Farm animal welfare legislation varies enormously across countries, with EU regulations representing the most comprehensive framework and significant welfare gaps persisting in major producing nations including China, the US, and Brazil.
The global patchwork of farm animal welfare legislation creates competitive inequalities and welfare gaps that voluntary corporate commitments have not closed. Countries with strong welfare legislation face competition from lower-welfare producers through trade, creating economic pressure to weaken domestic standards. The WOAH terrestrial welfare standards represent an aspirational international framework, but binding implementation is limited. The EU represents the global gold standard for farm animal welfare regulation, and the proposed Farm to Fork cage elimination would represent the most significant legislative advance since the battery cage ban. The US regulatory gap means welfare improvements depend on state legislation and corporate commitments that are inconsistently implemented. Building welfare into international trade agreements — requiring trading partners to meet minimum welfare standards — is an emerging approach with significant potential leverage.