New report shows factory farming the wrong direction for NZ

New report shows factory farming the wrong direction for New Zealand

The government released its report on the outlook for the primary industries today. SAFE says the report demonstrates factory farming is the wrong direction for New Zealand.

“Only 1.8% of the money involved in farming came from pigs and chickens in 2015. The government is writing all these exemptions for factory farmers into the law, but really, what do they actually do for New Zealand?” says SAFE campaigns officer Shanti Ahluwalia.

Factory farms confine animals indoors for extended periods and give the animals very little space. Pigs and chickens are the main animals that are factory farmed in New Zealand. The dairy industry is also beginning to adopt factory farms, but SAFE says there are no figures as to how much of the industry has converted.

Munchkin, an overseas company, has secured a $250 million contract for New Zealand’s dairy earlier this year. The company will only accept pasture-based dairy, and forbids factory farmed milk.

“When it comes to factory farming, the two big culprits in New Zealand are the pig and chicken industries trapping animals in appalling conditions. But they barely do anything for the economy. If New Zealand is going to be farming animals, shouldn’t we aim to produce high quality products and let our animals outside?” says Mr Ahluwalia.

SAFE has long had a campaign to see the end of factory farming, and has renewed its call for the government to create a strategy for phasing out the cruel practice.

ENDS

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