Following on from our recent article:

England: Animal Rebellion activists stop milk supply in parts of England. – World Animals Voice

Animal Rebellion activists drill lorry tyres at Somerset Müller site as part of protests

It comes after eight people were arrested in protests at the factory in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire

Animal Rebellion protesters broke onto the site of the Müller facility in Bridgwater overnight, drilling holes in truck tyres to disrupt the company’s distribution. The acts come amid a weekend of protests at dairy production areas across England, with eight people arrested after similar protests at the Müller plant in Stonehouse.

Animal rights protestors have targeted dairy distribution sites for the second time in 24 hours after trespassing onto critical dairy distribution facilities and drilling holes in lorry tyres and filling outlet houses with expanding foam.

The nonviolent actions taken by Animal Rebellion on both the morning of September 4, as well as in the early hours of this morning (September 5), were intended to seriously disable the ability of the facilities to process and distribute milk.

As well as Müller Bridgwater, activists entered sites at Arla Aylesbury, and Müller Droitwich – breaking a High Court injunction by doing so.

Today’s action is an escalation in Animal Rebellion’s campaign, which the group has stated will continue until the British Government enters negotiations for its two demands:

1. Government supports farmers and fishing communities to move away from animal farming and fishing as part of an urgent and immediate transition to a plant-based food system.
2. Government commits to rewild the freed-up land and ocean as part of a broader programme of wildlife restoration and carbon drawdown.

Theresa Higginson, 24, a retail worker from Biggleswade, one of those at Aylesbury, said: “What you have seen today are actions taken out of love for, and a need to protect, all life. Every individual here is united by a common goal, a better and more just world.

“I stand by all of our actions. We have no alternative. The government had the chance to respond but failed to do so.

“We have had a leadership contest where the climate crisis has barely had a mention, and we have massive corporations that are able to operate with impunity despite the cost of their businesses on the planet. This Tory leadership election has exposed the need for massive political change, and that starts with the immediate transition to a plant-based food system that supports British farmers into a plant-based future.”

Rachel Steele, 46, a graphic designer from Blackpool, one of those involved at Aylesbury, said: “I came here not because I wanted to cause damage but because I am terrified about the future of the planet and all its inhabitants – human and non-human. We need a political system built on love and compassion. We need massive, fair and rapid system change.

“We cannot allow the government to greenwash and pretend that they can carry on business as usual, while the planet suffers ever more devastation, causing death and misery to millions. The only way to avert this is by massive governmental support for farmers to transition to a plant-based food system”

Protests have been held across the weekend, with eight having been arrested at Müller’s Severnside distribution site near Stonehouse in Gloucestershire.

https://get-latest.convrse.media/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gloucestershirelive.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fregional-news%2Fanimal-rebellion-activists-drill-lorry-7546996&cre=bottom&cip=18&view=web Early yesterday morning (Sunday, September 4) police seized equipment at the Stonehouse site designed to cause serious disruption, contributing to the initial arrest of five people. A further three had been arrested by around 9.30pm yesterday evening.

The latest update from Gloucestershire Constabulary, released yesterday evening, said all protestors had been removed and that the site is fully operational, with a total of eight people having been arrested.

The weekend’s action comes as part of Animal Rebellion’s demands for a plant-based future, which were announced back in May (Monday 23). The animal and climate group is calling for wholesale governmental support for farmers and fishing communities to transition to a plant-based food system and programme of rewilding that will secure a future for generations to come.

Animal Rebellion is a mass movement using nonviolent civil disobedience to call for a just, sustainable plant-based food system.

Regards Mark

A group of 22 environmentalists, public health, and animal-rights aficionados led by the Stand Up For Factory Farms coalition is petitioning Oregon to adopt new air quality rules — specifically targeting dairy. 

Filed on August 17, the petition was submitted to the Environmental Quality Commission seeking to create an emissions program that applies to “large” dairy farms — those the federal EPA defines by housing 700 or more mature cows.

Oregon is home to over 200 dairy farms — most which have been family owned and operated for multiple generations. The state is known for producing high-quality milk and consistently ranking amongst the top five states nationwide for milk quality. Although the petition purportedly is aimed at “mega dairy,” a 700 mature cow operation hardly qualifies as a large farm. In fact, 700 mature cows doesn’t place a dairy into the top ten largest dairies in the state … or the top 50. 

The introduction to the petition reads, “Air pollution from the State’s growing number of exceedingly large mega-dairies threatens the public health and safety of Oregonians, as well as the environment. Yet the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality neither monitors nor regulates this air pollution through its current Air Contaminant Discharge Permit program. It is past time for Oregon to address air pollution from large dairy concentrated animal feeding operations.”

The coalition’s petition calls for a requirement that proposed and existing dairies obtain an air quality permit to “curb” harmful emissions. The permit would likely apply to 39 percent of Grade A dairies in the state, which house 84 percent of cattle. The commission has 90 days to respond by denying the request or by beginning rule-making proceedings. 

The groups support their claims with a “fact sheet” by Food and Water Watch, which reads, “Mega-dairies have wreaked havoc on communities in eastern Oregon for years. Nitrate from fertilizers and animal waste infiltrates groundwater and threatens the health of those who drink it.” In their conclusion, they state, “The numerous problems that mega-dairies create and the incalculable damage that they inflict on Oregon are not going away without strong action from the state’s leaders. Touting factory farm gas as a solution is only entrenching pollution among frontline communities. Oregon’s legislature must take strong action to protect our air, water and health, beginning with a moratorium on new and expanding mega-dairies.”

The removal of dairy cows from the U.S. agricultural industry wouldn’t do much to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, data from Virginia Tech suggests that emissions would only drop about 0.7 percent, with far worse implications for human health if dairy was removed. 

Dairies are already under regulation by the Oregon Department of Agriculture and Department of Environmental Quality. Since 1993, all Oregon dairies have maintained a Confined Animal Feeding Operation Permit, which provides a checks and balances system that ensures protection of the state’s waters. 

Eco- and animal groups petition against Oregon’s ‘mega-dairies’ | AGDAILY

Regards Mark