Farm Animal Voice 196 by Compassion in World Farming

Issue 196 – spring 2016

THE AMERICAN CAGE AGE REVOLUTION

DI YOU DI

US battery cages: the beginning of the end?

ITALY OPENS ITS EYES!

Exposing factory farming in Italy

MEET YOUR TEAM IN CHINA 满足您的团队在中国

600,000 PEOPLE SAY END THE CAGE AGE FOR EUROPE’S RABBITS

I S S U E 19 6

farm animal voice contents

update 4 News roundup 9 Shining a light on dishonest labels 10 600,000 people stand up against rabbit cages

insight 14 How major companies stack up on farm animal welfare 20 BBC Countryfile’s Ellie Harrison talks compassion

inspiration 12 The American cage age revolution?

18 Compassion takes hold in China

ACTION 6 Fighting back against the spread of factory farming in the UK 8 Meet a Compassion superhero 16 Italy, open your eyes! 22 Together we are stronger!

Editor Richard Brooks Production manager Sarah Bryan Design Neo – weareneo.com Farm Animal Voice Compassion in World Farming, River Court, Mill Lane, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1EZ, UK Enquiries Tel +44 (0)1483 521 950 (lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm) Email supporters@ciwf.org Compassion in World Farming is a registered charity (England and Wales), registered number 1095050. Our Patrons Professor Joyce Carter, Jilly Cooper OBE, Peter Egan, Rose Elliot MBE, Princess Alia Al Hussein of Jordan, Dame Penelope Keith DBE, Bruce Kent, Joanna Lumley OBE, Evanna Lynch, Jonathon Porritt CBE, The Duchess of Richmond, Sir Crispin Tickell GCMG KCVO, Professor John Webster Front cover: © Getty

Pages 10-11

TOGETHER, WE MUST OUTLAW CAGED RABBIT FARMING

TOGETHER, WE’RE STRONGER 6

Add images

Compassion staff speak out on your behalf (Pg 6)

Welcome to Compassion’s supporter magazine, Farm Animal Voice. This spring issue is bursting with stories on how together, we are rocking the very foundations that prop up factory farming. Changing the world is never easy, especially when up against big corporations, governments and ignorance. But as you will read, we are doing just that: together, we are changing the world, and the way the world views farm animal welfare. So, I would like to use this opportunity to say a sincere thank you for all that you do, and for your belief in Compassion’s vision: that no farm animal deserves to live a life of suffering. I feel extremely proud and honoured to play a part in Compassion’s vital work. I hope you do too. You are fighting the biggest form of animal cruelty on the planet. And you’re not alone: we’re in this together. Together we’re stronger. Together we will beat factory farming.

Thank you.

Philip Lymbery CEO, Compassion in World Farming

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FIGHTING ANTIBIOTIC ABUSE In a huge step forward for farm animal welfare and human health, on March 10th the European Parliament adopted its report on the proposed Regulation on Veterinary Medicines. This report calls for a ban (not just a reduction) on the routine preventive use of antibiotics in farming. Antibiotics are routinely given to factory farmed animals in their feed and water to ward off the diseases that would otherwise be inevitable in the cramped and crowded conditions on factory farms. The routine use of antibiotics in farming contributes to the development of resistance in certain antibiotics used to treat serious human disease. The next big challenge is to get the EU countries including the UK to agree with the Parliament’s proposed ban. If you live in the UK, you can take action on our website at ciwf.org.uk/AntibioticsCrisis

‘AUF WIEDERSEHEN’ CAGES Germany is leading the way in farm animal welfare – committing to go cage-free by 2028 and becoming the first country to ban male chick ‘maceration’. This practice is typical across egg farms worldwide, with up to 45 million male chicks killed shortly after birth each year in Germany alone. Thanks to pressure from campaigners, the German government has teamed up with scientists to develop technology which will determine the sex of each fertilised egg before the chick inside develops. Carol McKenna, Compassion’s Director of Campaigns, said: “I am delighted to see the German government responding to public pressure. I hope this will be the catalyst for the UK and other European governments to implement these changes, preventing the suffering associated with the egg industry.”

HELP US TACKLE CRUEL AND WASTEFUL FACTORY FARMING Together, we have a chance to influence a forthcoming European Directive on Waste. Factory farming isn’t just cruel. It’s wasteful. It’s completely dependent on feeding cereals – most of which could be used for direct human consumption – to animals. These are then converted very inefficiently into meat and milk. For every 100 calories fed to animals as cereals, we receive just 17-30 calories as meat and milk. The waste is massive – 56% of EU cereals are fed to animals. Here’s what others say about feeding cereals to animals: • “Staggeringly inefficient” - The Royal Institute of International Affairs • “Colossally inefficient” - International Institute for Environment and Development • “A very inefficient use of land to produce food” - study by Bajželj, 2014 Reducing food waste is high on the political agenda. Our message is simple: feeding cereals to animals is a form of food waste. If we can persuade the EU to phase this practice out, factory farming – with all its harsh suffering – could be ended. Animals would instead be raised to high welfare standards on pasture, on land-based farms and in agro-fzorestry systems.

MILLIONS SUFFER IN LIVE EXPORT NIGHTMARE In February, Compassion supported the release of a damning new report by Animal Welfare Foundation / Tierschutzbund Zürich and Eyes on Animals. The report exposes the suffering of millions of European animals exported to Turkey for breeding and slaughter over the last five years. Animals often get stuck at the border and face appalling conditions, spending days at a time in overheated, crowded trucks without proper access to food or water. Through our collaboration we’re putting the findings in front of every single MEP, all the European Commissioners, and have also secured press coverage on the report in France, Ireland, Poland, Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland.

ACTION: If you are a supporter living in the EU, you will have received a campaign postcard in this issue of Farm Animal Voice, urging Simona Bonafè MEP – a key MEP working on the issue of the proposed Directive on Waste – to ensure that it recognises how feeding cereals to animals is a form of food waste and should be subject to reduction targets. Please sign your name and send the postcard, making sure that you have affixed a stamp for Belgium. Thank you. FACTORY FARMING: CRUEL AND WASTEFUL

100 calories of cereals fed to animals produces just 17-30 calories of meat

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THE BATTLE OVER CLONING ANIMALS FOR FOOD Cloning causes suffering for both cloned animals and the surrogate mothers who carry them to birth. Clones are produced from the most profitable animals, such as the highest-yielding dairy cows. Since they have been bred for maximum yield, these animals are already likely to suffer from painful conditions like lameness and mastitis. Compassion firmly believes that the use of clones and their descendants will perpetuate the kind of short term profit and production-led industrial farming that we are campaigning to end. Following years of campaigning, in September 2015 the European Parliament voted to ban the cloning of animals for food and the use or sale of meat and milk from clones and their descendants. Bravo! However, before such a cloning ban can become law, it must be approved by the Ministers representing each EU country. The first step is for the country holding “the Presidency” of the European Council to put the issue on the agenda – and sadly it seems they simply don’t want to.

On March 8th, 40 ‘clones’ of the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, marched around Parliament in the Hague in a show of protest against cloning farm animals for food. They handed in a petition of more than 10,000 signatures to the Prime Minister’s office, urging the Dutch government to change its stance (which favours cloning), and instead, accept the European Parliament’s position: cloning has no place in Europe.

The Netherlands hold the presidency until June 2016 – so on your behalf our Dutch team has taken to the streets.

WAITROSE BRINGS GOOD NEWS TO DAIRY COWS We are delighted that Waitrose has guaranteed at least 100 days of outdoor grazing every year for all dairy cows producing the supermarket’s milk. In recent times, dairy farming has become more intensive in order to increase the amount of milk produced by each cow. Intensive dairy farming results in a number of welfare issues for cows, including lameness and mastitis, so it is great to see Waitrose taking this step to get cows out in the fields where they belong. Compassion’s CEO, Philip Lymbery, said: “As the only major retailer who ensures that all their cows are allowed seasonal grazing, I have nothing but praise for Waitrose on their milk commitment.”

Chickens’ Lib Author: Clare Druce Bluemoose Books Ltd., 2013 This is a fascinating and highly readable tale of a few indomitable women, led by Clare, who set up Chickens’ Lib and spent 40 years campaigning to end factory farming of all poultry. Taking their rescued and bedraggled battery hens to meet Ministry vets and officials, they became firstly a thorn in the side of the establishment and then respected for their breadth of knowledge. Clare’s reputation as a fearless campaigner is truly welldeserved.

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ACTION

UK SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS OF FACTORY FARMING?

Images © Compassion in World Farming / Jim Philpott Photography

Over the past year, the UK government has been developing a long-term plan for the future of food and farming in Britain. All the signals suggest that the plan emphasises further intensification of farming, rather than encouraging better animal welfare and a more sustainable food system. This is why in February, the Compassion team posed as prisoners outside the UK government’s Defra headquarters in London. On your behalf, Compassion staff staged a demonstration outside Defra’s offices in February, to raise awareness of the long-term sentence that UK agriculture will receive should the proposed 25-year food and farming plan go ahead. We want to encourage Defra to urgently reconsider before publishing.

food and farming sector. It is understood that the plan will focus on increasing productivity, competitiveness and agritech. We believe that this will be detrimental to our health, the environment and animal welfare. As it stands, Defra’s plan will do nothing to tackle the poor levels of animal welfare that are still common in parts of England’s pig, poultry and dairy sectors.

This is a critical moment as the plan will serve as a longterm strategy for UK agriculture, determining how Defra will use public money and shape policies to develop the

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Posing as chained prisoners, we held up mug-shot signs that outlined five of the reasons why more intensification is not the way forward for farming and food production:

25 years of factory farming 25 years of animal suffering 25 years of wrecking the countryside 25 years of Endangering human health And 25 years of fuelling climate change.

We are urging the UK government, even at this late hour, to put the draft plan on hold and work with a wider group of stakeholders to develop a better plan that takes the UK towards a truly humane and sustainable food and farming system. To help them do this we also wrote and delivered our own 25-year plan to Defra. You can read it for yourself and lend your voice to this campaign at ciwf.org.uk/25YearPlan

Who are Defra?

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

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a c t ion

MEET A COMPASSION SUPERHERO Compassion supporters are behind all our progress for farm animals. You expose the evils that the factory farming supervillain leaves in its wake. You strike down cruelty at every turn. You are our superheroes. Thank you! Compassion supporter and superhero, Susan Gould, writes for Compassion. have supported Compassion in World Farming for 15 years. During that time I have organised street collections, taken part in marches and protests and written letters to local councils. All these things have reinforced my belief that Compassion is a worthwhile charity to support. They campaign for achievable outcomes – i.e. eating’ less’ meat rather than ‘no’ meat. They work with farmers and food companies to improve the lives of millions of animals. In more recent years I have run Compassion information stalls in farmers’ markets. I also built up a good relationship with a local organic dairy farmer. She agreed to have a Compassion collection tin in her shop. She went from an initial feeling of mistrust to becoming a firm supporter. I think it is important to engage with farmers and food companies. After all, it was a farmer who set up Compassion. I give a regular annual donation to Compassion so they know that they will always have my support to carry on with the amazing work they do in helping to improve the lives of farm animals. Over the years there have been many successes but also great setbacks – and sometimes it feels like an uphill struggle. When I feel like this, I like to remind myself of this quote by the wonderful Albert Einstein: ’The world is a dangerous place. Not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look but do nothing’. Please join me by giving a regular donation to fight against factory farming, the biggest form of animal cruelty on the planet.

Susan Gould, Compassion superhero, fighting to protect farm animals for 15 years!

YOU CAN BE A SUPERHERO If you don’t currently make a regular donation to Compassion, and you want to join Susan, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch by calling +44 (0) 1483 521 953, going online at ciwf.org.uk/donate or ticking the box on the donation form included with your magazine. 8

U PDAT E

SHINING A LIGHT ON HIDDEN CRUELTY Confusing food labels are hiding the horrors of factory farming. This scandal is happening every day, on your high street. That’s why, with your help, we’re campaigning for full and honest food labelling.

PING K?

EPING RK?

EEPING ARK?

t took years of tenacious campaigning but, since 2004, all egg cartons in Europe have answered the question: ‘How was this animal kept?’. Since then, cage-free egg production has rocketed, making life better for millions of hens each year. Now, as part of the Labelling Matters campaign, we are striving to achieve the same success story for ALL meat and dairy products. In February, The Times ran an article on confusing labelling, getting the word of this deception out to millions. “If animals are reared intensively indoors, labels should not display photos or pictures of rolling landscape, cosy family farms, or cartoons of happy animals” said ffinlo Costain, Project Manager of Labelling Matters. And most consumers agree. They want to know where their food has come from so that they can make a compassionate choice for farm animals. Given the overwhelming response to our recent appeal, we know that you KEEPING WHY ARE agree too.YOU If you haven’t already, you ME IN THE DARK? can help to shine a light on farm animal cruelty by giving a gift today at ciwf.org.uk/Honesty

WHY ARE YOU KEEPING ME IN THE DARK?

When you spot a confusing food label, you can present the shop manager with a Compassion Honesty Card. By doing so, you’ll let them know you want to know the truth about your food – and an end to factory farming. Download yours today at ciwf.org.uk/HonestyCards WHY ARE YOU KEEPING ME IN THE DARK?

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YOU DID IT! 600,000 PEOPLE SAY END THE CAGE AGE FOR EUROPE’S RABBITS

Since the launch of Compassion’s End the Cage Age campaign, the world’s eyes have been opened to one of farming’s dirty secrets: the plight of over 320 million rabbits reared for meat each year in cruel, cramped cages across Europe.

hank you to everyone who has so far taken part in this campaign. Your support has mobilised over half a million European citizens to speak up for the quietest of farm animals. And an amazing 3,692 Farm Animal Voice readers collected a staggering 16,000 signatures through our postcard petition alone – so thank you!

TAKING THE LEAP

In February, we made the 2016 leap year the focus of our rabbit campaign on social media, with celebrities and artists – including the much-loved children’s book illustrator Anita Jeram – presenting hand-drawn pictures of rabbits along with the slogan: “I’ve taken the leap for rabbits. Will you?”. In an incredible show of support, our petition grew by 100,000 signatures in less than a month. © Anne Ardichvili

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FARMING’S DIRTY SECRET

WHAT NEXT? Because of you, rabbit factory farming is now well and truly in the public consciousness. When faced with the sheer horror of animal cruelty on this appalling scale – which, until now, has remained largely behind closed doors – people cannot help but feel disgusted.

Imagine living your entire life in a cage that’s barely bigger than you. There’s no room to move about or stretch, no sunlight or fresh air – it’s just you, the bars that incarcerate you, a debilitating monotony and the stench of ammonia, from piles of waste mounting up on the factory floor below.

This petition is just the first chapter in the campaign to End the Cage Age for Europe’s rabbits. We now need to maintain the pressure on Europe’s decision makers. We are using this huge public mandate to demand urgent new legislation that would set minimum welfare standards for rabbit farming. It simply cannot be lawful to treat so many animals in this way.

Rabbits are the second most farmed animal in Europe. Of those that are farmed, a staggering 99% are kept in cages, leaving them unable to stand upright with their ears up, dig or hide, hop, skip or jump, or perform any of their other natural behaviours.

Thank you again for your support in helping to End the Cage Age.

Unbelievably, this is how 330 million rabbits are forced to live every year in Europe – in the name of progress and productivity. It’s a barbarity we’re campaigning to end.

And don’t forget, you can take part in the campaign online by signing up for Compassion emails at ciwf.org.uk/ get-involved © Anita Jeram

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I N S p i r a t ion

THE AMERICAN CAGE AGE REVOLUTION? Could the end of the cage age for laying hens in the USA finally be in sight? The past six months have seen unprecedented public announcements from US food brands who are pledging to ditch the cage for laying hens. Nina Farley, Compassion USA, reports. CAGED IN THE USA In 2012, Europe outlawed the barren battery cage for egg laying hens. As this groundbreaking legislation came into force, 95% of America’s 200 million laying hens were still confined to this outdated, inhumane system. Over the past three years, our team has worked tirelessly to hold leading US food companies to account and, help create an environment for change. Then in November 2015, something big happened. McDonald’s, one of the biggest food companies in the USA, announced that they would be 100% cage-free on all their eggs by 2025.

THE RIPPLE EFFECT The entire market then started to shift. US national restaurant chain, Panera Bread, was quick to follow McDonald’s lead. Soon after, Taco Bell announced a cage-free policy in response to a Compassion USA online petition. Today, over fifty major restaurant chains, food manufacturers, and food service companies in the US have publicly committed to switch to 100% cage-free eggs. Among the growing list of national food giants joining the cage-free revolution are Kroger and Delhaize America, owners of food giants Hannaford and Food Lion; Starbucks,

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Nestlé, Wendy’s and Kellogg’s, who have pledged to phase out hen cages over the next five to ten years. It’s proof that restaurants and retailers are listening to consumers and Compassion!

COMPETITIVE COMPASSION?

No business with integrity, or a future, is going to let cages stay in their supply chain. Leah Garcès, Compassion USA Director

There is no federal legislation in the US to protect laying hens, so Compassion’s work in America is crucial. We are working to directly drive market change – and millions of animals are benefiting as a result. Once the first domino falls, leading companies have no choice but to shift their policies to remain competitive. This competition results in better treatment of millions of farmed animals. Ditching battery cages is just one critical step that food companies can make towards removing the cruelty of factory farming from their supply chain. With your support we will hold these companies accountable to these public pledges and fight for further changes in how all animals are farmed. None of these landmark commitments would be possible without you. Thank you.

Today, over 50 major restaurant chains, food manufacturers, and food service companies in the US have publicly committed to switch to 100% cage-free eggs. Leah GarcĂ¨s, Director, Compassion USA

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INSight

FARM ANIMAL WELFARE:

A GOOD INVESTMENT

In January 2016, we published the latest league table that shines a light on how major global food companies compare on farm animal welfare. As well as helping to acknowledge corporations who are starting to take animal welfare seriously, this project is shaming powerful companies into taking urgent action.

A tool for investors to tackle factory farming

he Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW) is designed to help drive higher farm animal welfare standards throughout the global food industry. Now in its fourth year, the Benchmark provides an annual review of how the world’s leading food companies are managing and reporting their farm animal welfare policies and practices. It is the first global measure of animal welfare standards in food companies and is designed for use by investors, companies, NGOs and other interested parties.

The league table is now being used by investors to help make better ethical investment in companies who score well, but just as crucially to challenge poorly scoring companies to re-think their priorities and take animal welfare seriously. One example is collaboration between 19 major institutional investors (including BMO Global Asset Management, Aviva Investors, BNP Paribas Investment Partners, Schroders and Walden Asset Management) with a combined total of over one trillion pounds in assets under management. This group is using its immense financial clout to ask hard questions of the low-ranking companies in the Benchmark and is publically calling on them to improve their farm animal welfare policies, practices and reporting. It is also commending the high ranking companies for their performance.

Companies that are leading the way The latest report, launched in January 2016, attracted media coverage reaching an estimated 600 million-strong audience. It revealed that Noble Foods, Marks & Spencer, Waitrose and Coop Group (Switzerland) attained the highest marks. The proportion of companies with a published farm animal welfare policy has increased from 46% in 2012 to 69% in 2015, and the number with published objectives and targets for farm animal welfare has increased from 26% in 2012 to 54% in 2015.

This vital tool is a critical part of our drive towards a more honest and compassionate food industry. Work like this is only made possible because of your support. Thank you.

Of the 19 companies moving up a Tier or more, the Compassion Food Business team worked directly with 11 of them specifically on their policies and reporting.

Companies that must do better

KEY TO LEAGUE TABLE OPPOSITE

Unfortunately, despite the overall headway made since 2012, the report highlights the shameful fact that some 40% of companies – including Burger King, Domino’s Pizza Group (UK) and Starbucks – still provide little or no information on their approach to farm animal welfare.

Non mover

Down 1 tier

Up at least 1 tier

New company

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HOW FOOD COMPANIES STACK UP ON FARM ANIMAL WELFARE This league table summarises the latest findings from the 2015 business benchmark. More detailed information on this project can be found at bbfaw.com tier 1 – LEADERSHIP –– Co op Group (Switzerland)

–– Marks & Spencer

Noble Foods

–– Waitrose

tier 2 – INTEGRAL TO BUSINESS STRATEGY –– The Co-operative Food (UK)

–– Cranswick –– J Sainsbury

Marfrig –– Migros

–– McDonald’s –– Unilever

–– Nestlé Kaufland/Schwarz Sodexo –– Subway

–– Tesco –– Tyson Foods Walmart Whitbread

tier 3 – ESTABLISHED BUT WORK TO BE DONE –– Ahold Barilla BRF Compass Group 

–– Frieseland Campina Greggs –– Groupe Danone –– JBS

tier 4 – MAKING PROGRESS ON IMPLEMENTATION 2 Sisters Food Group Aldi Süd Aramark Arla Foods –– Cargill Chipotle Mexican Grill Darden Restaurants

–– Danish Crown Dean Foods Elior –– Gruppo Cremonini General Mills –– Ferrero Fonterra

–– HJ Heinz –– Kraft Foods –– Kroger Metro Mitchells & Butlers Premier Foods –– Rewe Group

Sysco Vion Food Group Wendy’s  –– WH Group Wm Morrison Woolworths (Australia)

tier 5 – ON THE BUSINESS AGENDA BUT LIMITED EVIDENCE OF IMPLEMENTATION Albertsons Aldi Nord –– Carrefour ConAgra  –– Costco Wholesale

Dairy Crest –– Edeka Zentrale Gruppo Veronesi –– ICA Gruppen –– Lidl

Loblaw –– Mercadona –– Starbucks Target –– Terrena Group

Wesfarmers Yum! Brands 

tier 6 – NO EVIDENCE THAT ON THE BUSINESS AGENDA –– ABF –– Autogrill –– Burger King –– Camst –– Casino

Delhaize –– Domino’s Pizza Group –– El Cortes Inglés –– Gategroup –– Groupe Auchan

–– Groupe Lactalis JD Wetherspoon –– Mars Inc –– Mondeléz –– Müller

–– Olav Thon Gruppen –– Quick –– SSP Group –– Umoe Gruppen

BBFAW is run by an independent secretariat. The funding partners are Compassion in World Farming, World Animal Protection and Coller Capital.

ACTION

In the last issue of Farm Animal Voice, we reported how the Italian agrifood industry attempts to mislead consumers through advertising campaigns, claiming both sustainability and high animal welfare in Italian food production. A total nonsense, since Italian meat and dairy comes largely from factory farmed animals. Annamaria Pisapia updates on progress in Italy so far.

our Italian colleagues refuse to sit back and watch while Italy’s consumers are being fooled. The team has spent the last few months shaping our new flagship campaign “Non nel mio piatto” (Not on my plate).

What food shouldn’t be on our plates? In short, all food produced with farm animal cruelty, irresponsible use of antibiotics and negative environmental impacts. “Ingredients” the Italian industry doesn’t want people to see.

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THE BIG PICTURE The first stage to the campaign was to produce the first ever Italian cinema advert against factory farming. Its screening in Italian cinemas has been generously supported by 539 Italian donors, while the film itself was made pro bono by the advertising professionals Daniela Fabrizi and Nino Florenzano. The generosity of our Italian supporters meant that the advert could be screened for two whole weeks, in 400 cinemas located in over 50 cities all over the country, with an estimated reach of 800,000 people! The media campaign linked to the advert was also a fantastic success, with an estimated reach of 4.5 million people in only a couple of weeks.

The film also featured for two days on the home page of Corriere della Sera, the largest online Italian newspaper. An encouraging start, but our campaign against the misleading information of the Italian meat industry has only just begun.

Italian meat and dairy comes largely from factory farmed animals.

ACTION

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK The second stage of the campaign took on a more ‘individual’ aspect. In Italy, there is a saying: “Have salami slices in front of someone’s eyes”, which means “not seeing the truth”. So, the Italian team produced cardboard salami glasses and asked supporters to send photos wearing them, symbolising our rebellion against the lies of the factory farming industry. If you would like to join the ‘rebellion’, you can download and print your own ‘salami glasses’ at ciwf.it/salamiglasses Thank you to everyone who has taken part so far.

(open your eyes!) 17

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I N S P I RAT I O N

满足您的团队在中国 (MEET YOUR TEAM IN CHINA) China produces the largest number of pigs, broiler chickens, laying hens and rabbits in the world – the majority raised in cruel, intensive conditions. It is hard to believe that today, China controls the fate of 16 billion farm animals every year. So meet your Compassion team in China: two brave and amazing people who are changing the way animals are treated in a country that until recently, didn’t even have a word for ‘animal welfare’. JEFF ZHOU

MELINDA HOU

Jeff is our active voice and lead representative in China. Jeff has been instrumental in building strong and open relationships with influential farmers, producers and institutions in China.

Melinda is Compassion’s food industry expert in China. She engages with powerful food companies to encourage them to improve their animal welfare standards.

Jeff has been fighting for animals most of his adult life. At the age of six, he witnessed the harrowing slaughter of his family’s beloved sow for a spring festival – an event that led him to his vital work today.

Jeff pictured on a farm in China, 2015.

Following a successful career as a TV presenter and after volunteering at the first ever conference on animal welfare in China in 2006, Jeff joined Compassion in World Farming to be the voice of farm animals across this vast country. He has seen a great deal of change in attitudes to food and farming over the last decade. Jeff’s story was featured in Compassion’s latest fundraising appeal and he has been overwhelmed by the response. If you haven’t already, you can still give a gift to support our ground-breaking work at ciwf.org.uk/China

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Melinda has worked with Compassion since 2015 when she decided to follow her dream and apply her vast experience in corporate social responsibility to fight for farm animals. Before joining Compassion, Melinda worked at Mondeléz International, one of the world’s largest multinational confectionery, food and beverage conglomerates. Her work today is underpinned by her solid Buddhist beliefs and lifestyle. With your support, Jeff and Melinda are spearheading our vital work in China. Already, nearly one million pigs are set to benefit every single year from the commitments of Chinese pig producers.

Melinda joined Compassion in 2015 and is already making a difference to the lives of millions of animals.

Together, we are determined to free all of China’s farm animals from the horrors of factory farming.

I am very impressed Iby am very impressed the work that my bycolleagues the work that my have colleagues have done to improve done towelfare. improveI animal animal welfare. I am am so happy that sonow happy that I’m I’m one of them. now one of them. I dream more and I dream more and more animals can more animals can be treated humanely be treated humanely across China. across China. MELINDA HOU MELINDA HOU

In 2015, Melinda and I led a group of influential Chinese farmers to the UK for a study tour. It gives me so much hope to hear how these people are now improving the lives of their animals. ‘Animal welfare’ – a concept that, until recently, didn’t have a word in Mandarin or Cantonese, has now become incredibly important to them. Jeff Zhou

FARMAGEDDON – YOUR INVESTIGATION REACHES CHINA In 2011, Jeff Zhou worked closely with our team to gather evidence and case studies on the ground in China for our ground-breaking global investigation into factory farming. It is extremely encouraging that the resulting book of this investigation, Farmageddon, is currently being translated into Mandarin – and is scheduled to be published later this year. 19

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I N S I GHT

BBC Countryfile’s Ellie Harrison tells us how she first heard about Compassion and why it’s so important to raise awareness about our food system.

”a duty to recognise what they are eating, not necessarily to change their behaviour, but to know”. And she isn’t afraid to put her personal views into the public domain. As Compassion’s newest celebrity ambassador, Ellie has already publicly supported our Labelling Matters campaign calling for honest and clear labelling of meat, eggs and dairy products. We are so delighted to have her support.

ompassion in World Farming first came onto Ellie’s radar whilst filming at Brookfield Farm, a dairy farm in Dorset. In 2011, the farm had been awarded Compassion’s Good Calf Commendation for the work they are doing to give male dairy calves a purposeful life. She says: “I realised that Compassion was a really important organisation to be involved with. I got involved because it was started by farming people. It recognises that we live in a hungrier world and, recognises the power we all have to make sure that what we eat is done with as little harm and as little suffering as possible.”

Ellie is extremely perceptive when it comes to educating people on the food chain, a challenge that she and the Countryfile team undertake on a weekly basis. As Ellie says: “I think it’s a difficult balance at 7 o’clock on a Sunday night because people don’t like being preached to but they do like being informed. That’s in the art of the storytelling that prevents them from wanting to switch over while also trying to tell them the truth.”

Since then Ellie, a self-described outdoorsman, is putting into practice her own ideals of compassionate farming. Ellie lives in Gloucestershire on a smallholding that she shares with her partner, two daughters and four black Dexter cows. Whilst she originally established the cattle for conservation purposes, to make the grassland more wildlife friendly, she has come to recognise the sentience of these beautiful animals. “There is a recognition between two beings that we are okay with each other; there’s some connection there. In my view, native breed cows like these are the lowest maintenance animal one can have. I check in on them every day and we need to make sure they’ve got water and they’re not ill.”

Thanks to programmes like Countryfile, that regularly use our footage to show the truth about factory farming and individuals like Ellie who are willing to use their media profile to draw attention to our work, Compassion is shining a light on the true cost of cheap food to millions of people. As Ellie says: “Compassion is a word that we never hear. I think it ought to be very much part of our consciousness in the world of farming and food.”

Ellie explains that this first-hand practical experience of farming has made her even more determined to raise awareness of where our food comes from. From the farm to the abbatoir, she thinks people have

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We couldn’t agree more!

People have a duty to recognise what they are eating, not necessarily to change their behaviour, but to know. Ellie Harrison

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ACTION

WHY NOT PAINT, DANCE OR TREK TO HELP FARM ANIMALS? There are so many ways to get involved in the fight against factory farming. Take your next step towards a compassionate world by checking out the super supporter stories below!

AN ARTY WAY TO RAISE FUNDS Artist Suzy Sharpe has been supporting Compassion for a fabulous five years. In that time, she has used her talents to raise almost £700 to help farm animals. For her latest challenge, ‘100 Things Wild’, Suzy created 100 paintings in 100 days, with 50% of the proceeds being split between three charities, including Compassion.

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Suzy says: “I have always been passionate about animal welfare and the need to improve conditions for farm animals... In the words of the American environmental activist Derrick Jensen, I try to use ‘my talents in the service of my principles’.” To see Suzy’s work, please visit www.suzysharpe.co.uk If you’d like to use your talents for farm animals, get in touch!

GET IN TOUCH! Compassion in World Farming, River Court, Mill Lane, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1EZ, UK Tel:

+44 (0)1483 521 953

(9am – 5pm, Mon– Fri) Email:

DON A ONESIE AND DANCE FOR ANIMALS

supporters@ciwf.org Web: ciwf.org.uk/get-involved

Compassionate Norfolk is one of our dedicated local groups, working to raise funds and educate people about factory farming. On 31st July 2016, they’re holding a farm animal Zumbathon at The Forum in Norwich – and they need you to join them! People of all ages are welcome at this fun dance session, where children and adults alike will be invited to don hand-coloured animal masks and fetching farm animal onesies.

PUT SPRINGTIME IN YOUR STEP Last year, Alex Craine showed her compassion for animals with a 154-km West Highland Way walk over seven days, raising an incredible £420 and meeting friends like the one above along the way! Her inspiration? “If we don’t protect our planet and its inhabitants then who will?” Why not join Alex, and get trotting – or indeed running, jumping or even skydiving – for farm animals? Speak to the team for advice on getting sponsored for farm animals, or download a fundraising pack from our website: ciwf.org.uk/fundraising

Would you like to take part in events like this, but don’t live near Norwich? Speak to our team and we’ll put you in touch with your local group!

TOGETHER, WE CAN BEAT FACTORY FARMING! 23

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Together, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re making the leap for farm animals!

THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU 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 and Wales), registered number 1095050.