Integrating animal welfare metrics into national agricultural statistics and sustainability reporting enables evidence-based policy making and accountability, with growing international interest in welfare as a policy-relevant outcome measure.
National animal welfare statistics provide the evidence base needed for effective policy making and accountability. Without systematic data collection, governments cannot assess whether welfare policies are achieving their objectives, identify emerging welfare problems, or allocate resources effectively. Countries that have invested in national welfare monitoring including Sweden and Denmark can demonstrate welfare improvements achieved through specific policy interventions. The integration of welfare metrics into sustainability reporting elevates animal welfare from a niche concern to a mainstream policy dimension with comparable status to environmental and social metrics.