An expert on how environments affect dairy cattle says more consumers are bringing the animal welfare discussion to the dairy industry.

Dr. Nigel Cook says U.S. dairies operate without any significant federal or state laws governing how to house and manage cattle, in stark contrast to Europe and the Scandinavian countries where public trust eroded around 25 years ago. “They govern the way they do certain things, and that really was the message to sort-of embrace that, capturing public trust and working with consumer concerns to make sure that we in the absence of laws can be seen to be doing the right thing.”

Cook says different countries emphasize different animal welfare issues, but consumer concern for animals is broad everywhere.

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