Day: October 22, 2021

The myth of UK farming

Posted 6 days ago by Charlotte Regan in the “Animals in farming” blog

Over 70% of farm animals in the UK are raised on factory farms.

Tell the world
From a very early age, in books and through songs, we are presented with a very idyllic image of farming – spacious green fields, fresh air, bright red tractors, and happy animals roaming free.
When we get older, food branding and advertising continue this narrative, using images and descriptive language which reinforce these traditional perceptions of farming.

Factory farming UK
But, sadly, this is not the truth of much of modern farming in the UK.

The drive for cheap meat has industrialised our farming system to the point that many farms are unrecognisable in comparison to those we have been repeatedly conditioned to think of.
The brutal fact is that, today, over 70% of farm animals in the UK are raised on factory farms.

Where the vast majority of chickens and pigs raised for meat spend their entire lives indoors, with no green fields to explore.

Even dairy cows are increasingly kept indoors for the whole year.
Where animals are not free to roam or even free to engage in their natural behaviours.

Pigs are kept trapped together in claustrophobic pens. Mother sows are prevented from turning around in restrictive farrowing systems, used to prevent the mother pig accidentally squashing her young.

Thousands of broiler chickens must constantly compete with one another for even an A4 sized area of space.

Where there is no fresh air, only huge ventilation fans fixed to the walls, constantly spinning in an effort to disperse the heat, smell and waste gas of so many animals trapped together.
Where chicken farmers must wear biosecurity suits to protect against the spread of diseases and waste.

Why are we not shown these truths in adverts, on packaging or food labels? Because the reality of factory farming is utterly abhorrent to most people.
Britain is often touted as having some of ‘the best animal welfare standards in the world’.

Continue reading “The myth of UK farming”

USA: Petition Now Launched Asking For Turkey Abusing Employees To Be Sacked From Their Jobs, Please Support By Signing – Thank You.

Petition Link:

Fire Workers Accused of Stomping on Live Turkeys – Animal Petitions

In relation to our very recent post about workers at Plainville Farms clearly being shown on video violently abusing Turkeys, see the video footage at:

Turkey Abusers – Stomped, Punched, and Left to Die Is Not ‘Humane’—Tell Wegmans and Harris Teeter Now! – World Animals Voice

There is now a petition asking for all the employees accused of stomping on live turkeys to be suspended from employment.

Petition wording is:

Target: Mark Schiller, CEO of Hain Celestial Group and Plainville Farm President Tom Donovan

Goal: Fire workers accused of kicking, torturing striking, and stomping on live turkeys.

A video published by PETA has reportedly shown vulgar, sadistic treatment of turkeys at a production site in New Oxford, Pennsylvania for Plainville Farms. In the video, workers are apparently shown kicking, torturing striking, and stomping on live turkeys, who are left on the floor to die after being tortured. Workers apparently grab the turkeys by the wings, a delicate spot, and fling them at each other playfully. This seriously twisted behavior must be punished if proven true.

Plainville Farms provides food for markets such as Whole Foods, Publix, and Harris Teeter. On their website, they declare that the alleged actions go against the company’s morals. They claim that the workers will be held accountable, but it is vital we make certain the company follows through. If these accusations are true, then labeling these products as “humanely-raised” is simply not true.

New protocols should be demanded to limit scenarios like this from happening. Acknowledgement is not enough- demand these workers and supervisors are fired if found responsible and that new regulations are implemented that actually guarantee humane treatment of these turkeys in the future.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Mark Schiller and Tom Donovan,

As you may be aware, recent footage of turkey farms by employees at your companies were released. If reports are true, employees entertained themselves by torturing animals. While it is important to acknowledge any wrongdoing, you must also ensure there are consequences for the workers accused of this abuse. Firing supervisors and workers who allegedly allowed this treatment to happen is an important first step. You should not advertise your products as “humanely-raised” or “cruelty-free” if this is not the case either. Your retailers at Publix, Harris Teeter, and Whole Foods should also be formally informed about this incident.

Please ensure investigations against these locations are followed through and the proper consequences are met. While this video reportedly showing the violence at your turkey farms may demonstrate a single scenario, it is your responsibility to look into all your farms at differing locations. Enact protocols that ensure cruelty does not occur. Consumers and non-consumers alike will be awaiting direct action from your companies.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Petition Link:

Fire Workers Accused of Stomping on Live Turkeys – Animal Petitions

Please take action and sign;

Regards Mark

England: Apologies For Having The Same Surname As Him, But….

…. there is not a lot I can do about that.

Our views differ on many issues and because of that, hopefully we are NOT related.

I can though ask you please give your support to this petition asking for the British government to act more re climate change issues.

Thanks – Mark

Link:

Danish Government Makes Progress ?, Whilst UK (COP26) Government Cops Out On Imposing A Meat Tax and Promoting Plant Based Diets.

WAV Comment:

The Danish government are no friends of ours. 

Mass mink murderers; mass murderers of marine mammals in the Faroe islands; take a look:

Search Results for “denmark mink” – World Animals Voice

Search Results for “faroe islands” – World Animals Voice

Also, never having even been polite enough to respond to our letter to the Danish ambassador in London re the mass mink murders:

Denmark: Still No Response From The Danes Regarding Our Letter of 12/11/20. That’s Life – Or Death, If You Are Danish Mink ! – World Animals Voice

And as of today, 22/10/21 we still have never had any response back.

Now we hear (and welcome) the following; ? something for the British government to take note on – see below for more;

Regards Mark

Denmark announces 1 billion kroner for plant-based foods in historic climate agreement

The Danish government has announced over 1.25 billion kroner (€168 million) in funding to advance plant-based foods, as part of an unprecedented climate agreement for food and agriculture.

The Danish government has announced over 1.25 billion kroner (€168 million) in funding to advance plant-based foods, as part of an unprecedented climate agreement for food and agriculture. This funding is the largest investment in plant-based research and development by any EU country to date. 

The agreement, endorsed by all major parties in the Parliament, acknowledges that plant-based foods must be a “central element in the green transition” and commits the government to creating a national action plan for plant-based food with clear targets for production and sales.

Research by Oxford University shows that the world cannot meet its climate targets without shifting away from conventional animal agriculture. Moving to plant-based meat could reduce climate emissions by up to 90% compared with farming animals.

Under the new agreement, Denmark will create a Fund for Plant-based Food Products, providing 675 million Danish kroner (€90 million) over nine years to support product development and promotion. 

For farmers, a five-year Plant-based Eco-scheme will pay 580 million Danish kroner (€78 million) in bonuses to those who grow plant-based protein crops for human consumption. 

An existing EU-funded scheme, which provides funding for “environmental technology”, will be expanded to include processing equipment for plant-based foods.

The government will also devise a strategy for “green proteins” for animals and humans, backed by 260 million Danish kroner (€35 million) over five years. This funding is likely to support fermentation-made proteins and cultivated meat (grown from cells), as well as animal feed.

Rune-Christoffer Dragsdahl, secretary general of the Vegetarian Society of Denmark, said: “It is groundbreaking that we will have a national action plan for plant-based foods with specific objectives, and that Denmark will invest more than 1 billion kroner in this area. This is one of the largest amounts that any country has invested in plant-based development. 

“This agricultural agreement will create thousands of jobs in the plant-based sector. If more funds are set aside later as part of the ongoing negotiations over research investment, we could see tens of thousands of new jobs.”

Acacia Smith, policy manager at the Good Food Institute Europe, said: “With this announcement, Denmark has recognised the huge potential of sustainable proteins to drive down agricultural emissions, and established itself as Europe’s biggest public investor in plant-based innovation. 

“As they prepare for COP26, governments around the world should be factoring plant-based and cultivated meat into their climate plans. If they are serious about meeting the Paris Agreement and building strong, green economies, they must follow Denmark’s lead and invest in bringing sustainable proteins to consumers’ plates.” 

Denmark announces 1 billion kroner for plant-based foods in historic climate agreement – GFI Europe

Meanwhile; in the UK; where COP26 is being held and so very promoted by the UK government; it seems like some information was released (spilled out) when it should not have been – read on::

Plan that suggested meat tax to help people go vegan swiftly deleted

A meat tax should be brought in to tackle climate change and help people move towards a vegan diet, experts have told the Government.

A model for increasing the price of ‘high-carbon foods’ was drawn up for ministers exploring ways to combat rising global temperatures.

The paper was seen by The Telegraph when it was published by mistake on Wednesday morning before it was removed soon after.

The plan was drawn up by the Business department’s Behavioural Insights Unit, known as the ‘nudge unit’.

The recommendations included giving shoppers vegan recipes when they buy new pots and pans and offering students cooking classes that avoid high-carbon foods.

Other solutions included increasing the ‘relative availability’ of plant-based food and providing children with ‘sustainable defaults’ in schools.

But the Government has insisted it has no plans to carry any of these suggestions out, saying the document is an ‘academic research paper, not government policy’.

‘We have no plans whatsoever to dictate consumer behaviour in this way,’ a spokesperson said.

Researchers went on to say that Brits’ hearts and minds could be better won over if the action was directed at farmers instead of consumers.

This ‘bold policy’ would impose a carbon tax on producers of red meat – beef, lamb and mutton.

But experts worry this would just welcome competition from producers which export into the UK that would not be subject to the same environmentally friendly or welfare laws as British farmers.

Indeed, Conservative MP for Thirsk and Malton Kevin Hollinrake said: ‘Most livestock farmers, most hill farmers are break-even at best.

‘You start putting taxes on them, and they are out of business…It will not only hit farming, it will devastate communities.’

The Government stressed a meat or dairy tax was not part of its Net Zero strategy – a goal for the UK to cut carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050 which was set out on Wednesday.

Boris Johnson plans to do this with other consumer-directed measures, including phasing out petrol and diesel cars and replacing boilers with low-carbon electric heat pumps.

The Treasury has warned this could cost the UK £37 billion a year but business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told Times Radio: ‘The cost of inaction actually could be greater than actually doing things’.

‘Metro’ – London.

Paper calling for meat tax to help people go vegan swiftly deleted | Metro News

I have one thing to say to both the UK, and the Danish murdering governments

Regards Mark