Project Pig - Pressure on Poland

Refresh your memory on CIWF's Project Pig by checking out this post.  

To recap, CIWF has launched a campaign entitled Project Pig to ensure that the scheduled ban on sow stalls comes into force in January 2013, as promised.  The sow stall ban will be a huge step forward for pigs with millions of pregnant sows spending their lives together in groups instead of being confined in small metal crates, alone.

The ban was agreed to over 10 years ago in 2001 but only around half of EU Member States believe that their pig farmers will comply with the ban on time.  One of the worst offenders is Poland where the Government have estimated that over 2,000 farms will be in breach of the ban.

CIWF supporters have already sent thousands of urgent messages to the Polish Agriculture Minister calling for action, however, there is more to be done.  Please click here and add your name and e-mail address to the readily prepared letter to the main farming organisations in Poland encouraging them to comply.

Project Pig

You may remember this post back in January about the EU Directive adopted back in 2001 aiming to ban individual sow stalls in order to improve the welfare of pigs.  Sow stalls are basically prison cells and restrict the movement of pigs so much so that a pregnant sow would not be able to turn around for the duration of each of her pregnancies - around 300 days per year!  Pigs are not able to forage, explore or interact with each other which is extremely cruel, the sow stalls can also lead to serious health and behavioural problems.

Sow stalls were banned in the UK back in 2009, the EU ban is due to come into force on 1st January 2013, the ban means it will be illegal to use sow stall after the first four weeks of pregnancy and that farmers will have to keep sows in social groups until a week before giving birth.  Unfortunately, it is estimated that over half of the 27 EU nations will not be ready in good time for the ban.

CIWF launched Project Pig at the end of March aiming to "put pressure on all 27 EU nations to ensure the sow stall ban comes into effect on time and in full".  They need our help to add weight to the campaign.  Please click here and add a few details to the readily prepared letter which will be sent to Agriculture Ministers in the countries where the illegal use of sow stalls is expected to continue after the deadline.

The Pigs Directive

Source: HSI

Back in 2001 a Directive was adopted in the EU to ban individual sow stalls in order to improve the welfare of pigs by moving all breeding pigs into group housing systems.  The ban on individual sow stalls is due to come into force on 1st January 2013.  This is under a year away and many pig producers have much to do before the ban begins.

Individual sow stalls restricts the movement of sows in such a way that they are unable to turn around for their entire pregnancy (four months).  HSI tells us; 

"These intelligent, inquisitive animals are practically immobilised, unable to express their natural range of complex social, foraging, and exploratory behaviour. The barren stalls also lead to behavioural and health problems such as bar biting, foot and leg disorders, and infections."

If this legislation is properly implemented the lives of thousands of pigs can be improved enormously, please sign this petition addressing Commissioner Dalli urging him to ensure this Directive is fully implemented throughout the EU in good time BEFORE the deadline.

Please tell your friends on Facebook and Twitter and encourage them to sign the petition as well.

Thank you!

Think Pig!

The RSPCA have launched a new campaign entited Think Pig encouraging people to think about the welfare of pigs bred for meat. Around 160 million pigs are bred for meat across Europe and live in unacceptable conditions that people are not fully aware of.

Whether you are a meat eater or a vegetarian you can make a pledge to Think Pig and buy (or tell your friends to buy) meat from pigs reared on farms inspected to RSPCA welfare standards. See the RSPCA Think Pig checklist for what to look out for.

More about Think Pig (includes a video that may upset some viewers)

Sign up to make a pledge

Think Pig also has a Facebook Page!

Another day, another idea for intensive farming.

I received a message from Peta UK informing me that South Derbyshire District Council plan to build an intensive pig farm in their district. It wasn't long ago that a similar thing happened with regards to an intensive dairy farm.

The plans were submitted by Midland Pig Producers (MPP) and they hope this huge development will produce one thousand pigs per week to be transported to the slaughterhouse. The development could keep around 26,000 pigs. The Managing Director of MPP, Martin Baker, was voted "Pig Farmer of the Year" back in 2009 and claims that factory farmed animals are better off than free range.

Please click here and fill in your details in order to contact South Derbyshire District Council and tell them you oppose MPP's plans.

If you can spare the time to amend the subject header and to add some extra points in then the letter will be a lot more effective.

Peta have provided the following ideas for addition to the letter:

*Confining so many pigs to one space will inevitably guarantee nothing but a massive rise in disease, infection and injury as well as extreme suffering for the animals. Intensive farming also contributes to the spread of diseases to the human population. The nearest inhabited dwelling is only 20 metres from the perimeter.

*MPP claims that the pigs' welfare would be better served by being kept indoors. This is a ridiculous suggestion, as the pigs would be denied the right to express their natural behaviours, such as foraging for food and nurturing their young in a natural environment.

*According to a new UN report, less consumption of animal-derived products is necessary in order to save the world from the worst impacts of climate change. Local governments should adopt policies that encourage a move away from the consumption of meat and dairy products and towards sustainable projects that are aimed at reinvigorating land and growing crops to feed people directly.

Pigs are very social and intelligent animals, they certainly don't deserve to spend their entire life in an intensive farm before being slaughtered.

Fluffy Friday #3

Pigs might swim!My boyfriend showed me a website featuring the most unusual holidays and guess what we came across :-)