio, with the support of the various teams from the member associations.

Funding:

Funding for European Livestock Voice is provided solely by its European member associations and is subject to annual evaluation.

How to contact us:

For all your questions and requests, you can contact us at info@europeanlivestockvoice.eu.