MAF inspection found nothing wrong with pig farm, owner says

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Tue, 19 May 2009 12:00a.m.

The same farm featured in TVNZ's Sunday programme was investigated in 2006 by Campbell Live

The same farm featured in TVNZ's Sunday programme was investigated in 2006 by Campbell Live

The owner of a pig farm featured in a television current affairs programme, says animal welfare investigators did not find anything wrong when they inspected his farm today.

TVNZ's Sunday programme aired footage by animal welfare organisation Open Rescue, who were accompanied by comedian Mike King during a break-in at the Levin pig farm.

King, a 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, he said.

National animal advocacy organisation Save Animals from Exploitation (Safe) have named the owner of the piggery as former New Zealand Pork Industry Board chairman Colin Kay.

Mr Kay today said he thought activists had stirred the pigs up.

"I think the people that were there provoked them somehow."

The farm was investigated three years ago, and cleared of any wrong-doing. It was the subject of a Campbell Live report then, and nothing much appears to have changed in the last three years.

This afternoon, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) animal welfare inspectors, an independent vet and pig expert, visited the pig farm and spent around two-and-a-half hours there.

Mr Kay told news media after the inspection that investigators did not find anything wrong with the farm.

But MAF released a statement soon after the inspection that said it had not reached any conclusions.

Inspectors would be completing their reports, which would include any recommendations and conclusions.

This would enable MAF to decide upon what, if any, further investigation was required, the statement said.

Meanwhile a major bacon supplier, Hellers Tasty Limited , has said the example shown in the media in recent days was not representative of the industry.

"But we are checking conditions and pig raising practices on all farms from which we source product," managing director Nick Harris said.

Meanwhile, the Green Party said the programme had "lifted the petticoats" on the pork industry.

Green MP and animal welfare spokesperson Sue Kedgley said she planned to take a cross party group of MPs to visit some intensive pig farms.

She said Agriculture Minister David Carter "has a duty, as Minister of Agriculture, to learn about the reality of pig farming in New Zealand".

At his post cabinet press conference yesterday, Prime Minister John Key said he found the television footage of intensive pig farming "very, very disturbing".

The New Zealand Pork Industry said the pork industry was phasing out long-term use of sow stalls and that the programme did not represent the pork industry as a whole.

The pork industry's board had postponed the annual Bacon of the Year awards in response to the programme.

NZPA / 3 News

Campbell Live speaks to Peter Sankoff from the Law Faculty at the University of Auckland, an expert in the laws governing animal welfare, and Chris Trengrove, chairman of the Pork Board.

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Comments

02 Nov 2009 07:43p.m.

Pip wrote:


After witnessing what really goes on in pig farms, is enough to turn me off eating pork altogether.

02 Nov 2009 07:43p.m.

Lydia wrote:

I am sickened that any creature great or small could possibly be confined to a life of hell. Mankind is the cruelest of all species. Did anyone get the number for donating to the pigs welfare. I wanted to text a donation in support of these poor creatures. Anyone?

21 May 2009 11:38a.m.

Stella wrote:

I am appalled after watching this. People who choose to eat meat usually have no idea how their piece of meat comes to be all wrapped up and beautifully displayed on their local supermarket shelves. It removes from them the responsibilty of caring how the animal was raised or cared before its life was ended for their eating pleasure. I think if people cared about what they ate, this sort of cruel behaviour would end. Ignorance is bliss. The pig farmers must be lacking in compassion as they are the one who are putting these pigs in those small little cages and consumers are encouraging the pig farmers by purchasing the end product.

20 May 2009 09:55p.m.

Michael wrote:

Brilliant work to all those involved. It should be noted though, that a lot of our pork is imported from overseas farms with similiarly abhorrent conditions. If people are not only upset about the stigma this attaches to our country, but also upset that this sort of hell is imposed upon living beings, we should be addressing consumer responsibilities too.

20 May 2009 09:29p.m.

Gareth wrote:

We will not be eating any pork unless we are confident that it is 100% stall free. We only eat free range chicken, so, from experience, we know that this will mean less pork for us due to the expense. Fair enough. We though all pork was cage free in NZ and have been buying more to aid the replacement of our consumption of caged chicken.

Obviously, we should have spent more time trying to getting a grip on what was going on in NZ.

100% NZ pork was a popular brand, as maybe people did not realize exactly what 100% NZ pig farming was. This brand now should now be split to (1) 100% NZ Free Range Pork and (2) 100% NZ Caged Pork.

20 May 2009 06:27p.m.

Poki wrote:

I worked in the pig industry for many years and worked with many different systems. Both outdoor "Free Range" and indoor farms have there place and both have their positives and negatives for welfare.
"Free Range" pigs have a higher piglet mortality rate. This was neglected so "Free range" looks good. Does the piglets welfare not get factored in to welfare consideration when you are discussing these issues?.
How nice did the Havoc farm look in the sun and the pigs running around. Go onto that farm today after days of rain. How would the pigs look walking around in mud??. People would say this is cruel.
On the Sunday program, the pigs were squealing because they though it was feed time. This is a normal response when a shed is entered after the pigs have been left overnight. Also because the pigs did not get fed would have caused stress to the animals. So the very people who broke in were causing harm to the pigs.
The people who I have worked with in the pig industry do so because they love pigs and treat them very well.
The pig industry is not a very high return industry but is working towards reducing the use of stalls by 2012. This is a step the industry has taken and funded by the farmers themselves, not by the government or tax payers.
I could go on but you will only want to listen to "your side of the story".Please make sure that's the facts are correct and well researched before promoting and televising this propaganda.
PS - Is Mike King and the SAFE people going to be prosecuted for breaking and entering someones property??????.


20 May 2009 11:14a.m.

Marianne wrote:

I congratulate Campbell Live for again reporting on the truth of the appalling way pigs are reared in intensive factory farms.

Some people are suggesting that we should continue with these practises because otherwise we’ll just be flooded with more overseas products. Labelling is a clear answer, so that informed consumers who want to continue to eat pigs can choose to support New Zealand free range farmers. Just because other countries continue with barbaric practises, doesn’t mean that we need to follow the lowest common denominator.

As the lawyer Peter Sankoff said, while those who make legislation put economic considerations first when considering welfare procedures, animals will always lose out.

If you disagree with this cruelty, stop buying pig meat and go to www.lovepigs.org.nz to send an e-card to the Minister of Agriculture. Consumer pressure can stop this barbarity!

20 May 2009 10:36a.m.

Eric wrote:

Of course MAF and their vets are going to say there is nothing wrong or illegal about this. The law says it is okay. The only problem is that the law (codes of welfare) was written by the very farming organisation that endorses these horrific practices. Who votes in the NZ Pork Board? the farmers. NAWAC (National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee) then rubber stamp it all for MAF. How very snug and convenient for all involved. Talk about the 'old boys’ network'

20 May 2009 08:03a.m.

anita wrote:

Of course MAF did not find any wrong doing at the farm the law protects him to be able to farm pigs this way. And the legislation was drawn up by farmers and signed by polititians. However it does not mean that the practises are not cruel and legislation now has to be changed to protect the pigs. And if the this farmer thinks the animals are happy and healthy then he is living with his head in the sand. "We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals"

19 May 2009 11:24p.m.

Frank wrote:

I think consumers should take an active role and not just be governed by 'the cheapest price' They should stop buying pork that is not free range and therefore put the pressure on the authorities to bring about the necessary changes in the laws and regulations to make sow crates illegal. As Winston Churchill stated many years ago: 'Evil flourishes because good men stand back and do nothing' The consumer is the customer and if the customer really cares about the welfare of pigs who provide us with food then they should act!