17 September 2018

Council now seeking submissions on controversial Mainland Poultry factory farm in Waikato

Mainland Poultry’s application to build a mega egg factory farm in Orini, Waikato has been stalled since February of this year following Waikato District Council’s request for further technical reports to support the application.

Last week, the council have announced that Mainland Poultry have provided the required information and the application will go to limited notification. This means the owners and occupiers of the 7 properties identified as affected have until 12 October 2018 to make a submission. A hearing may be held following the submission process.

“The Orini community are dead set against Mainland’s proposal to build a mega egg factory farm on their back door step,” said Direct Animal Action spokesperson Deirdre Sims.

“They don’t want a massive, ugly industrial complex in their quiet, beautiful valley. The proposed mega egg factory farm would increase heavy traffic in the area and of course foul odour is always an issue with these mega factory farms.”

“As an animal advocacy group, Direct Animal Action are concerned that the proposed site will confine 400,000 egg laying hens to a “cage-free” system that’s simply an adjustment on colony cages.”

“The hens will have no access to the outdoors. Each building will confine 50,000 hens that will be kept in a stacked arrangement reaching almost to the ceiling. Overseas, these systems have been called “highrises” for chickens.”

“These “cage-free” systems are new to New Zealand as cage systems are becoming less and less popular with consumers and retailers.”

“If built, this site will be the biggest of its kind in our country. Unfortunately “cage-free” doesn't mean “cruelty-free” and we’re one hundred percent behind the Orini locals in opposing this mega farm.”

“We’ve been running a petition against the proposal that’s gathered over 20,000 signatures. New Zealanders clearly care about this and we’ll be presenting our petition to the Waikato District Council calling on them to decline Mainland’s proposal,” said Ms Sims.

Petition: https://www.change.org/p/waikato-district-council-stop-mainland-poultry-factory-farming-400-000-hens-for-cheap-eggs

Background:

In November 2017, Direct Animal Action filmed horrific conditions at a Mainland Poultry egg farm in Whangarei. MPI investigated but didn’t prosecute. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11944845

In March 2018, Direct Animal Action filmed at Mainland Poultry’s trial “cage-free” egg farm site in Otago to expose the new type of system that will be installed at the Orini site on a large scale if the application is successful. https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/03/21/98801/battle-of-the-barns

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/DirectAnimalAction/

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