Can you spot what's wrong in this photograph?

pigs never get that much space and the floor isn't covered in ****, that's two things

Don’t let the worst become ‘the best’

Parliament

A European reference document to define ‘best available techniques’ for the intensive pig industry is being negotiated. A threat looms: fully slatted flooring for pigs risks being recognised within this document as the ‘best available technique’, despite it being the worst system for the animals. We have just weeks to prevent this huge backward-step for pig welfare in Europe – please, act now.

For many years, Compassion supporters have campaigned to improve the conditions in which pigs throughout the EU are reared. Thanks to you, last year we submitted a petition with 475,576 signatures to Europe’s Agriculture Ministers. This called on them to ensure that the rules set down in the EU Pigs Directive are respected and that pigs are protected from the worst excesses of factory farming.

Now, a European document that defines the ‘best available technique’ for intensive pig farming is being negotiated. The pig industry is about to succeed in getting fully slatted floors approved within this document – and we have just weeks to stop them.

Pigs are curious and intelligent animals that use their snouts to explore and root around. This decision will result in Europe’s pigs living in a completely barren environment without a single activity to occupy their time. How can fully slatted floors be the ‘best available technique’?
The worst cannot be ‘the best’

In reality, these floors are not compatible with good animal welfare: European law, in place since 2003, requires pigs to have materials like straw in which they can explore, rest comfortably and nest before giving birth. Fully slatted floors can make the provision of straw impossible. By declaring that fully slatted floors are the best available technique, the European Commission will be endorsing an environmental practice that goes against its own laws on animal welfare.

The argument, that fully slatted floors make it easier to dispose of pig waste and keep areas clean, is also weak: pig waste is 10 times more polluting in water than human waste and has been a major cause of an ecological disaster in Brittany, France, where vast algal blooms have plagued the sea along the coast.

Fully slatted floors are not permitted, or will be phased, out in the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland. This is because, in reality, this system has no environmental benefit and is the worst available technique for the pigs’ welfare.

It is unacceptable that European authorities are prepared to sacrifice animal welfare laws and the environment to endorse a method of production that would simply benefit the intensive pig farming industry.

Please write to your Agriculture Minister today and call on them to reject fully slatted floors as the ‘best available technique’.

Take action

it's the greedy intensive breeders, and they should be hit in the pocket by boycotting supermarket meat. Trouble is people are too lazy, and many think they'll get a better deal at a supermarket, which is not always the case anyway.

I'd sooner have quality than save 50p a lb

Thanks for the support guys. I'll get the link to the petition up later.

if I didn't have a good local butcher I would use this firm, take a look

.
http://www.farmison.com/


I doubt you'll find anywhere that does such a massive variety of different cuts, and the prices are quite reasonable when you consider the breeds that these cuts are coming from.

Link to the petition follow when I find it.

Most people don't give a fk, including many on here, 2 of the most popular forumites on here included. The petition might get 4 signatures. Now I realise everyone doesn't share my concern for animal welfare but what difference would a signature make. A few extar pence per half pound of bacon, maybe.

You really are a sad, boring old man with all this animal welfare **** you post on here, kenny. What else have you got?

I think you're the sad git crags. All mouth and big man from behind your computer.

What's your motivation? Do you think it makes you the big man? Pray tell us.

It obviously makes him feel big. Sad really.

Link for petition to follow

looks like the post that kenny made spewing abuse at me has been removed, and rightly so. I only made a joke, good one as well. Boar off

Some very touchy people oh here, especially when they've had a drink.

"kenny mann 16 May 15 01:08 
There was, about 9 years ago, a beautiful thread by a poster named drags, in which he superbly, and extremely poignantly described the last days of his beloved dog."

For all dog lovers, James Stewart fans, Kenny Mann, and anyone with a soul:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwGnCIdHQH0

Without looking at the link, that will be the poem James Stewart wrote about his dog, JC. It's terrific, seen it a few times.

Yes Kenny. I know you want to click on it, but don't have any tissues to hand .

(for the TEARS, not the same reason acquise or crags grab tissues when looking at videos )

No way I'm clicking on that, don't even want to think about it.

LAst nights c4 program about b*stard poachers killing rhinos for idiot chinese who believe in horn voodoo is enough misery for this month!