19 May 2009

MEDIA RELEASE

Pig Farmer To Be Identified – Not A Rogue, Say Pig Advocates

The identity of the intensive piggery at the centre of a national investigation which has left Mike King and most New Zealanders disgusted and horrified will be revealed by the national animal advocacy organisation SAFE today.

SAFE says it will disclose the identity of the farm to the Minister of Agriculture tomorrow in order for MAF to investigate, however the group maintains the North Island piggery is a typical sow stall operation and is unlikely to be breaking the law.

SAFE can reveal the owner is a leading pig industry representative and former director of the New Zealand Pork Industry Board, who owns five piggeries.

“The owner of the intensive piggery at the centre of public outrage is no rogue farmer. He owns several intensive piggeries worth an estimated $4m. This farm has previously been investigated by MAF, who found nothing in breach of the law. The farm is disgusting but appears to be operating within the law, so we doubt if MAF will find anything different this time,” says SAFE campaign director Hans Kriek.

SAFE was surprised to hear comments from the chairman of the New Zealand Pork Industry Board denying ever seeing similar conditions on other intensive pig farms with sow stalls.

Chris Trengrove said on Close Up tonight:

“I have not been on a farm that looks anything like that. We are horrified as well. We support the minister in investigating that farm.”

“SAFE says over 22,000 pregnant sows live in sow stalls in New Zealand and suffer the same fate as those pigs on the exposed piggery. Other pig farms may look a bit cleaner but the cages are just as small and cruel,” says Mr Kriek.

ends

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