About
Animals, like people, suffer from disease and require proper care from the veterinarian, the farmer and the pet owner. When disease occurs, diagnosis and treatment under veterinary care should follow. Whenever possible, prevention is always better than cure. Keeping animals healthy and treating them with dignity is one of the main objectives of the animal health industry and applies equally to companion animals, livestock and wild animals.
Read more about the animal health industry's value to society in our paper: A healthy community depends on healthy animals
Contribution to a sustainable society
Animals, like people, need to be in good health to lead a good life, to provide companionship and services (pets and working animals), and to provide safe and nutritious food products (food-producing animals). Like people, animals get sick and need medicines too. Animal health products are a key contributor to sustainable development and a healthier planet through ensuring the supply of safe, healthy food as well as high standards of health and welfare for animals and people.
The animal health industry has an important role to play in agriculture, sustaining livelihoods and supporting innovation for a stronger and more competitive EU agri-food sector.
Fact sheets
The fact sheets below outline some of the contributions of the animal health industry to a sustainable society:
Fact sheet: HOW THE ANIMAL HEALTH INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTES TO SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION OF SAFE FOOD
Sustainable food production is, in essence, the production and supply of food in a manner that is beneficial to society, environmentally responsible and economically viable. Animal health products are essential tools in the production of safe, quality food, and are vital to the protection of animal health and welfare.
Fact sheet: SUSTAINING ANIMAL WELFARE
Animals are sensitive beings capable of feeling pain, stress, discomfort and hunger and people care about how farm animals are treated. Animal health is a pre-condition for animal welfare and the animal health industry provides a broad variety of medicines and vaccines to support animal welfare.
Fact sheet: ANIMAL HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY
Animal health products support efforts to produce safe, quality food at an affordable price to help maintain animal health and welfare and improve the economic viability of farms. Healthy animals produce high quality animal produce on an efficient and sustainable basis.
Fact sheet: CONTRIBUTING TO FOOD SECURITY
Ensuring the safe and sustainable supply of food of animal origin for the world's fast-growing population is a major challenge, as the demand for animal protein is expected to double by 2050.
Healthy food from healthy animals
Read about our success stories in terms of keeping animals healthy: Healthy food comes from healthy animals
IFAH-Europe works with a number of partners along the food chain to promote a sustainable approach to food production. See more info on our membership of the Agri Food Chain Coalition and our joint Vision for unlocking the potential of agriculture and food industries in the EU
Contact
IFAH-Europe AISBL
168 Ave de Tervueren, Box 8, 5th floor1150 Brussels, Belgium
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