By fostering open dialogue, sharing best practices, and supporting science-based research and innovation, the International Poultry Welfare Alliance (IPWA) serves as an independent resource committed to the continuous advancement of poultry welfare on a global scale.
ORIGINS AND PURPOSE
International experts recognized the complexities inherent in global poultry welfare. They identified the need for an inclusive, pre-competitive group that values diverse stakeholder perspectives.
- This realization led to the formation of IPWA, an organization designed to rapidly analyze and disseminate trusted resources, ensuring accessible best practices in poultry welfare.
CORE PILLARS
The IPWA’s strategic framework is built upon five foundational pillars:
1. Poultry Health and Well-Being: Emphasizing the humane handling, care, and treatment of poultry throughout their lifecycle.
2. Food Safety and Security: Balancing food safety and security innovations without compromising poultry welfare.
3. Communication and Education: Providing a transparent platform for open communication among all stakeholders.
4. Efficiency and Sustainability: Encouraging collaborative innovation in animal welfare practices to enhance sustainability and production efficiency in the poultry sector.
5. Research and Innovation: Supporting and promoting scientific research to deepen the understanding and improvement of poultry welfare.
KEY WELFARE INDICATORS (KWI) GUIDE
Developing the Key Welfare Indicators (KWI) Guide marks a significant step in driving global poultry welfare.
- Created via extensive stakeholder engagement, the Guide serves as a resource that offers standardized measurement instructions for outcomes-based welfare.
- The IPWA Key Welfare Indicators are applicable across different poultry species and different production stages.
- The KWI Guide is a foundational tool grounded in scientific principles, facilitating consistent global assessments of poultry welfare.
- The IPWA commits to updating the Guide to align with emerging science, technology, and industry learnings.
- And the Education and Training committee has also used the Key Welfare Guides to create online training modules, which are available for individuals or custom enterprise training solutions.
- The training modules cover each section of the IPWA’s Key Welfare Indicator Guides, ensuring a thorough exploration of critical topics related to poultry welfare.
- The courses are hosted through COOP using premier course development software and engaging visuals, ensuring a user-friendly experience for learners.
- Access to the modules will be available through the Fresno State website and the IPWA website.
- Trainings for broilers, layers, and turkey are available now.
- At IPPE this year new augmented reality workshops were held that align and complement the online learning modules.
Augmented Reality (AR) and handson training with KWI modules were introduced at the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) this year in collaboration with the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO), which provided continuing education after the session on site.
This training, facilitated by COOP with the support of the Education and Training Committee, enabled participants to engage deeply with real-world applications of welfare concepts through an extended reality (XR) experience.
- XR technology in training allows participants to immerse themselves in realistic farm conditions, interact with 3D representations of poultry, and apply their knowledge in a simulated environment. This immersive training significantly enhances learning outcomes by providing a dynamic, interactive method of engaging with complex welfare concepts.
Participants in these XR training sessions gain valuable experience by analyzing welfare indicators in virtual farm settings. Simulating real-world experiences allows trainees to develop skills crucial for effective poultry welfare improvement. By integrating XR technology, IPWA is fostering a new era of education in poultry welfare that emphasizes experiential learning and practical application.
MEMBERSHIP AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS
The greatest strength of IPWA lies in our diverse membership. Encompassing organizations, companies, and individuals from across the global poultry value chain, IPWA members are categorized into five constituency groups:
- LIVE PRODUCTION: Farmers and organizations involved in the ownership or management of commercial live poultry. This includes genetics companies, producers, and processors of turkeys, broilers, ducks, and eggs.
- RETAIL: Entities bringing poultry and poultry-related products directly to consumers.
- SUPPLIERS: Organizations supplying products or services to commercial poultry production.
- RESEARCH: Individuals and institutions engaged in researching and disseminating poultry production and welfare knowledge.
- CIVIL SOCIETY AND ASSOCIATIONS: Non-governmental and non-commercial institutions, foundations, associations, and organizations interested in poultry welfare.
This collaborative framework ensures that all stakeholders have an equal voice, promoting a unified and holistic approach to advancing poultry welfare.
LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGIC VISION
The IPWA operates under the guidance of a diverse Board of Directors comprising officers and directors from each constituency group. A shared passion unites these volunteers for poultry welfare, and they are responsible for overseeing the execution of IPWA’s strategic vision.
- The organization’s leadership structure facilitates collaboration with joint member organization U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry and Eggs (US-RSPE), enabling members to address poultry welfare and sustainability themes.
EVENTS AND ENGAGEMENTS
To further its mission, the IPWA organizes and participates in events that unite experts and stakeholders worldwide.
- Notably, the IPWA Annual Meeting 2025 occurred in Bangkok, Thailand, on March 11, 2025, just before the 2025 VIV Asia trade show.
- IPWA also exhibited and hosted events, including a panel workshop during the VIV Asia event, further showcasing its reach and leadership in poultry welfare.
- Gatherings like this aim to harness innovative perspectives and groundbreaking insights into poultry sustainability and welfare.
- Additionally, regular events such as the ‘Research and Innovation Icebreaker Networking Event’ and KWI Training sessions are designed to foster collaboration and education among members.
CONTINUING THE PROGRESS
The IPWA is vital international support for those committed to the sustainable and scientifically grounded advancement of poultry welfare.
- Through its foundational pillars, comprehensive resources like the KWI Guide, diverse membership, and strategic leadership, the IPWA is poised to drive continuous improvements in global poultry welfare, ensuring socially, environmentally, and economically sound practices.
