Post by Kiwithrottlejockey on May 18, 2009 16:22:40 GMT 12
Comedian does U-turn on pork
NZPA | 11:30PM - Sunday, 17 May 2009
PIG FARM PROBE CALLED FOR: Agriculture Minister
says animal investigators will inspect a pig farm after
viewing footage of conditions there.
Comedian Mike King, who used to front a campaign promoting pork products, says the "callous and evil" practice of crate farming pigs should be outlawed immediately.
King said that after breaking into a pig farm with animal activists where pigs were kept in crates, he was deeply ashamed he took part in promoting the type of farming, TVNZ's Sunday programme reported.
The pigs were unable to move and obviously in distress, chewing at the cage bars and frothing, King said.
There was one dead pig in the sties and Mr King described the pigs as being "despairing, terrified and lost".
It was "callous, evil" treatment of pigs and the sound of "screaming" pigs he would never forget.
"It was like they were screaming for you to help them.
"If I had known this was going on I would never have supported this. I firmly believe that anyone who sees this would say this has to stop."
The farm was filmed by animal rights group Open Rescue and footage shown to Agriculture Minister David Carter, who said he wasn't aware of the extent to which pigs were confined.
It was a bit disturbing to see them in such conditions but he said he needed to know if the footage showed what was typical of the pork industry and he suspected it was not.
Animal rights group Save Animals from Exploitation's director Hans Kriek said such cage farming was widespread.
The pigs were touching the sides of the 60cm wide and 2m long cages and couldn't turn around.
Some pigs could live for up to five years in a cage, he said.
About 45 percent of New Zealand's sows, or 22,000, were kept in crates and the law was giving legal protection to farmers to be cruel to animals, Mr Kriek said.
However, the Pork Industry Board said intensive farming was the only way it could remain competitive and changing from crates and stalls would cost millions of dollars.
They were the best way to prevent indoor pigs them from injuring each other.
The board said less than half the country's pigs, about 20,000, were kept in such ways and by 2015 the proposal was they would spend half their time out of the crates.
The Animal Welfare Code for pigs is due for review this year.
Mr Carter will make a final decision after recommendations from the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee.
www.stuff.co.nz/national/2418545/Comedian-does-U-turn-on-pork
Minister calls for pig farm probe
Comedian changes stance
NZPA | 12:15PM - Monday, 18 May 2009
TELLING PORKIES: Comedian Mike King,
who used to front a campaign promoting
pork products, says the "callous and evil"
practice of crate farming pigs should be
outlawed immediately. — Fairfax Media.
Agriculture Minister David Carter says animal investigators will inspect a pig farm after he was shown footage of conditions there, filmed by an animal rights group.
TVNZ's Sunday programme aired footage by Open Rescue, who were accompanied by comedian Mike King during a break-in to a North Island intensive pig farm.
King, who was the long-standing front man for a campaign advertising pork, said he was deeply ashamed of his role in promoting that type of farming.
The pigs were unable to move and obviously in distress, chewing at the cage bars and frothing, King said.
It was "callous, evil" treatment of pigs and the sound of "screaming" pigs he would never forget.
"If I had known this was going on I would never have supported this. I firmly believe that anyone who sees this would say this has to stop."
The footage was passed on to another rights group, Save Animals from Exploitation (SAFE), who contacted the Sunday show.
Mr Carter today urged Safe to reveal the location of the property so it could be inspected by Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry animal welfare investigators.
"The television images were disturbing. It is essential we find out if this intensive pig farming operation is in breach of the Animal Welfare Act.
"If SAFE has the welfare of these animals at heart, it needs to provide details of the property today so the authorities can the take appropriate action. I have asked MAF to undertake an inspection as soon as we know the farm's location," Mr Carter said.
SAFE campaign director Hans Kriek said the minister would be given the farm's location, most likely by tomorrow, but expressed concern Mr Carter was "playing games to a degree".
He said Mr Carter was attempting to "dilute" the issue by making it out to be a rogue farm, not typical of those found around the country.
"This is an average New Zealand farm," Mr Kriek said.
Green Party animal welfare spokesperson Sue Kedgley criticised Mr Carter's apparent lack of knowledge regarding pig farms after being shown the footage on the Sunday programme.
"Mr Carter looked shocked and said he had no idea sow stalls were widely used in New Zealand," Ms Kedgley said.
"I am incredulous that the minister, who has been chair of Parliament's agriculture select committee for three years, would not know sow crates are used widely by New Zealand pig industry.
Meanwhile, in light of last night's Sunday programme, the New Zealand Pork Industry Board has postponed this year's Bacon of the Year awards. The board said it supported the Minister's investigation and believed it was inappropriate to proceed until the issue was resolved.
www.stuff.co.nz/national/farming/2420198/Minister-calls-for-pig-farm-probe