FASEB Submits Comments to USDA Regarding Environmental Enrichment Standards

Friday, March 17, 2023
On March 16, FASEB submitted comments to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in response to an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) regarding environmental enrichment standards for USDA-regulated species. In its comments, FASEB emphasized the importance of ensuring that new requirements result in concrete benefits to animal welfare and do not pose an administrative or financial burden for regulated entities, particularly small and under-resourced institutions. Given the breadth and complexity of environmental enrichment plans across institutions, FASEB's comments also stressed the value of engaging with the stakeholder community—researchers, veterinarians, farm managers, and animal care staff—to appreciate species differences and optimize animal welfare fully.