FARM ANIMAL
VOICE YOUR MAGAZINE FROM COMPASSION IN WORLD FARMING
Issue 180
WHY COWS BELONG IN FIELDS Mega-dairies: a disaster for animals, people and the planet
ATTACK OF THE CLONES Campaign hits the streets of London FREE-RANGE T-SHIRT COMPETITION The winners revealed THE WATER FOOTPRINT OF FACTORY FARMING
ISSUE 180
FARM ANIMAL VOICE CONTENTS UPDATE
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4 News Headlines from around the world
INSIGHT 8 Enforcement Compassion launches major initiative to enforce welfare laws 14 Water footprint How factory farming is linked to water scarcity 21 Beak trimming Farmers show that it is an unnecessary cruelty
INSPIRATION 12 Get it off your chest! The winning t-shirt designs now available to buy online!
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18 The ‘Good Life’ Entrepreneur Peter Kindersley and the Sheepdrove story
ACTION 6 Cloning = cruelty Cameron’s clones spread the compassion message
litres of water for one steak (300g)
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16 CAP A chance to reform European farming 22 Peter Roberts Celebrating a remarkable life Front cover photograph © Design Pics/Don Hammond
Editor Richard Brooks Production manager Sarah Bryan Design Neo – The Positive Change Agency Farm Animal Voice Compassion in World Farming, River Court, Mill Lane, Godalming, Surrey GU7 1EZ, UK Enquiries Tel +44 (0) 1483 521 953 (lines are manned Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm) Email supporters@ciwf.org Compassion in World Farming is a registered charity (England), registered number 1095050. Our Patrons Bishop John Baker, Alexandra Bastedo, Jilly Cooper OBE, Princess Alia Al Hussein of Jordan, Penelope Keith OBE, Bruce Kent, Joanna Lumley OBE, Sir Peter O’Sullevan CBE, Jonathon Porritt CBE, Sir Crispin Tickell GCMG KCVO
COVER STORY 10 WHY COWS BELONG IN FIELDS Mega-dairies: a disaster for animals, people and the environment Photo © Digital Vision
WELCOME Over 40 years ago, a dairy farmer named Peter Roberts decided to do something about the rapid rise of factory farming – and founded Compassion in World Farming. Since then, our ‘can do’ charity has achieved a long list of reforms that are helping millions of farm animals live better lives. To honour and remember the life of our founder, we have set up the Peter Roberts Tribute Fund (page 22). Visit ciwf.org/peterroberts to find out about the man behind the charity – we hope you will be inspired to keep his work alive. Ironically, factory farming is about to catch up with Peter’s beloved dairy cows: American-style ‘mega-dairies’ (page 10) threaten our dairy cows and farmers in the UK. Stopping ‘mega-dairies’ is set to be one of our biggest battles yet; we’re in it for the long haul and determined to win. It takes time and hard work to change the lives of farm animals, but it is possible. As we welcome in the new decade, we look forward to the end of the barren battery cage (2012) and the narrow sow stall (2013) but we can’t underestimate the huge challenges that still lie ahead. On behalf of everyone at Compassion and the farm animals whose lives you are changing, thank you. Philip Lymbery Chief Executive
10 CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR AUTUMN RAFFLE WINNERS 1st prize £1,000: Mr M. Andrew, Lancashire. Four runner-up prizes of £500: Ms K. Timbers, Norfolk; Mrs D. Clark, Bedfordshire; Miss G. Seabourne, Devon and Mrs K. Watts, Somerset. Mr M. Twigg, Bristol wins the £500 prize from the raffle ticket seller draw.
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P.S. Your free window sticker is enclosed to help us all spread the Compassionate message! My personal blog is available at: acompassionateworld.org or you can follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/philip_ciwf ciwf.org
UPDATE
DEADLY ANTIBIOTICRESISTANT E. COLI AND SALMONELLA SUPERBUGS NOW WIDESPREAD ON BRITISH FARMS Scientists speaking at a conference in September 2010 revealed shocking new levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in intensively reared farm animals that have the potential to spread to humans. In his keynote speech Professor Gary French from Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital & King’s College, London told delegates that “We are faced with the potential loss of antimicrobial therapy. Effective national and international programmes of control to combat these problems are urgently needed.” Richard Young from the Soil Association said: “There has been little public scrutiny of farm antibiotic use for over a decade, yet during that time we have seen farmers dramatically increase their use
of antibiotics classified by the World Health Organization as ‘critically important in human medicine’ and we have also seen the development of several serious antibiotic-resistant bugs in farm animals which are passing to humans on food and in other ways. It is high time that the government took this problem seriously.” The intensification of agriculture, with pigs and poultry kept in cramped conditions, and dairy cattle pushed harder to produce more milk, has led farmers to not only rely on antibiotics to treat the diseases but also to use them more routinely to prevent the spread of disease. Compassion is calling on the UK government to accept that the only way to address the problem of antibioticresistant bacteria is to keep farm animals in more natural and less intensive conditions.
UNSTUNNED HALAL AND KOSHER MEAT Slaughter without pre-stunning inflicts unnecessary pain and distress on animals and Compassion in World Farming believes that it should not be permitted. Whilst we respect the right to religious freedom, we do not believe this should extend to practices that inflict suffering on animals. Following recent high profile media coverage, Compassion is continuing to call on the UK Government to ensure that unstunned Halal and Kosher meat is not distributed to the wider communities and for greater transparency in terms of labelling. Philip Lymbery, Chief Executive of Compassion, said: “We completely respect every individual’s religious choice. However, it is illegal for slaughterhouses to slaughter animals without first stunning them unless they are satisfied that the meat is intended solely for the Muslim or Jewish communities. In our view it is also against the law for a company to sell or serve meat from unstunned animals to the wider general public.” UK law requires animals to be stunned (rendered unconscious) before slaughter. However, the law gives an exemption to the normal rule that all animals be pre-stunned, allowing for animals to be slaughtered without pre-stunning for Halal meat for Muslim communities and Kosher meat for Jewish communities. In 2003, the Meat Hygiene Service conducted a survey which showed that around 90% of British Halal meat came from animals who were stunned before slaughter. It is believed that the large majority still is, with all major UK supermarkets claiming to support preslaughter stunning.
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OVER 4 MILLION LAYING HENS AND 10 MILLION MEAT CHICKENS BENEFIT FROM EU AWARDS Compassion proudly awarded over 40 European organisations on 20th October 2010 at the European Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards held at the Eiffel Tower, Paris.
NEARLY 30,000 HENS TO BE RELEASED FROM LIFE IN A CAGE BY BRITISH CATERER Compassion is celebrating after the announcement that one of the UK’s largest catering companies, Westbury Street Holdings, switched to using free-range eggs from October 2010. The caterer supplies food to businesses across London, including Selfridges, Ernst and Young, and IPC Media and comprises of food service companies BaxterStorey, Caterlink and Holroyd Howe. Westbury Street Holdings serve 25 million meals a year and their freerange move will benefit 27,000 hens each year. Compassion hopes to see other catering companies following their lead.
ITALIAN COMPASSION Over the past few years, Compassion in World Farming has been making real progress in Italy. Good Egg Awards have been given to a range of Italian companies who are choosing to ditch the battery cage. One such example is Coop Italia – the first Italian retailer to be totally cage-free on all its shell eggs (since October 2010). In support of this work, Compassion’s new Italian website gives Italian supporters and organisations a place to go to find out how they can help end factory farming. Visitors to the site can also learn more about Compassion’s latest partnership with IKEA in Italy.
42 Good Egg Awards and 4 Good Chicken Awards were presented to EU organisations making positive steps towards higher farm animal welfare standards. Top companies including Coop Italia, Unilever, IKEA food, Subway, Cocorette and Delhaize were praised at the prestigious ceremony.
Over 1 million food tray liners have been produced with IKEA Food Italy for use in their cafés. The jointly branded liners bear the words “Farm animal welfare is good for farm animals, people’s health and planet’s health.” Italian readers can learn more at www.ciwf.it
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The collective commitments and practices of the European food companies awarded in Paris are set to benefit over 4 million laying hens and over 10 million broiler chickens. Steve McIvor, Director of Food Business at Compassion, said: “We are thrilled to have so many great European companies winning awards and making such a positive difference to millions of farm animals every year.”
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ACTION
CLONING = CRUELTY CAMPAIGN UPDATE On Friday 6 August 2010, Londoners were confronted with the sight of 40 David Cameron ‘clones’ as Compassion’s Chief Executive, Philip Lymbery, delivered a letter to the Prime Minister calling for an EU ban on the cloning of animals for food.
cloned farm animals are born with deformed organs and live short and miserable lives.
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ver 7,000 people signed our letter in just two days, helping us to build crucial momentum towards a new EU law on cloning following the European Parliament vote in support of a ban on food products from clones.
The campaign attracted widespread media attention as Compassion representatives were called upon by the BBC, ITV and the world’s press to comment and debate upon the issue.
Compassion’s CLONING = CRUELTY campaign highlights the intrinsic animal welfare issues of extreme selective breeding of animals for food – i.e. meat and dairy – and gives concerned consumers a place to register their opposition to the unacceptable levels of suffering resulting from the cloning process. Research shows that many
CLONING LEADS TO CRUELTY Cloning for food is widely recognised as causing appalling suffering to farm animals. The majority of cloned embryos die during pregnancy. Of those that survive, a significant proportion die
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT Our thanks go to all our supporters and activists who have helped us make such an impact so far; we will keep you updated in this magazine and on our website.
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shortly after birth or during the following weeks from cardiovascular failure, respiratory problems, liver or kidney failure, immuno-deficiencies or musculoskeletal abnormalities.
European Commission makes a strong ethical and welfare case for banning the cloning of animals for the food supply. However, it then concedes that, as the United States has no prohibition on cloning, there is no way in which the European Union (EU) could ban the sale of the progeny of offspring of clones as thousands of embryos and a huge amount of cattle semen is imported from Canada and the US every year and some of this may be from cloned animals.
In a 2008 report, the European Group on Ethics (EGE) concluded that “considering the current level of suffering and health problems of surrogate dams and animal clones, the EGE has doubts as to whether cloning animals for food supply is ethically justified”. The EGE added that it “does not see convincing arguments to justify the production of food from clones and their offspring”. Cloning is also being exploited to push animals beyond their natural physical limits by reproducing huge numbers of the very highest yielding dairy cows, for example. Yet most dairy cows are so ‘spent’ after five or six years that they are prematurely culled. WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW? The issue of cloning is hotting up in Brussels. In its recent report, the
On behalf of over 7,000 signatories, Compassion’s Philip Lymbery delivers letter to Number 10
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Compassion in World Farming is working hard to stop the cloning of animals for food. Please help by writing to The Rt. Hon. Caroline Spelman, Secretary of State, Deptartment for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR. Please say how disappointed you are that the Coalition government is not opposing the sale of meat and milk from cloned animals and their offspring. Urge her to rethink the government’s position and take the lead in pressing our EU partners to ban all aspects of cloning animals for food.
INSIGHT
COMPASSION TO LAUNCH MAJOR ENFORCEMENT INITIATIVE In much of Europe, enforcement of EU animal welfare laws is poor. For many years Compassion has worked hard to get laws designed to protect animals properly enforced. For example, in 2007, our investigations persuaded the European Commission to take Greece to the European Court, which consequently ruled that Greece had failed to properly enforce EU legislation on transport and slaughter.
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ompassion will make enforcement a major plank of our work, with the aim of winning much greater compliance with welfare laws throughout Europe. We are determined to ensure that animals feel the full benefit of the laws designed to protect them. AN END TO ILLEGAL PIG CRUELTY Our investigation in six EU countries (including the UK) found that many farmers are ignoring the Pigs Directive which prohibits routine tail docking and requires pigs to be given straw or some similar material so that they can engage in their natural behaviours of rooting, foraging and exploring. We have been making progress in getting these laws enforced and are now committed to stepping up this work. Proper implementation of these laws could spell the beginning of the end of factory farming for pigs.
On behalf of our supporters, Compassion is determined to expose those who break the law and lobby for legislation to be fully enforced throughout all of Europe.
European Commission reveals that Polish officials are accepting unrealistically short journey time estimates made by firms exporting young calves to Italy, Spain and Belgium. This means the animals don’t get the 24-hour mid-journey rest to which they are entitled by law. ABATTOIRS FLOUTING SLAUGHTER REGULATIONS Within the EU, around 325 million pigs, sheep, goats and cattle are slaughtered for food each year. That amounts to around 900,000 each and every day. In addition, the EU slaughters around 6 billion chickens a year – that is over 16 million each day. There are rules and regulations that govern how animals are slaughtered: that slaughter is carried out as humanely as possible, in ways that minimise pain, stress and fear. Yet in reality, slaughter is often a terrifying, painful process due to lack of law enforcement. A recent investigation by One Voice in France revealed that some animals were kicked and hit by slaughterhouse workers; some had to be stunned two or three times by incompetent slaughtermen; some animals were conscious whilst their throats were cut; some cowered in terror and tried to escape; and some unfit animals were literally dragged to their deaths.
TRANSPORT FIRMS BREAK THE LAW TO TURN A PROFIT The EU Transport Regulation is routinely flouted. Animals are packed into overcrowded trucks and transported huge distances across Europe, often without being given rest, water and food as and when required by the Regulation. For example, a new report by the
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Photo © Dale Arey
THE 2012 BARREN BATTERY CAGE BAN – A FIRST STEP TOWARDS A WORLD WITHOUT FACTORY FARMING? The EU ban on conventional battery cages comes into force on 1 January 2012. Compassion is working now to ensure this law comes into force. Our investigators will be visiting farms in a number of countries right from the start of 2012 gathering evidence of any continuing use of what by then will be illegal battery cages. Our aim is 100% compliance with the ban. Regrettably, it will still be possible to use so-called enriched cages after 1 January 2012. We are working hard to persuade farmers and food businesses to steer clear of enriched cages and instead to go over to barn or free-range systems.
A REMINDER OF WHY THE BARREN BATTERY CAGE BAN MUST BE UPHELD IN 2012
Height of most of the cage: 40cm Hens have to stand/sit on a sloping wire floor most of their laying lives
The Feed – Hens have to feed through the cage bars Width of cage: 50cm
Depth of cage: 50cm This is where the eggs roll out from the wire floor to be collected
THE BARREN BATTERY CAGE The illustration above represents a typical barren battery cage. Each compartment holds around 4 animals, depending on type of cage. Sheds containing thousands of animals in these conditions are not uncommon.
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ACTION
WHY COWS
BELONG IN FIELDS The proposed construction of the UK’s largest dairy farm poses a giant threat to animal welfare and all those who believe that humane and sustainable farming is the only viable way to feed our planet.
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n 1967, dairy farmer, Peter Roberts founded Compassion in World Farming in response to the wide-scale emergence of factory farming. In Lincolnshire in 2010, his rallying cry against the unnatural confinement and suffering of farm animals is needed more than ever. We are at a pivotal moment in history for animal welfare, our countryside and indeed the farming community. Your support for our campaign will help define that future. Wherever you live, allowing Nocton Dairies’ proposal to go ahead could spell disaster: FOR LOCAL PEOPLE The ‘farm’ would be situated less than a mile from the villages of Nocton and Dunston in the district of North Kesteven. If the plans go ahead, the cows would outnumber the people in these villages and the amount of manure produced by the dairy each year would be three times the quantity of sewage sludge produced by the entire human population of North Kesteven.
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5 REASONS TO BE ALARMED BY ‘MEGA-DAIRIES’
1. The cows will be indoor milking machines, with little opportunity to graze on pasture. 2. Bred for very high milk yields, these cows are at higher risk of lameness, loss of body condition and infertility.
3. Traditional dairy farmers are likely to go out of business, unable to compete.
4. The countryside will be devastated with huge sheds and daily HGV intrusions. 5. Pig and chicken factory farms already spell disaster for animals, people and the planet. Widescale factory farming of dairy cows would be a further step in the wrong direction.
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FOR EVERYONE IN THE UK Huge intensive farms of this type are common in the US, but this dairy would be the first of its kind in Western Europe. If it gets the go-ahead, others will surely follow in its wake. The welfare of all our dairy cows will be at risk. Smaller-scale farmers may go out of business because they just can’t compete. The impact on our countryside could be vast: cows in a field could become a thing of the past.
Compassion is continuing its high level involvement in this very important campaign both behind the scenes and in public. We are working with a highly skilled team of specialist legal experts and environmental advisors to forensically address issues within the planning application. Compassion has also been working closely with local campaigners in Lincolnshire, providing support and advice.
IN PRAISE OF GRASS Grass is probably the most incredible plant on the planet. Different species growing all around the globe have been the foundation of livestock farming for centuries. For ruminant animals, for most of the year, grass provides far more than just freedom – it delivers a complete diet offering energy, protein, minerals and trace elements that can be freely harvested by the animals that graze it and, in turn, these abundant pastures indirectly supply food for us.
Philip Lymbery with Zac Goldsmith MP. MPS BRIEFED ON PERILS OF ‘MEGA-DAIRIES’ Over 50 UK MPs joined Compassion in World Farming and WSPA on 26 October 2010 to learn more about the threat of ‘mega-dairies’ entering the UK. This Westminster event, hosted by Austin Mitchell MP, underlined the strength of feeling against the proposal to build an 8,100-dairy cow unit in Lincolnshire, where the animals will be housed indoors for much, if not all the time.
We don’t just feed cows on grazed grass because it’s good for them – it’s also a very cheap feed and one that grows well throughout the UK. The western side of our country grows grass and the silty soils of East Anglia are the nation’s vegetable patch and cereal bowl. Displacing one sector of agriculture with another like this is not sustainable – farming evolved where it did for a reason. It is incredible that in a hungry world we are ripping up pasture to grow cereals, which will then be fed to our livestock.
Compassion patrons and high profile supporters also attended the event to show their support for our ‘Cows belong in fields’ campaign. These included Alexandra Bastedo, Sir Crispin Tickell, Zac Goldsmith MP, TV vet Marc Abraham and actress Nathalie Cox.
THANK YOU FOR GETTING OUR CAMPAIGN ON THE ROAD Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, our campaign against Nocton Dairies is on the road. Demonstrating the strength of our support for local campaigners, our adverts appeared for a whole month on a fleet of buses in Lincolnshire. To learn more and support our ongoing campaign, please visit cowsbelonginfields.org
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Ellie, age 11, from Nocton Primary School, says: "Cows that live in fields are happier cows. I enjoy having milk on my cereal but I wouldn't like to have milk from a mega-dairy."
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INSPIRATION
GET IT OFF YOUR CHEST! We received a brilliant response to our FREE-RANGE T-SHIRT competition – the creativity and passion that has gone into all of the designs are inspiring. You can spread the free-range message by ordering one (or more!) of the winning designs online at ciwf.org/shop
All the design entries are on display at our online gallery, chickenout.tv/t-shirt ciwf.org
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AND THE WINNERS ARE…. Our celebrity judges had a hard time choosing the final winning designs, so well done to all our winners, who all receive a t-shirt with their winning design, plus a beautiful hardback copy of Celia Lewis’ ‘Illustrated Guide to Chickens’ or an illustrated table mat. CONGRATULATIONS!
Brian Blessed chose Nicola Harris’ design, and is proud to support the campaign.
A special recommend ation goes to Andy Powell’s design from our very own Philip Lymbery.
To everyone who took part. The Chicken Out! campaign is about demanding high chicken welfare and leading the consumer movement. We can all make a difference and lead the change. THANK YOU!
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Because the farm animals can’t say it themselves – I’ll say it for them, thank you so much for taking part in this competition – your involvement makes you an inspiration and the freerange change will continue.
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Brian Blessed
hittingstall saw Hugh Fearnley-W free-range the himself continue Ryan’s design. ie campaign in Rich
Susannah Constantine cho se our 18 and under winner, Daniel Kostine aged 6.
Celia Lewis, author of the compet ition prize, ‘The Illustrated Guide to Chi ckens’, thought that The Lone Freerange r by Liza Sawyer highlights our mission .
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INSIGHT
UNDERSTANDING THE WATER FOOTPRINT OF FACTORY FARMING Water scarcity is one of the key crises facing the world today. Professor Arjen Y. Hoekstra, explains the connection with factory farming.
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he desirability of reducing our carbon footprints is generally recognised – if not necessarily acted upon – by governments, corporations and individual consumers. Yet the related and equally urgent need to address our water footprint is often overlooked.
Campaigns aimed at getting the public to save water usually focus on reducing domestic or industrial consumption of water. But only 10% of our water consumption is related to industrial products and only 5% to household use. About 85% of humanity’s water footprint is in fact related to the consumption of agricultural products, particularly animal products, as they generally use much more water per caloric value than crops. This means that if people are considering reducing their water footprint, they need to look at their diet rather than at their water use in the kitchen, bathroom or garden. The biggest contribution to the total water footprint of all animal products comes from growing feed, rather than the water the animals drink. Many grain crops are grown specifically for animal consumption. In the United States, for example, 68% of the grains produced are used for animal feed. But this step is the farthest removed from the consumer, which explains why people generally have little notion that animal products require a lot of water.
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THE WATER FOOTPRINT A water footprint generally breaks down into three components:
The BLUE WATER footprint is the volume of fresh water that is consumed from surface and groundwater. The GREEN WATER footprint is the volume of water consumed from rainwater stored in the soil.
The GREY WATER footprint is the volume of water that is required to dilute polluted water to such an extent that the quality of the ambient water remains above agreed water quality standards.
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Purely from a water-saving point of view, it is more efficient to eat the crops directly rather than having them processed into meat. Moreover, the water footprints of two seemingly similar pieces of meat can largely differ. Even though taste and other measurable characteristics may be the same, water footprints may be completely different depending on how the animal has been reared and fed. The water footprint of beef from an industrial system may partly refer to irrigation water (blue water) to grow feed in an area remote from where the cow is raised. This can be an area where water is abundantly available, but it may be an area where water is scarce and where minimum environmental flow requirements are not met due to over exploitation. In contrast, the water footprint of beef from a grazing system will mostly refer to green water used in pastures. If the pastures used are either dry- or wetlands that cannot be used for crop cultivation, the green water flow turned into meat could not have been used to produce food crops instead. If, however, the pastures can be substituted by cropland, the green water allocated to crop production ceases to be available for meat production. So the social and ecological impacts of water use at a certain location depend on the scarcity and alternative uses of water at that location.
Water problems are in fact an intrinsic part of a global economic structure in which water scarcity is not translated into costs to either producers or consumers. As a result there are many places where water resources are depleted or polluted, with producers and consumers along the supply chain benefiting at the cost of local communities and ecosystems. Animals are often fed with a variety of feed ingredients and feed supply chains are difficult to trace. So unless we have milk, cheese, eggs or meat from an animal that was raised and grazed locally, it is hard to say how any individual product has affected the world’s scarce freshwater resources. The increasing complexity of our food system in general and animal products in particular hides the existing links between the foods we buy and their resource implications. It is only by understanding the relation between animal products and water resources that effective policy decisions can be made. Yet there is no national
water plan in the world that even addresses the issue that meat and dairy products are among the most waterintensive consumer products, let alone that water policies somehow involve consumers or the food industry in this respect. The latest 2009 World Water Assessment Programme report by the United Nations is nearly 350 pages long but mentions the word ‘meat’ just 15 times. The analysis does not go deeper than stating that global meat demand will increase and thus water demand as well. The same bias can be seen in scientific literature, which generally addresses the issue of water-use efficiency within agriculture (more crop per drop), but hardly ever the issue of wateruse efficiency in the food system as a whole (more calories per drop).
litres of water for one steak (300g)
litres of water for one big piece (500g)
litres of water for one package (500g)
litres of water for one steak (300g)
litres of water for one pound (500g) One water droplet represents 50 litres
Virtual Water © 2010 Timm Kekeritz. www.virtualwater.eu
Protecting freshwater resources can no longer be regarded as an issue for individual countries or river basins. Take Europe as an example. The water footprint of Europe – the total volume of water used for producing all commodities consumed by European citizens – has been significantly externalized to other parts of the world. Europe is a large importer of crops like sugar and cotton, two of the thirstiest crops. Europe also imports large volumes of animal feed, like soybean from Brazil. So European meat consumption relies heavily on water resources from outside Europe. How Europe is going to secure its future water supply may thus become a vital economic and political issue.
THE SITUATION HAS TO CHANGE Consumer and environmental organisations need to demand more product transparency of animal products by business and governments, so that they are better informed about associated water resources use and impacts. Governments can put regulations in place that urge businesses along the supply chain of animal products to cooperate in creating product transparency, and can tune their trade and development cooperation policies towards their wish to promote consumption of and trade in sustainable products. Businesses can cooperate in water labelling, certification and benchmarking schemes and produce annual water accounts that include a report of the supply-chain water footprints and associated impacts of their products. For more information about the Water Footprint concept, please visit www.waterfootprint.org
Wise water governance must become a shared responsibility of consumers, governments and businesses.
Arjen Y. Hoekstra is Professor in water resources management at the University of Twente, The Netherlands. He is the creator of the water footprint concept and a chapter author of ‘ The Meat Crisis’, a book compiled by Joyce D’Silva (Compassion in World Farming’s Director of Public Affairs) and Professor John Webster (see page 23).
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ACTION
A CHANCE TO REFORM FARMING IN EUROPE For many years, farmers in the European Union (EU) have relied upon financial support from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Sadly, the CAP draws on our taxes, so we’re effectively subsidising factory farming. Compassion’s Peter Stevenson and Joyce D’Silva make the case for using this money to make positive improvements for animal welfare in Europe.
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very few years, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is reviewed and changes are made. Last time round, some positive changes were made. For the first time, part of the CAP money was used to support environmental and animal welfare improvements on farms. There was a catch though – national governments could decide whether or not to use this money for animal welfare. The Scottish government took up the option – Westminster didn’t.
The CAP is now being reviewed again and changes will take effect from 2013. In September 2010, Compassion in World Farming’s Peter Stevenson (Chief Policy Advisor) and Joyce D’Silva (Director of Public Affairs) gave a presentation to over 60 CAP officials in the European Commission in Brussels, making a strong case for using CAP money to positively improve animal welfare. We know from EU surveys that a large majority (72%) of the EU public believes that farmers should be compensated for any extra costs that may be associated with higher animal welfare and that ensuring the welfare of farm animals ranks as one of farmers’ main responsibilities after the provision of safe and healthy food.
Compassion believes that the CAP should facilitate a move from industrial livestock production to humane, sustainable forms of animal husbandry. This would achieve:
• better animal welfare • healthier animals
• a more resource-efficient livestock sector • a reduced impact on the environment and climate change
WHAT WILL COMPASSION DO? Compassion’s major campaign over the next five years will be to influence and ultimately change the direction of farming in the EU, away from intensive factory farms, and towards more humane and sustainable farming systems.
There are other good reasons why the CAP should help move Europe away
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from industrial factory farming. Industrial production is dependent on feeding cereals and soy to animals. Already 58% of EU cereal production is used as animal feed. The EU imports vast quantities of soya from countries like Brazil, just to feed it to animals. Meanwhile forests in Brazil are cut down for cattle ranching and growing that soya. It just doesn’t make sense, especially in a world where so many have too little to eat. We know that to produce 1kg of edible meat from a factory farmed animal may require anything from 4.5kg of feed for 1kg of chicken to 7.3kg feed for 1kg of pork to 20kg feed for 1kg of edible beef! WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR CONSUMERS? CAP funds represent €55billion of the EU tax bill. It is our money that is subsidising farming in the EU. Whilst some of this money is well spent on farmers who have ‘good’ farming systems, it is not generally being spent on aiding farmers to adopt better animal welfare standards and more sustainable farming systems. Whilst policy makers do refer to animal welfare as important, the reality is that without further changes to the CAP itself and its implementation – little good comes of this money for animals or for the public who want to see better animal welfare standards in European farming.
COMPASSION WANTS A EUROPEAN COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY THAT SUPPORTS AND CHAMPIONS HIGH WELFARE FARMERS
Organically reared Mangalica pigs on a farm in Hungary. COMPASSION BELIEVES THAT CAP FUNDS SHOULD MOVE FARMING IN THE FOLLOWING DIRECTION: FROM
TO
Intensive pig and poultry systems
High welfare free-range or enhanced indoor systems: • with ample space, bedding and enrichment materials, good ventilation and natural light • without mutilations and excessive growth rates or yields
High-yielding dairy cows
Cows that are grazed on pasture and are lower yielding but healthier and have improved welfare
Intensive beef indoor or feedlot systems
Extensive pasture-based systems
TAKE ACTION If you feel strongly about how your taxes are spent on farming, look out for Compassion’s campaign on ‘good’ farming coming soon. Take action now: talk to your friends and colleagues to make them aware of this massive contribution they are making to farming. We’ll be in touch soon with the political actions you can take.You can also vote with your wallet – buy higher welfare animal products – it’s a strong message to send to the UK government and the EU policy makers and a great way to support farmers who are trying to get it right.
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INSIGHT
– THE “GOOD LIFE” ENTREPRENEUR –
PETER KINDERSLEY
The Sheepdrove story began over 30 years ago, when Peter and Juliet Kindersley bought a dilapidated farmhouse on the top of the windswept Berkshire Downs to practise their dream of self-sufficiency. Today, Sheepdrove is a thriving 2,100-acre organic farm at the heart of the local community. Compassion recently took the opportunity to learn more about the Sheepdrove philosophy and what has driven its owners to farm the way they do.
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BE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT’S IMPORTANT IN LIFE
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“The idea that intensive farming can feed the world is absolute rubbish, it just puts lots of people out of work. The United Nations, countless scientists and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) all agree that industrialised farming is not the answer. Agriculture is not just another business. Most of the world relies on it for employment, community and a good environment as well as food of course. It is really a social enterprise. Changing this model could have dire consequences for the future.“
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eter Kindersley has always believed that it is possible to change things. “I believe you have to be passionate about what’s important in life to drive it forward” he explained from his organic farm, nestled in the Berkshire countryside. Peter cites the beginning of his ‘story’ as when he was a publisher at Dorling Kindersley, producing books on the environment in the 1970s. He explains how one book quite literally changed his life: The Complete Book of Self Sufficiency by John Seymour. The book went on to become a best seller around the world and it is still in print today. Upon getting to know the author, Peter was taught the important distinction between agriculture and agri-business.
Sheepdrove farm manager, Chris Blunt, talks about these strong principles and vision being at the heart of everything that goes into managing the farm. Their commitment to animal welfare runs deep – it is about more than just the little touches but fundamentally working with the animals’ natural behaviour rather than being at odds with it; calves are separated from their mothers at eleven months rather than the typical six months, making it a far less traumatic experience. Breed is chosen to support good welfare, for example favouring hardy breeds that do not need to be kept indoors unnecessarily. Sheepdrove follows the very best Soil Association organic standards and also innovates to go beyond them. Peter and Juliet’s team has developed a number of unique approaches that create a happy and healthy environment for their farm animals. Particularly striking is the Sheepdrove turkey flock. Rearing a mixture of traditional and heritage turkey breeds, these beautiful birds live extremely free-range lives with plenty of access to woodland. When you arrive at the turkey field, these inquisitive birds literally charge across and come to meet you.
“Back in 1974, we weren’t talking about organic, we were talking about self-sufficiency; doing things properly, manure, compost and all those things. The TV programme, The Good Life, had just come out and I think they must have been inspired by this book as there was nothing else like it around.” The Kindersleys’ original aim was to protect themselves from the polluting chemicals used by farmers surrounding them and to recreate the original downland landscape that they had fallen in love with so many years ago. Since then, the conversion to organic farming has been an immensely positive experience. “We have witnessed the miraculous generosity of nature as the countryside around us has come back to life and, with the return of myriad birds, wild flowers, small mammals, reptiles and insect life, land which was turning into an arid prairie has been transformed to a rich tapestry of wildlife.”
Peter sees the future of Sheepdrove as a working farm that can run efficiently whilst continuing to remain uncompromised on their standards.
When asked about the threat of a new wave of intensive farming, such as ‘mega-dairies’, Peter is deeply concerned but believes the tide can be turned. He continues, "With almost 10,000 factory farms in the US producing 300 million tons of manure per year, that's more than double the amount generated by the entire US human population. How can we allow this?” He adds, “many Americans are now quite rightly saying, ‘No more!’” Despite the challenges, Peter feels positive that with the right kind of people power, changes can be made.
“That’s what I learned all those years back from the self sufficiency book and what I continue to stand by today.”
To find out more about Sheepdrove, please do visit the website at sheepdrove.com
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AGED 55 OR OVER? HAVEN’T MADE A WILL YET? WE CAN HELP.
Making a Will is the best way of ensuring your loved ones have a secure future and that your property and possessions are dealt with in the way that you want. You may also choose to remember your favourite charities so that their work can continue into the future. At Compassion in World Farming, we believe everyone should have a Will prepared by a qualified solicitor.
Poorly-worded Wills can incur large legal fees for beneficiaries and may mean that your wishes are not met. A properly prepared Will ensures everything is handled efficiently and in the interests of your family, friends and the causes you hold dear. As a member of The National Free Wills Network, we are now pleased to offer supporters aged 55 or over a free Will writing service.
If you would like an information pack, please call Legacy Services on 01483 521 953 or email legacy@ciwf.org ciwf.org
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You can have a simple Will drafted free of charge by a local solicitor chosen from a UK-wide network of solicitors, all of whom are members of The Law Society. You are not obliged in any way to leave a gift to us in your Will but we sincerely hope that you may choose to do so.
INSIGHT
FARMERS SHOW WESTMINSTER WHY
BEAK TRIMMING JUST DOESN'T CUT IT On 8 November 2010, the UK government announced its intention to postpone the ban on beak trimming from 2011 to 2016, despite growing numbers of farmers showing that it is possible to keep laying hens in commercial systems without resorting to these painful mutilations. Compassion in World Farming is appalled at this unnecessary delay. AUSTRIAN COMPASSION
B
eak trimming involves cutting off around a third of a chick’s beak with a red-hot blade or an infra-red beam. Scientific studies show that this is a serious and painful mutilation which results in acute pain. As the UK government declares that it plans to ban only the hotblade technique and postpone the ban on infra-red beak trimming, Compassion meets the European farmers who are proving there are humane alternatives. Without the huge pressure from Compassion’s supporters, we might not even have achieved the ban on hot-blade trimming.
Austria agreed to ban beak trimming back in 2000, with the practice almost eradicated by 2005. Feather pecking and injurious pecking soon dropped below the initial levels seen in 2000, despite the continuing phase-out of beak trimming. When we visited the Austrian farms, the main features of a good laying hen farm were similar to those in the UK. The hens were kept at lower densities, with perches and more complex environments. Managing the indoor climate, as well as health and disease, reduced the risks of feather pecking starting.
BRITISH FARMERS TO BE PROUD OF The first farms we visited are managed by one of the UK’s largest egg suppliers, producing eggs for Waitrose.
In short, like many things in life, the solutions lie in doing simple things well.
Keeping the birds on straw, or with an outdoor range, means that their pecking and foraging behaviour is focused where it should be naturally, rather than redirected at their flockmates as often happens in more barren environments. When the birds are still young, they also get to experience many of the potential challenges of everyday hen life, like going outside or learning how to use perches.
Choosing the right breed of birds, rearing them well, giving them complex environments and keeping a close eye on their wellbeing can help ensure hens live a good quality life and don’t resort to pecking each other. Our case studies have been presented to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. We believe they help highlight that a UK ban on beak trimming is not only urgent, but absolutely achievable for the British egg industry.
Keeping birds healthy and giving them a stimulating environment means feather pecking is kept to a minimum and there is no need to mutilate the animals. Photo © Poultryhub
The industry has already been given a very generous eight years to phase out beak trimming. Compassion will continue lobbying until a full ban is implemented.
Infra-red machines like this are widely used across the UK in the beak trimming process.
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INSPIRATION
– THE PETER ROBERTS TRIBUTE FUND –
CELEBRATING A REMARKABLE LIFE
DETERMINATION • INTEGRITY • COMPASSION These were the fundamental qualities of our founder, Peter Roberts. In 1967, compelled by his experience as a dairy farmer, Peter took the path that went on to define his life: championing farm animal welfare around the world. To honour the life of this man who achieved so much for farm animals – and to raise money to achieve his goal of humane and sustainable farming – we have set up The Peter Roberts Tribute Fund. We invite you to visit Peter’s online memorial website and discover his life story. Through stories and photos, you’ll gain insight into Peter – the farmer, the family man and the activist. Visit ciwf.org/peterroberts where you can contribute your own thoughts and stories and also have the chance to donate to Compassion in World Farming in Peter’s name.
KEEPING YOUR OWN MEMORIES ALIVE At Compassion in World Farming, we believe every life should be celebrated.You can now set up a Compassionate Tribute Fund in the name of a loved one and help raise money for Compassion at the same time. Please visit ciwf.org/tributefunds or call Supporter Services on 01483 521 953 to find out more. ciwf.org
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INSIGHT
WISHING YOU A MERRY AND COMPASSIONATE CHRISTMAS! Stuck for last minute stocking fillers? Here are our top ideas with a compassionate edge.
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THE BOOK LIST 1
THE INNER WORLD OF FARM ANIMALS By Amy Hatkoff Published Touchstone Books (2008) RRP: £10.99
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THE SECRET LIFE OF COWS By Rosamund Young Published by Good Life Press (2003) Order online at goodlifepress.co.uk Free p&p in the UK Hardback only £9.99
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50 YEARS AT GOMBE By Jane Goodall Published by Tabori & Chang Inc (2010) RRP: £19.99
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THE MEAT CRISIS Edited by Joyce D’Silva and John Webster Published by Earthscan (2010) Buy online from ciwf.org/meatcrisis quoting supporter discount code AF20
Discount price: £19.99 5
HERB THE VEGETARIAN DRAGON (For children) By Jules Bass. Illustrated by Debbie Harter Published by Barefoot Books RRP: £5.99
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GREAT WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE • Download Compassion’s festive poster and donate to Compassion in lieu of Christmas cards. Visit ciwf.org/Christmas for your FREE poster. • Stuck for Christmas present ideas? Give a Gift of Compassion to loved ones by donating in their name. • Enjoy some festive fundraising and go carol singing to raise funds and awareness. • Organic, free-range or Freedom Food – if you eat meat, please make sure your Christmas feast has the right labels.
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The Sir Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust Christmas card Every year, proceeds from Sir Peter O’Sullevan’s Christmas cards go to six animal welfare charities: Compassion in World Farming, The Blue Cross, The Brooke, Racing Welfare, The Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre and World Horse Welfare. To place an order for this year’s card, ‘Braving the Elements’, Tel: 020 8333 1411 or Email: mail@red.media.uk.com
• Don’t forget the dairy – mince pies taste much better with higher welfare cream and brandy butter (look for organic or Freedom Food dairy products). Or try one of the soya, oat or rice creams on the market. • Only use free-range or barn eggs in your custard and look out for the hidden egg ingredient in ready-made dishes. • Get ready for the New Year by making a resolution to get sponsored for farm animals – visit ciwf.org/sponsor Pack of 10 cards with envelopes (200 x 148mm) £7.50 per pack plus p&p
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THANK YOU
YOUR COMPASSION CONTINUES TO MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
25 MILLION laying hens throughout Europe are set to benefit as a result of our Good Egg Award winners’ policies
CAGE-FREE EGGS NOW OUTSELL battery eggs in the UK
40%
of UK MPs signed a parliamentary motion demanding the HONEST LABELLING of chicken meat and improved welfare conditions for chickens
OUR UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION across 70 EUROPEAN PIG FARMS proves beyond doubt that animal welfare laws are being broken – and need enforcing
IN ITS FIRST YEAR our beyond Calf Exports Stakeholders Forum made a difference to the lives of 61,000 UK male dairy calves
AROUND 450,000
UK sows now spend their pregnancy CRATE-FREE thanks to our campaigns
OVER 174 MILLION meat chickens live in more humane environments as a result of our ‘Good Chicken’ Award winners’ policies
In 2010, UK SALES OF HIGHER WELFARE CHICKEN increased by 47% compared to 2009
AFTER A SWIFT AND HARD-HITTING CAMPAIGN a passenger ferry company agreed NOT TO TRANSPORT livestock between Portsmouth and France
Two out of three farm animals still suffer in factory farms. However, your Compassion continues to help change the lives of millions of farm animals for the better.
THANK YOU FOR BEING THE CORNERSTONE TO ALL THAT WE DO.
Compassion in World Farming, River Court, Mill Lane, Godalming, Surrey GU7 1EZ, UK Tel +44 (0) 1483 521 953 Email supporters@ciwf.org Web ciwf.org Compassion in World Farming is a registered charity (England), registered number 1095050.