The demand for animal products and services is a powerful economic force in society, and multibillion-dollar industries are organized around this demand. These industries often face increased costs by improving animal welfare and are quick to use economic arguments against proposed welfare reforms (see sidebar on page 169). These arguments, while often specious, can influence consumers, voters, and policy makers. Citizens are less likely to support animal welfare reforms they’ve been told will double their shopping bill or impoverish family farmers.
Animal welfare advocates cannot respond to these economic arguments with moral rhetoric alone. Instead, non-governmental observers (NGOs) must challenge the economic assumptions, calculations, and conclusions of animal industries and produce reliable economic arguments of their own. To do so they should understand some basic economic principles, which we review below, and, when possible, enlist the help of economists.
Fearing, J., & Matheny, G. (2007). The role of economics in achieving welfare gains for animals. In D.J. Salem & A.N. Rowan (Eds.), The state of the animals 2007 (pp. 159-173). Washington, DC: Humane Society Press.
Thanks! It seems like the big question I missed in my list that is in the article is “a full accounting of the externalities associated with animal agriculture” which I agree may be useful.
The article seems to take for granted that thorough research on the cost of production of welfare increasing practices would be good because the public assumes they are very high whereas in some cases they are actually not. I certainly agree that there are many interventions that are quite low cost, but I wonder if some of this research may backfire if the costs for certain interventions are quite high. I guess the animal ag industry already has a very good sense of this, and there is value in making this information public, but I’d be interested in others’ opinions on this.
You might be interested in The Role of Economics in Achieving Welfare Gains for Animals. Here is the abstract:
Fearing, J., & Matheny, G. (2007). The role of economics in achieving welfare gains for animals. In D.J. Salem & A.N. Rowan (Eds.), The state of the animals 2007 (pp. 159-173). Washington, DC: Humane Society Press.
Thanks! It seems like the big question I missed in my list that is in the article is “a full accounting of the externalities associated with animal agriculture” which I agree may be useful.
The article seems to take for granted that thorough research on the cost of production of welfare increasing practices would be good because the public assumes they are very high whereas in some cases they are actually not. I certainly agree that there are many interventions that are quite low cost, but I wonder if some of this research may backfire if the costs for certain interventions are quite high. I guess the animal ag industry already has a very good sense of this, and there is value in making this information public, but I’d be interested in others’ opinions on this.