As of the 1stof January 2013 approximately 40,000 ‘illegal’ pigs an hour
are entering the European food chain, with meat ultimately destined to
reach British supermarket shelves, restaurant meals and takeaway outlets.
The pigs will come from continental farms where sows are still confined in
individual steel cages known as ‘stalls‘ — a practice outlawed by European
Union animal welfare legislation from the beginning of the month. Stalls
have not been used in the United Kingdom for many years, and the UK imports
around 60 per cent of its pork.Figures released by Brussels this month show
that despite the ban, 80% of European countries do not comply with new
legislation.
The major British supermarkets have promised they will not sell pork from
continental farms operating illegally but the concern is that in many cases
these farms will be difficult to identify and everybody admits that
imported processed foods will be almost impossible to trace.
The National Pig Association and Nikki Sinclaire MEP are urging British
shoppers who care about animal welfare not to buy imported pork or
processed pork products such as bacon, until all European Union member
countries have complied with the stalls ban- the advice to shoppers is to
always look for the independent Red Tractor logo on the pack, which is an
absolute guarantee that the product comes from a British pig farm where
keeping sows in stalls has been banned for over a decade
are entering the European food chain, with meat ultimately destined to
reach British supermarket shelves, restaurant meals and takeaway outlets.
The pigs will come from continental farms where sows are still confined in
individual steel cages known as ‘stalls‘ — a practice outlawed by European
Union animal welfare legislation from the beginning of the month. Stalls
have not been used in the United Kingdom for many years, and the UK imports
around 60 per cent of its pork.Figures released by Brussels this month show
that despite the ban, 80% of European countries do not comply with new
legislation.
The major British supermarkets have promised they will not sell pork from
continental farms operating illegally but the concern is that in many cases
these farms will be difficult to identify and everybody admits that
imported processed foods will be almost impossible to trace.
The National Pig Association and Nikki Sinclaire MEP are urging British
shoppers who care about animal welfare not to buy imported pork or
processed pork products such as bacon, until all European Union member
countries have complied with the stalls ban- the advice to shoppers is to
always look for the independent Red Tractor logo on the pack, which is an
absolute guarantee that the product comes from a British pig farm where
keeping sows in stalls has been banned for over a decade
*We Demand a Referendum MEP (www.wedemandareferendum.org) Nikki Sinclaire
has slammed the EU about this issue,*
*“Once again the UK is feeling the brunt of the EU’s misgivings. If the EU
is serious about animal welfare, then it must enforce its own legislation. We do not want these products to be falling into our supply chain”*
has slammed the EU about this issue,*
*“Once again the UK is feeling the brunt of the EU’s misgivings. If the EU
is serious about animal welfare, then it must enforce its own legislation. We do not want these products to be falling into our supply chain”*
