In April 2020, the International Cooperation Committee for Animal Welfare (ICCAW) and the Sustainable Fiber Alliance (SFA) signed a memorandum of understanding for joint development based on the "Farm Animal Welfare Requirements Cashmere Goat" issued by ICCAW Formulate the "Cashmere Goat Animal Welfare Code of Conduct" for animal welfare evaluation of cashmere goat breeding.

“Farm Animal Welfare Requirements Cashmere Goat” is developed by a team of experts with Researcher Tian Kechuan, Chief scientist of National Cashmere Goat Industry Technology System, as the lead. Ever since the standard drafting started on July 18th 2019, it had been revised for more than a dozen times, collecting advices from well-known organizations such as Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute, Sustainable Fibre Alliance, China Wool Textile Association, China Chamber of Commerce of I/E of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-products, and popular cashmere brands such as LORO PIANA S.p.A., Ordos, Consinee, Hebei Yuteng, Artwell.

In April 2020, the Sustainable Fiber Alliance (SFA) and the International Cooperation Committee for Animal Welfare (ICCAW) of the China Association for the Promotion of International Cooperation in Agriculture signed a memorandum of understanding to formulate and manage joint practice guidelines for cashmere goat welfare. This code of practice will be used for the animal welfare evaluation of Chinese cashmere goat breeding. The code of practice will be managed through the SFA standard system and comply with ICCAW's "Farm Animal Welfare Requirements Cashmere Goat". In July 2020, the SFA-ICCAW joint technical team drafted the "Cashmere Goat Welfare Practice Guidelines" (draft for comments).

From December 9th to 10th, we invited senior experts in cashmere goat area to participate in the welfare-friendly cashmere goat farming standardization training events held in Chagan Mulun Sumu and Xila Mulun Sumu of Balinyouqi, Chifeng. More than 240 herders organized by Chifeng Dongrong Group participated in the training.

On May 22nd 2020, the group standard “Farm Animal Welfare Requirements: Cashmere Goat” led by International Cooperation Committee of Animal Welfare of China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation passed the review successfully.

SFA is proud to announce that we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Cooperation Committee on Animal Welfare (ICCAW) to cooperate in jointly developing and implementing a joint Code of Practice for accreditation of animal welfare and environmental sustainability of cashmere production in China. The Code of Practice will provide specific guidance for herding families and companies on how to implement ICCAW’s Cashmere Goat Farm Animal Welfare Requirements, and will be implementable within SFA’s Sustainable Cashmere Standard.

"Cashmere is a rare resource on the earth, and it also represents the admiration of human beings for nature and the inheritance of emotions. 'Ordos', as a promoter of inheritance and innovation in the cashmere industry, will protect and reasonably effectively use this rare resource; Grassland, balancing the impact of industrialized production on the environment; promoting sustainable development concepts to consumers and the entire clothing industry is an important responsibility of 'Ordos' for the sustainable development of the clothing industry, and we will make unremitting efforts to this end. " ——Wang Zhen, Vice President of Ordos Holding Group and General Manager of Cashmere Group

In recent days, the epidemic of pneumonitis infected by a new coronavirus has affected people's hearts. Faced with the sudden epidemic situation, medical epidemic prevention materials across the country are extremely scarce. The Ordos Group actively organizes and coordinates various resources at home and abroad, urgently raises funds for procurement of medical masks and protective clothing, and makes unremitting efforts to fight the epidemic.

In order to promote the sustainable development of cattle and sheep industry in Inner Mongolia and improve animal welfare awareness, the International Cooperation Committee of Animal Welfare held a series of training on welfare-friendly farming in Etoki Area from 28th to 30th October 2019, in cooperation with Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural & Animal Husbandry Sciences and Etoki Ethnic Economic and Cultural Development Promotion Association.

The standard establishment seminar of "Cashmere goat welfare breeding and cashmere harvesting technical requirements" was successfully held in Beijing

On August 5th, Mr. Ayongxi, President of the International Cooperation Committee on Animal Welfare, visited the headquarters of Consinee Group, and awarded the membership certificate to Mr. Xue Jingli, Chairman of Consinee Group. At the same time, he introduced about the cashmere standard development and the relevant work plans. He also held in-depth discussion with the leaders of Consinee Group about animal welfare issues in cashmere industry. The following article is from Consinee Group.