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Leather Impact Accelerator (LIA) Farm Scope Benchmark Criteria 1.0 DRAFT
© 2020 Textile Exchange | Document Code XXXX
Leather Impact Accelerator (LIA)
Farm Scope Benchmark Criteria 1.0 DRAFT
Table of Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 3
About the Leather Impact Accelerator ................................................................................... 3
About Textile Exchange ........................................................................................................... 3
Benchmark Approach .............................................................................................................. 4
Impact Incentives ...................................................................................................................... 4
Verification................................................................................................................................. 4
Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................. 5
How to Use this Document ...................................................................................................... 6
Section A – Deforestation/Conversion-Free (DCF) Benchmark ................................. 8
B1. Terms ................................................................................................................................... 8
B2. DCF Benchmark Criteria ................................................................................................... 8
Section B – Animal Welfare Benchmark ..................................................................... 12
B1. Terms ................................................................................................................................. 12
B2. Options within the Benchmark ....................................................................................... 12
B3. Criteria Structure .............................................................................................................. 13
B4. Animal Welfare Benchmark Criteria .............................................................................. 13
B4.1 Nutrition - Requirements ............................................................................................... 14
B4.2 Nutrition – Recommendations ...................................................................................... 15
B4.3 Living Environment – Requirements ........................................................................... 16
B4.4 Living Environment – Recommendations ................................................................... 20
B4.5 Living Environment – Consultation Points ................................................................. 20
B4.6 Cattle Husbandry – Requirements ............................................................................... 23
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B4.7 Cattle Husbandry – Recommendations....................................................................... 27
B4.8 Cattle Husbandry – Consultation Points ..................................................................... 28
B4.9 Transport – Requirements ............................................................................................ 31
B4.10 Transport – Recommendations .................................................................................. 32
B4.11 Slaughter – Requirements .......................................................................................... 34
B4.12 Slaughter – Recommendations .................................................................................. 35
B4.13 Management – Recommendations ............................................................................ 37
B4.14 Overall Benchmark – Consultation Points ................................................................ 38
Section C – Live Animal Traceability ........................................................................... 39
C1. Live Animal Traceability Requirements ........................................................................ 39
Appendix A – References .............................................................................................. 40
Appendix B - Further Guidance on DCF Definitions .................................................. 41
Appendix C – International Working Group & Scope Committee Members...... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Leather Impact Accelerator (LIA) Farm Scope Benchmark Criteria 1.0 DRAFT
© 2020 Textile Exchange | Document Code XXXX
Introduction
About the Leather Impact Accelerator The Leather Impact Accelerator (LIA) is a program that enables members of the leather value chain to work towards shared expectations in a coordinated way. It provides tools to align their actions towards meaningful global impacts. The goal of LIA is to leverage and add value to the work that is already being done in the beef and leather industries. To that end, LIA uses benchmarks to set a minimum threshold for practices and give recognition to those who meet or exceed them. Brands can use Impact Incentives to provide direct financial support to farmers that meet LIA benchmarks. The Claims Framework provides guidance for all LIA participants to make credible claims. LIA is global in scope and addresses:
• Cattle production, including cow-calf, raising and direct operations o Animal husbandry o Deforestation/conversion o Traceability
• All stages of leather production o Environmental impacts o Social impacts o Traceability
• All market sectors, including accessories, automotive, equine, fashion, footwear, furnishings and more
About Textile Exchange
The Leather Impact Accelerator (LIA) is owned and managed by Textile Exchange. Textile Exchange is a global non-profit that works closely with our members to drive industry transformation in preferred fibers, integrity and standards and responsible supply networks. We identify and share best practices regarding farming, materials, processing, traceability and product end-of-life in order to reduce the textile industry’s impact on the world’s water, soil and air, and the human population.
Leather Impact Accelerator (LIA) Farm Scope Benchmark Criteria 1.0 DRAFT
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Benchmark Approach The industry already has many standards in these areas, so a benchmark approach has been adopted to leverage and add value to the standards and programs that are already in use. In addition to benchmarking, LIA includes requirements for traceability systems and verification protocols. Benchmarks set a minimum threshold for practices and gives recognition to those who meet or exceed them. The Leather Impact Accelerator (LIA) uses benchmarks to address:
• Animal Management
• Deforestation/Conversion-Free (DCF)
• Leather Production To learn more about LIA’s benchmarking system and process, read the LIA Benchmarking Guide.
Impact Incentives Impact Incentives work similarly to a credit-trading system: Incentives refer to the certificates that are traded in support of a sustainability claim. With LIA, the incentives are issued to a producer when a set of criteria have been confirmed to have been met, and the physical goods and the incentives are traded separately from each other. Each incentive represents one cow raised on a farm that is meeting the animal welfare and/or the deforestation/conversion-free requirements for LIA for one year. Brand and retail incentive buyers can purchase an equivalent number of incentives to the hides they buy in from their existing physical supply chain, or simply buy incentives to meet their CSR goals. The main form of financial reward producers will receive by participating in LIA will be through qualifying to sell Impact Incentives. Currently, few brands are able to trace their source of hides all the way back to the beginning of the supply chain and pay premiums for best practices. However, with Impact Incentives they will have the opportunity to deliver support directly to participating producers. To learn more about how Impact Incentives work, read the Impact Incentive Guide.
Verification LIA requires an authorized third-party verifier to ensure that the expectations behind the Incentives/benchmarks are being met, and that the information submitted to the Incentive Trading Platform is accurate and complete. The third-party verifier will be the one that registers the Impact Incentives on the Trading Platform.
Leather Impact Accelerator (LIA) Farm Scope Benchmark Criteria 1.0 DRAFT
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Acknowledgements The Leather Impact Accelerator would not be possible without the help of the International Working Group (IWG) and the individual Scope Committees that worked to review, research, discuss, and approve the revision of LIA. See Appendix C for a list of International Working Group and Scope Committee Members.
Leather Impact Accelerator (LIA) Farm Scope Benchmark Criteria 1.0 DRAFT
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How to Use this Document This document sets forth the overall criteria for assessment against the Leather Impact Accelerator benchmarks at the farm level. Guidance and support documents are available at LeatherImpactAccelerator.org. In the LIA Farm Scope Benchmark Criteria, the following terms are used to indicate requirements, recommendations, permissions, and possibilities or capabilities:
• “shall” indicates a requirement,
• “should” indicates a recommendation,
• “may” indicates a permission, and
• “can” indicates a possibility or a capability.
Leather Impact Accelerator (LIA) Farm Scope Benchmark Criteria 1.0 DRAFT
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Section A – Deforestation / Conversion-Free (DCF)
Benchmark
Leather Impact Accelerator (LIA) Farm Scope Benchmark Criteria 1.0 DRAFT
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Section A – Deforestation/Conversion-Free (DCF) Benchmark
The DCF benchmark sets protocols to ensure that expectations are clearly understood and met by all LIA participants.
B1. Terms We recognize that different sectors of the industry in the regions of the world, use a selection of terms that vary (eg: farmer/producer/rancher). We have chosen to use terms that help to make LIA as easy to understand as possible for all users. Further guidance on DCF terms can be found in Appendix B. LIA has adopted the definitions of the Accountability Framework. Key definitions are listed below, and further interpretations can be found at https://accountability-framework.org/definitions-redirected/. Conversion: Change of a natural ecosystem to another land use or profound change in a natural ecosystem’s species composition, structure, or functio
• Conversion includes severe degradation or the introduction of management practices that result in substantial and sustained change in the ecosystem’s former species composition, structure, or function.
• Change to natural ecosystems that meets this definition is considered to be conversion regardless of whether or not it is legal.
Conversion-free: (synonym: no-conversion); Commodity production that does not cause or contribute to conversion of natural ecosystems. Cut-off date: A cut-off date is the date after which forest conversion is prohibited. Deforestation: Loss of natural forest as a result of: i) conversion to agriculture or other non-forest land use; ii) conversion to a tree plantation; or iii) severe and sustained degradation. Deforestation-free: (synonym: no-deforestation, zero gross deforestation); Commodity production that does not cause or contribute to deforestation of natural forests. Minimal level: (of deforestation or conversion) A small amount of deforestation or conversion that is negligible in the context of a given site because of its small area and because it does not significantly affect the conservation values of natural ecosystems or the services and value they provide to people
B2. DCF Benchmark Criteria
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B2.1 Only farms that meet the definitions of zero gross deforestation or conversion shall be accepted.
Guidance:
• “Zero net” approach is not allowed: e.g.: a farmer may not cut down 50 hectares of forest in one area, then plant 50 hectares in another
• “Legal” deforestation is not allowed if it exceed the limits of LIA
B2.2 The area threshold for minimal deforestation or conversion is one hectare.
B2.2.1 Encroachment of woody plants into grasslands (secondary growth or woody weed invasion) can be removed with justification. B2.2.2 Conversion of an area greater than one hectare is possible only with verification that the area is not High Conservation Value or High Carbon Stock. (See https://hcvnetwork.org/how-it-works/ for more information on how to do an HCV-HCSA Assessment.)
B2.2.3 Exceptions may apply for specific regions that make use of well-established monitoring systems with different area thresholds. An example of this is the Amazon biome, which uses to PRODES to monitor for areas of deforestation greater than 6.25 hectares.
Guidance: • Minimal levels of deforestation or conversion at the site scale do not
necessarily violate no-deforestation or no-conversion commitments. However, this provision does not sanction substantial conversion of forests or natural ecosystems to enlarge commodity production areas.
• To be considered consistent with no-deforestation or no-conversion commitments, minimal levels must generally meet the following conditions:
o Not exceed cumulative thresholds that are small both in absolute terms (e.g., no more than a few hectares) and relative to the area in question (e.g., no more than a small proportion of the site). Levels of conversion or deforestation should be assessed cumulatively over space and time; multiple small instances of conversion may lead to a producer being considered non-compliant with commitments.
o Not result in the loss of important biological, social, or cultural values.
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• Even when minimal levels of deforestation or conversion may not be cause for exclusion from LIA, they may still require remediation (including restoration and/or compensation) to the extent that they result in negative impacts to conservation values or human rights.
B2.3 The DCF default cut-off date is January 1st, 2020.
B2.3.1 Where regional cut-off dates exist, they will override the default date. Verifiers will be responsible to check for any applicable regional cut-off dates.
Guidance: The following is an initial list of known regional cut-off dates. Participants in LIA will be responsible for knowing and applying regional dates.
• Brazilian Amazon Biome: October 4, 2009* for direct suppliers in the based on Zero Deforestation Cattle Agreement. August 1st, 2019 for indirect suppliers only.
• Eastern Paraguay: December 14th, 2004: Zero Deforestation Law in Eastern Paraguay
• Columbia: January 1, 2011: Based on Colombian public-private agreement for Zero Deforestation.
• Indonesia: 2011: A ban on clearing primary forests and peatlands for plantations or logging has been made permanent by Indonesia’s president.
• Please contact LIA@TextileExchange.org with additional regional dates.
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Section B – Animal Welfare Benchmark
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Section B – Animal Welfare Benchmark The ultimate goal of LIA is the highest level of animal welfare throughout the cattle industry, and we aim to achieve this by driving continuous improvement at scale. To this end, we recognize that there are different systems of cattle farming, and that the levels of animal welfare vary greatly around the globe. With the Animal Welfare Benchmark we have set an initial threshold that represents a basic level of care, and have three additional options that apply to different farm systems, and provide higher levels of animal welfare. The LIA Animal Welfare Benchmark is based on the Textile Exchange Animal Welfare Framework. The Framework can be applied across species and utilizes the model of the Five Domains of welfare to categorize the expectations where each module is a key topic for animal welfare, for example nutrition or living environment. Each module has a desired outcome and further sub-categories are then defined to cover all aspects of animal welfare to deliver that outcome.
B1. Terms This section will be added at a later date
B2. Options within the Benchmark It is important to note that the benchmark will be used to assess existing independent certification standards that are already in use by the cattle industry. Each benchmark level represents the minimum set of criteria that these standards must address, and we expect that many will go further. Each option builds on the requirements of the previous option. If there is no new requirement for a topic at a particular option then the requirements of the previous option(s) must still be met. Baseline (A) The baseline option of the LIA Animal Welfare Benchmark represents the minimum level of animal care that we expect from farmers. Ideally all farmers would be meeting these basic requirements, but for those who don’t it is critically important to improve their practices to meet this threshold, as their animals will be at the highest welfare risk. Options 1 (B) and 2 (C) These benchmarks build in improved animal welfare measures across all Five Domains of animal welfare, while still being applicable to the vast majority of certifications covering cattle farm systems. These options can be used for system that potentially involve confinement in feedlots or housing for a period of the animal’s life.
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Option 3 (D) Option 3 of the LIA Animal Welfare Benchmark recognizes those certifications that are considered to deliver the highest level of animal welfare and applies only to fully grass-based systems for whole of life.
B3. Criteria Structure Each animal welfare requirement is assigned to one of four levels:
Requirements: These are the factors that must be met by each certification. These are shown in the blue tables. The certification to be benchmarked must meet all the requirements in a particular option to be assessed as meeting that option. Recommendations: These are good practice factors that may not be covered by many certification programs at present, but which could improve animal welfare. We will be looking at adding them to the benchmark following future reviews. Additionally there are some requirements currently shown in one option, that in future could be required in a different option – e.g. a requirement that is currently at option 2 could be recommended for option 1 or the baseline. Certification bodies should view these recommendations as potential future additions when they review and revise their standards. These are shown in the green tables. The certification to be benchmarked does not have to meet the recommendations associated with a particular option in order to be assessed as meeting that option. Consultation Points: These are issues that have been flagged for further discussion and review of current supply chain practice during the pilot phase of the benchmark. These are topics which are intended to be included as requirements in the benchmark after the pilot phase, based on the information collected. The consultation is to collect additional information and test which option each consultation item can be assigned to. These are shown in the orange tables. The certification to be benchmarked will need to provide answers to the consultation questions. In addition all LIA stakeholders will also be encouraged to respond to consultation topics. Guidelines: Some requirements have associated additional information to aid in interpretation. Where these exist, the requirement they relate to has a superscript number, and the associated guidance is shown at the end of this document.
B4. Animal Welfare Benchmark Criteria
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B4.1 Nutrition - Requirements
Desired outcome: Animals have access to sufficient feed and water suited to their age and needs to maintain health and to prevent prolonged hunger, thirst, malnutrition or dehydration.
NUTRITION – REQUIREMENTS
Number Baseline (A)
Additional requirements for Option 1 (B)
Additional requirements for Option 2 (C)
Additional requirements for Option 3 (D)
PROVISION OF FEED
B4.1.1
The standard shall require that a quantity and quality of feed is provided that is appropriate for the animals’ age and needs.
The standard shall require that forage content in the daily diet is suitable and sufficient to avoid negative outcomes such as acidosis.
The standard shall require that no animal by-products or fishmeal are included in cattle rations.
The standard shall require that at least 60% of daily intake on a dry matter basis is from forage
BODY CONDITION SCORING
B4.1.2
The standard shall require that body condition is monitored and kept within set limits.
WATER
B4.1.3
The standard shall require that an adequate supply of clean, safe drinking water is provided each day.
CHANGES IN DIET
B4.1.4
The standard shall require that changes in the diet are introduced gradually.
EMERGENCY FEED AND WATER PROVISION
B4.1.5
The standard shall require that plans are in place to ensure that there is access to
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sufficient food and water in the case of an emergency.
B4.2 Nutrition – Recommendations
NUTRITION - RECOMMENDATIONS
Number Baseline (A)
Additional requirements for Option 1 (B)
Additional requirements for Option 2 (C)
Additional requirements for Option 3 (D)
BODY CONDITION SCORING – RECOMMENDED / FUTURE REQUIREMENTS
B4.2.1
Routine herd assessment of BCS shall be carried out at key times in production cycle.
PROVISION OF FEED – RECOMMENDED / FUTURE REQUIREMENTS
B4.2.2
The standard shall require that a minimum percentage of daily dry matter intake comes from grazing, when cattle are on pasture
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B4.3 Living Environment – Requirements
Desired outcome: Animals are kept in an environment that provides the conditions and facilities needed for health, safety, comfort and normal behaviour.
LIVING ENVIRONMENT
Number Baseline (A)
Additional requirements for Option 1 (B)
Additional requirements for Option 2 (C)
Additional requirements for Option 3 (D)
INDOOR ENVIRONMENT
INDOOR : FACILITIES
B4.3.1
The standard shall require that indoor facilities are designed, constructed and maintained so as to minimize stress and the likelihood of injury to the cattle.
INDOOR: THERMAL ENVIRONMENT, VENTILATION, SHELTER
B4.3.2
The standard shall require that indoor facilities provide protection from heat or cold stress and extreme weather.
B4.3.3
The standard shall require that indoor facilities have good air quality.
The standard shall set limits for air quality factors1
INDOOR: LYING AREAS/FLOORING
B4.3.4
The standard shall require that lying areas and floors are safe, clean and comfortable for the animals.
The standard shall require that lying areas must be bedded using dry, deformable soft materials, to a depth that provides
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comfort for the animals.
INDOOR: SPACE ALLOWANCES
B4.3.5
The standards shall require that there is sufficient space for each animal to prevent crowding and allow for normal behaviour.
The standard shall set specific space allowances for different types/weights of animal.
The standard shall set a minimum space per animal of 1m2 per 100 kg live weight.
INDOOR: LIGHTING
B4.3.6
The standard shall require that cattle have periods of light and dark within each 24 hour period, and that lighting shall follow natural periodicity
The standard shall require that cattle have access to natural light in housing
OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT
OUTDOOR: FACILITIES
B4.3.7
The standard shall require that fencing and handling systems are designed, constructed and maintained so as to minimize stress and the likelihood of injury to the cattle.
OUTDOOR: AIR QUALITY
B4.3.8
The standard shall require that cattle are not be exposed to levels of dust that lead to respiratory or other problems
OUTDOOR: ACCESS TO PASTURE
B4.3.9 The standard shall require that breeding cattle and
The standard shall require that all cattle have access
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their calves have access to pasture at all times when their welfare would not otherwise be at risk.
to pasture at all times when their welfare would not otherwise be at risk.
OUTDOOR: SHADE, SHELTER & THERMAL COMFORT
B4.3.10
The standard shall require that shade and/or shelter are provided to protect cattle from extremes of temperature and weather.
OUTDOOR: PASTURE MANAGEMENT
B4.3.11
The standard shall require that there are written protocols for managing cattle when grazing on pasture.
INDOOR & OUTDOOR LIVING ENVIRONMENT
TETHERING
B4.3.12
If tethering is used, the standard shall require that the tether is fitted so as not to cause injury
The standard shall prohibit tethering.
B4.3.13
If tethering is used, the standard shall require that cattle are released from the tether for free exercise each day
NOISE
B4.3.14
The standard shall require that cattle are not exposed to levels of noise
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that cause stress.
ENRICHMENTS
B4.3.15
The standard shall require that cattle have access to scratching posts.
CLEANLINESS/MUD SCORES
B4.3.16
The standard shall require that cattle are not forced to lie in mud/dirt/manure or to stand/walk in deep mud/dirt/manure
PROTECTION FROM HAZARDS
B4.3.17
The standard shall require that cattle have their health and safety protected and are not exposed to potential toxins
PROTECTION FROM PREDATORS
B4.3.18
The standard shall require that animals are protected from predators
B4.3.19
The standard shall prohibit the use of poisons against predators
The standard shall require that wildlife friendly practices are used
B4.3.20
The standard shall prohibit the use of snares and leg hold traps shall to control predators
B4.3.22
The standard shall require non-lethal deterrence is used as the first resort against predators
B4.3.23
The standard shall require that is lethal control is needed it is specific to the problem predator
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The standard shall require that a non-lethal predator management plan is in place
B4.4 Living Environment – Recommendations
LIVING ENVIRONMENT – RECOMMENDATIONS
Number Baseline (A)
Additional requirements for Option 1 (B)
Additional requirements for Option 2 (C)
Additional requirements for Option 3 (D)
FEEDLOTS RECOMMENDED/FUTURE REQUIREMENTS
B4.4.1
The standard shall require that weaned calves are acclimatised to grain/concentrate feeds and vaccinated before being moved to a feedlot.
CLEANLINESS/MUD SCORES RECOMMENDED/FUTURE REQUIREMENTS
B4.4.2
The standard shall require that a mud/dirt scoring system is used.
B4.4.3
The standard shall require that cattle are not forced to lie in mud/dirt/manure or to stand/walk in deep mud/dirt/manure
B4.5 Living Environment – Consultation Points
LIVING ENVIRONMENT – CONSULTATION POINTS
Number
Baseline (A)
Additional requirements for Option 1 (B)
Additional requirements for Option 2 (C)
Additional requirements for Option 3 (D)
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CONSULTATION: SLATTED FLOORING
B4.5.1
PROPOSAL: The standard shall prohibit fully slatted flooring.
• Does this impact the benchmarked certification?
• If so, how many animals per year would be in this system?
• What are the slats made of?
• What welfare requirements e.g. space, group size are mandated by the benchmarked certification?
• Could deformable bedding be added to create a bedded lying area in a pen that is otherwise fully slatted?
CONSULTATION: ACCESS TO PASTURE
B4.5.2 PROPOSAL: The standard shall
PROPOSAL: The standard shall
PROPOSAL: The standard shall
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require that cattle have access to an outdoor exercise area for a set number of hours per day throughout their lives.
• Does this impact the benchmarked certification?
• What is the barrier to meeting this requirement?
require that all cattle have access to pasture/outdoor exercise areas throughout their lives at all times when their welfare would not otherwise be at risk.
• Does this impact the benchmarked certification?
• What is the barrier to meeting this requirement?
require that all cattle have free access to both pasture and an indoor facility at all times when their welfare would not otherwise be at risk
• Does this impact the benchmarked certification?
• What is the barrier to meeting this requirement?
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B4.6 Cattle Husbandry – Requirements
Desired outcome: Animals are bred, raised, handled, managed and cared for in a manner that ensures their health and safety. Animals are free from pain, injury and disease and managed with a proactive approach to ensure that their health of the animal is maintained through all stages of life.
CATTLE HUSBANDRY – REQUIREMENTS
Number Baseline (A)
Additional requirements for Option 1 (B)
Additional requirements for Option 2 (C)
Additional requirements for Option 3 (D)
SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT/ISOLATION
B4.6.1
The standard shall require that cattle, as herd animals, are only isolated when needed for short -term medical or safety interventions
B4.6.2
The standard shall require that provision is made for the segregation and care of sick or injured animals that are unable to eat/drink and/or keep up with the herd
HANDLING
B4.6.3
The standard shall require that cattle are handled humanely; and that the mistreatment of animals is unacceptable.
The standard shall prohibit electro-immobilisation.
B4.6.4 The standard shall have prescriptions for use of electric prods.
The standard shall prohibit the use of electric prods under any circumstance.
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INSPECTION
B4.6.5
The standard shall require that inspection of animals in extensive systems where feed and water are freely available is at a frequency that minimizes risk of not seeing animals that are sick, injured, need assistance for calving etc.
B4.6.6
The standard shall require that cattle in barns or lots where human intervention is required for the provision of feed and/or water are inspected at least once daily
HEALTH & TREATMENT
B4.6.7
The standard shall require that any animal identified as being sick, injured or lame is given appropriate treatment as soon as possible.
The standard shall require that cattle are pro-actively managed for the prevention of disease
B4.6.8
The standard shall require the responsible use of antimicrobials on the operation.
The standards shall require a written health and welfare plan relevant to the health challenges on the farm/ranch
LAMENESS
B4.6.9
The standard shall require that cattle are monitored for lameness and action shall be taken to prevent lameness
The standard shall require a maximum acceptable level of lameness.2
GROWTH PROMOTERS
B4.6.10 The standard shall prohibit the
The standard shall prohibit the use of growth hormones.
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use of beta agonists.
MORTALITY
B4.6.11 The standard shall require that mortality rates are recorded
The standard shall require that farmers take action when mortality exceeds normal farm levels.
The standard shall require a maximum acceptable level of mortality.3
PAINFUL PROCEDURES - CASTRATION
B4.6.12
The standard shall require that castration is carried out at as young an age as possible
The standard shall set a maximum age of castration.
The standard shall require that the maximum age of castration of a calf is nine weeks.
The standard shall require that the maximum age of castration of a calf is six weeks.
B4.6.13 The standard shall address methods of castration.
B4.6.14
The standard shall require that for all methods and ages at which castration is carried out pain relief is used when available.
PAINFUL PROCEDURES - SPAYING
B4.6.15
The standard shall require that spaying and webbing are prohibited.
PAINFUL PROCEDURES - HORN MODIFICATION
B4.6.16
The standard shall require that calves are disbudded/dehorned at as early an age as possible.
The standard shall require that the maximum permitted age for disbudding is nine weeks.
B4.6.17
The standard shall require that for all methods and ages at which disbudding is carried out pain relief is used when available.
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The standard shall prohibit dehorning.
IDENTIFICATION
B4.6.18 The standard shall prohibit face branding.
The standard shall prohibit branding unless required by regulations.
BREEDING, PREGNANCY & BIRTHING
B4.6.19
The standard shall require that breeding choices and techniques for cows and heifers shall not risk their health or the health of their calves.
The standard shall require that the breed selected is suitable for the farm/ranch system.
The standard shall set requirements for minimum age at first breeding/calving.
B4.6.20
The standard shall require that breeding choices proactively select for welfare traits and not just production traits.
WEANING
B4.6.21
The standard shall require that suckled calves are not weaned before a minimum age of 6 months.
B4.6.22
The standard shall require that calves are not transported off the farm within 10 days of being weaned.
B4.6.23
The standard shall require that weaning is carried out using a low stress method.
EUTHANASIA/ON-FARM SLAUGHTER
B4.6.24 The standard shall require that animals
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that are suffering pain or distress and not responding to treatment are euthanised using methods that cause immediate unconsciousness that lasts until death.
B4.7 Cattle Husbandry – Recommendations
CATTLE HUSBANDRY – RECOMMENDATIONS
Number Baseline (A)
Additional requirements for Option 1 (B)
Additional requirements for Option 2 (C)
Additional requirements for Option 3 (D)
HANDLING RECOMMENDED/FUTURE REQUIREMENTS
B4.7.1
The standard shall require that staff are trained in low stress handling methods.
LAMENESS RECOMMENDED/FUTURE REQUIREMENTS
B4.7.2
The standard shall require a maximum acceptable level of lameness.2
PAINFUL PROCEDURES RECOMMENDED/FUTURE REQUIREMENTS
B4.7.3
The standard shall recommend that a veterinarian supervises any painful procedures.
B4.7.4
The standard shall require that castration is not carried out at the same time as weaning
B4.7.5
The standard shall require that for all methods and ages at which castration is carried out pain relief shall be used.
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It is noted that this will require efforts to get suitable products licensed and available.
B4.7.6
The standard shall require that disbudding/dehorning is not carried out at the same time as weaning
The standard shall require that if disbudding is carried out the farm shall move towards polled genetics with the intent of ceasing disbudding within a set number of years from first certification.3
B4.7.7
The standard shall require that for all methods and ages at which disbudding/dehorning is carried out pain relief shall be used. It is noted that this will require efforts to get suitable products licensed and available.
IDENTIFICATION RECOMMENDED/FUTURE REQUIREMENTS
B4.7.8
The standard shall prohibit branding unless required by regulations.
The standard shall require that RFID/EID are used.
EQUIPMENT RECOMMENDED/FUTURE REQUIREMENTS
B4.7.9
The standard shall require that equipment used for operations such as disbudding and castration shall be safe, clean and in working order
B4.8 Cattle Husbandry – Consultation Points
CATTLE HUSBANDRY – CONSULTATION POINTS
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Number Baseline (A)
Additional requirements for Option 1 (B)
Additional requirements for Option 2 (C)
Additional requirements for Option 3 (D)
CONSULTATION: ELECTRO-IMMOBILISATION
B4.8.1
The standard shall require that electro-immobilisation is prohibited.
• Does this impact the benchmarked certification?
• If so, how widely is this technique used?
CONSULTATION: PAINFUL PROCEDURES
B4.8.2
The standard shall require that spaying and webbing are prohibited
• Does this impact the benchmarked certification?
• If so, how many heifers/cows per year undergo these procedures?
• What technique is used?
• Is pain relief used?
CONSULTATION: GROWTH PROMOTION
B4.8.3
The standard shall require that the use of beta-agonists is prohibited.
• Does this impact the benchmarked certification?
• If so, how many animals are given
The standard shall require that the use of growth hormones is prohibited.
• Does this impact the benchmarked certification?
• If so, how many animals are given
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beta-agonists each year?
Beta-agonists are non-hormonal growth promoters which have some side-effects that are negative for animal welfare
growth hormones each year?
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B4.9 Transport – Requirements
Desired outcome: Animals are transported in a low-stress manner, by competent handlers on well-planned journeys. Transport vehicles are designed and maintained to be suitable for the livestock transported.
TRANSPORT – REQUIREMENTS
Number Baseline (A)
Additional requirements for Option 1 (B)
Additional requirements for Option 2 (C)
Additional requirements for Option 3 (D)
FITNESS FOR TRANSPORT
B4.9.1
The standard shall require that animals are only transported when they are fit and well enough to cope with all aspects of this.
TRANSPORT SPACE ALLOWANCES
B4.9.2
The standard shall require that space in transport and the maximum number of animals that can be carried on a vehicle are planned prior to loading.
The standard shall require space allowances in transport set per animal by type/weight
TRANSPORT VEHICLE
B4.9.3
The standard shall require that transport vehicles are designed and suitable for livestock/cattle transport.
The standard shall require that ramps and other surfaces used for loading shall provide good footing.
B4.9.4
The standard shall require that ramps allow animals easy access to the transport vehicle
B4.9.5 The standard shall require that vehicles offer
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enough headroom for cattle to stand naturally.
TRANSPORT CONDITIONS
B4.9.6
The standard shall require that thermal comfort is maintained for transported animals
B4.9.7
The standard shall require that adequate ventilation is maintained during transport
TRANSPORT DURATION
B4.9.8 The standard shall address the time spent in transport
The standard shall require that the maximum transport duration for a single journey shall be 8 hours
TRANSPORT STAFF
B4.9.9
The standard shall require that only personnel who are trained and competent are involved in transport.
B4.10 Transport – Recommendations
TRANSPORT – RECOMMENDATIONS
Number Baseline (A)
Additional requirements for Option 1 (B)
Additional requirements for Option 2 (C)
Additional requirements for Option 3 (D)
TRANSPORT DURATION RECOMMENDED/FUTURE REQUIREMENTS
B4.10.1
The standard shall require breaks where animals are unloaded, fed and
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watered when transport duration exceeds a set number of hours.
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B4.11 Slaughter – Requirements (applicable to standards that address slaughter) Desired outcome: Animal are slaughtered efficiently and humanely without pain and distress. Animals are stunned pre-slaughter
SLAUGHTER – REQUIREMENTS * These requirements apply to any standards that address slaughter
Number Baseline (A)
Additional requirements for Option 1 (B)
Additional requirements for Option 2 (C)
Additional requirements for Option 3 (D)
MANAGEMENT & TRAINING
B4.11.1
The standard shall require that personnel at the abattoir/slaughter plant shall be trained and competent to carry out the tasks required of them.
The standard shall require that there is a named person who is responsible for animal welfare and who has the authority to stop slaughter operations if there is a risk to cattle welfare.
CASUALTY ANIMALS
B4.11.2
The standard shall require that animals that are unable to rise and walk are euthanised promptly using an acceptable method.
PRE-SLAUGHTER HANDLING
B4.11.3
The standard shall require that animals are handled calmly and there shall be no abuse of animals.
B4.11.4
The standard shall set requirements around the use of electric prods
The standard shall require that electric prods are prohibited.
STUNNING & SLAUGHTER
B4.11.5 The standard shall require that methods of slaughter that
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cause immediate unconsciousness followed by death are used.
STUNNING & SLAUGHTER
B4.11.6
The standard shall require that suitable equipment for slaughter of cattle is available and maintained as per the manufacturers’ instructions.
B4.11.7
The standard shall require that the correct ammunition for the size/age/type of cattle is used when captive bolt guns/firearms are in use for stunning or slaughter
B4.11.8
The standard shall require that the correct current and application time are used for any electrical methods of stunning or slaughter
B4.11.9
The standard shall require that following stunning, animals are bled as soon as possible and within 60 seconds of stun.
B4.12 Slaughter – Recommendations
SLAUGHTER – RECOMMENDATIONS
Number Baseline (A)
Additional requirements for Option 1 (B)
Additional requirements for Option 2 (C)
Additional requirements for Option 3 (D)
MANAGEMENT & TRAINING RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE REQUIREMENT
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B4.12.1
The standard shall require that there is a qualified Animal Welfare Officer (as defined by EU legislation) or a person who has successfully completed equivalent training.
STUNNING & SLAUGHTER
B4.12.2
When the standard does not cover slaughter within its requirements, it shall require that certified cattle are only sent to slaughterplants that have been audited by another certification body as meeting a minimum level of animal welfare.
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B4.13 Management – Recommendations
Desired outcome: The welfare of animals is protected by clear protocols and defined management strategies.
MANAGEMENT – REQUIREMENTS
Number Baseline (A)
Additional requirements for Option 1 (B)
Additional requirements for Option 2 (C)
Additional requirements for Option 3 (D)
TRAINING
B4.13.1
The standard shall require that all those working with cattle are trained and competent to carry out the tasks required of them.
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B4.14 Overall Benchmark – Consultation Points
OVERALL BENCHMARK – CONSULTATION POINT
Number Baseline (A)
Additional requirements for Option 1 (B)
Additional requirements for Option 2 (C)
Additional requirements for Option 3 (D)
PROGRESSION CONSULTATION POINT
B4.14.1
PROPOSAL: That farmer groups must show progression from one option to the next within a set timeline. The most important progression would be from baseline to option 1:
• What are the barriers to this?
• What timeline might be needed to achieve this?
Guidance notes
1. Air quality issues should include ammonia and dust. Ammonia should not exceed 20ppm.
2. It is suggested that at Option 1 the total for moderately and severely lame
animals should not exceed 5% of the herd. Of that figure, severely lame animals should not exceed 4% of the herd and should be in sick pens. For Option 2 it is suggested that the total for moderately and severely lame animals should not exceed 4% of the herd. For Option 3 it is suggested that the total for moderately lame animals should not exceed 2% of the herd, and there should be 0% severely lame animals.
3. It is suggested that at Option 2 the maximum acceptable level of mortality across
the entire herd should be 4%.
It is suggested that at Option 3 the maximum acceptable level of mortality across the entire herd should be 2%
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Section C – Live Animal Traceability
C1. Live Animal Traceability Requirements One of the roles of LIA is to build up the overall supply of traceable leather, so that brands can eventually physically source hides from farms that meet their expectations. To participate in LIA, farms must be working with a traceability system to track where their cattle are coming from, and where they are sold to. Any system that reliably ensures the identity of the individual cattle and keeps record of their purchase and sale will be accepted, including: Identification
Ear tags
RFID ear tags
Branding (not encouraged due to animal welfare and hide quality)
Other*: Tracking
Paper documentation of purchases and sales, with individual cow identities
Technological tracking systems (provide link to the list)
Other*: *Please submit any identification or tracking systems that are not on the list of options to ResponsibleLeather@TextileExchange.org for approval.
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Appendix A – References The following references were used in the development of the LIA Farm Scope Benchmark Criteria:
• ISEAL Code of Good Practices
• ISEAL Sustainability Benchmarking Good Practice Guide Deforestation/Conversion-Free (DCF):
• Accountability Framework Initiative Animal Welfare:
• OIE Guidelines
• Five Domains of Animal Welfare
• Textile Exchange Animal Welfare Framework
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Appendix B - Further Guidance on DCF Definitions Some sites are difficult to classify because they exhibit both characteristics of natural ecosystems and characteristics of production systems or degraded land. The following guidance can help in determining how such “boundary cases” should be treated for the purpose of fulfilling (or assessing fulfilment of) no-deforestation and no-conversion commitments.
https://accountability-framework.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/OG_on_Applying_Definitions-table2_v2.pdf
https://accountability-framework.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/OG_on_Applying_Definitions-table1_v2.pdf
Degradation: Changes within a natural ecosystem that significantly and negatively affect its species composition, structure, and/or function and reduce the ecosystem’s capacity to supply products, support biodiversity, and/or deliver ecosystem services. Degradation may be considered conversion if it:
• is large-scale and progressive or enduring; • alters ecosystem composition, structure, and function to the extent that
regeneration to a previous state is unlikely; or leads to a change in land use (e.g., to agriculture or other use that is not a natural forest or other natural ecosystem)
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Appendix C – International Working Group & Scope Committee Members LIA International Working Group (LIA IWG) members: this section will be added at a later time. LIA Animal Welfare Committee: Anna Heaton (Chair) Anne Gillespie (Co-Chair) Sara Shields Corinna Reinisch Max Makuvise Kaley Segboer LIA Deforestation Conversion-Free (DCF) Committee: Josefina Eisele (Chair) Anne Gillespie (Co-Chair) Mauricio Bauer Simon Hall Charton Locks Gert van der Bijl Peter Burston Luiza BruscatoRafael Andrade Shanel Orton Roger Steinhardt Catriona Stevenson
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