Humane Choice Media

Is It Free Range? Ask for PROOF!

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:01:08 GMT

Is It Free Range? Ask for PROOF!

Humane Choice has launched a new campaign in a bid to bring some clarity to the free range egg debate. With Australian Egg Corporation hell bent on commandeering the free range market for its largest members and ignoring the consumer, the genuine true free range egg producers look like being put out of business unless there is some way of telling the intensive eggs from the real deal.

“There are two things that the industrialized producers will never be able to guarantee consumers and they are that their hens where grazed on pasture and given plenty of room to move and forage naturally as part of a sustainable farming system. PROOF is an acronym for Pasture Raised On Open Fields and that is exactly what our producers provide.” Said Lee McCosker, Chief Operating Officer for Humane Choice. “We are encouraging all free range producers from all livestock systems to get behind this campaign and let the public know that if they are going to purchase free range eggs, chicken or pork, they must ask for PROOF.”

Egg Corporation has employed every tactic possible from scare mongering about having to import eggs to contemptible lies about nonexistent science supporting their proposed increase in stocking densities to 20,000 hens per hectare. There have even been outrageous claims of needing to feed the world with free range eggs and that without an increase in hen stocking rates prices would increase to over $12 a dozen. All this is just propaganda to secure the industry for those at the top of the ladder and sitting on the board of Australian Egg Corporation.

“The consumer is so confused and without a legal definition for free range, they are being taken advantage of and ripped off. We need to sustain consumer choice and simplify this debate for them. When buying free range eggs simply as for PROOF. Humane Choice certification will offer all the proof you need that your eggs are true free range.” Says McCosker.

Legislate Truth in Labelling - Free Range must remain Free to Range

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:09:31 GMT

Truth In Labelling - Needs Legislating

Animal welfare is intrinsically linked to farming practices and the ethics of the producer. Humane Choice has long been an advocate for farmers that are committed to a whole of farm philosophy where animals are not just viewed as a commodity; they are an integral part of the farm.

“The intensification of free range production does not fit with our philosophy or consumer expectations” says Lee McCosker, Chief Operating Officer for Humane Choice. “Our farmers have worked hard to promote a free range alternative and this market has grown substantially over the past 5 years. They are now fighting to hold on to that. When the industry peak body’s sole motivation is profit, how can we entrust truth in labelling to them that will encompass all our concerns and includes animal welfare, the environment and consumer rights?”

The Greens NSW have been pushing for a standard definition of free-range eggs and measures to stop unscrupulous producers falsely claiming free range status. Humane Choice supports such a move and encourages anyone that believes in truth in labelling to get behind this Bill and let their local member know that they must be heard on this issue.

There is a growing movement of back to basics farmers that want to produce food, not just a commodity. They want to embrace community, old fashioned human values and farm their livestock and land with respect. If you would like to learn more, join Lee McCosker on the 7^th May at Leichhardt Town Hall where she will speak about the issues important to free range pastured egg producers and consumers alike.

For more information:

www.humanechoice.com.au

Phone: 0265627318

Its all CODE for industrialised farming

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 01:50:00 GMT

The Model Code – Stepping through the confusion

Without any science to justify such a proposal, Australian Egg Corporation (AECL) are promoting a stocking density for free range hens of 20,000 birds per hectare in contravention of our Code of Practice for Animal Welfare.

AECL has caved to the incredible pressure of big industry players to cash in on the demand for free range and has contrived this very new and erroneous interpretation of the code in an attempt to appease the desires of their largest levy players.

Simply, the code states that:

“For layer hens a maximum stocking density of 1500 birds per hectare.”

The code does then go on and make allowances for ‘meat birds’ produced under very different conditions to those of layer hens. Even in doing so however, the code states that any increases must only be proportionately higher than those for layer hens. When there is an increase, there must be pasture cover and paddock rotations, something just not possible on overstocked land.

An increase to 20,000 birds is not a proportionate increase in stocking densities. It is a blatant attempt to snatch the market for industrialized producers and marginalize those farmers that have modelled their production systems around the code and kept stocking densities at acceptable and sustainable levels of 1500 birds per hectare.

The stocking densities proposed by AECL would amount to chicken feedlots - an environmental disaster and disillusioned consumers. AECL are on a path that will degrade the idiom free range and make it nothing more than a supermarket term.

The reality is that if egg production needs to be increased there are plenty of options to allow that to happen. Cage free systems or even the development of outdoor systems with sound environmental controls will cover that need more than adequately. There is no justification however for calling these systems free range.

Layer Hen Study Flawed

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:02:41 GMT

Media Release

Inconclusive Study Proves Stress in Intensive Farming

A study by Dr Jeff Downing has proven beyond doubt that intensive farming practices in the egg industry, whether they be caged, barn or ‘free range’, will ultimately result in stressed birds.

Conversely, this study is seriously flawed and the glaring omission of true free range production systems from Dr Downing’s research points to an industry contrived outcome.

However, Dr Downing cannot be held accountable for this inconclusive study as the producers taking part in this research were supplied by Australian Egg Corporation who has once again ignored the small producer farming eggs in true free range fashion on open pastures.

“We are suggesting that if any of our true free range producers had been included in this study there would have been a very different outcome.” Said Lee McCosker, Chief Operating Officer for Humane Choice.

What this study does point to is that we cannot have any faith in eggs labelled as free range until we have an enforceable definition. The five ‘free range’ farms that took part in this study had very large flock sizes, extremely high stocking densities with high mortality rates and clearly just as stressed as caged birds casting even more doubt on the free range claims made on supermarket eggs.

Last week Humane Choice represented our true free range producers as a member of the Egg Labelling Forum facilitated by the NSW Food Authority on behalf of the NSW Minister of Agriculture, Katrina Hodgkinson.

The scope of discussion is Truth in Labelling but animal welfare, the environment and food safety or production systems are not within the scope of this discussion.

Until we have a legal definition for free range we will never have truth in labelling.

Contact: Lee McCosker 0412326030

Egg Labelling Forum

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 23:00:11 GMT

Last week Humane Choice represented our true free range producers as a member of the Egg Labelling Forum facilitated by the NSW Food Authority on behalf of the NSW Minister of Agriculture, Katrina Hodgkinson.

The purpose of the Forum is to attempt to resolve long standing difficulties with egg labelling, in particular the inconsistent use of terms on eggs to which a premium is applied.

The forum is to provide advice to the Minister to determine whether a non-regulatory approached is feasible.

The scope of discussion is Truth in Labelling but animal welfare, the environment and food safety or production systems are not within the scope of this discussion.

Egg Corporation Propegganda

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:49:39 GMT

In what can only be described as in a haze of hysteria, Australian Egg Corporation has printed an article in their latest Newsletter prophesying the 'end of civilization as we know it' should we spurn their propaganda on the labelling of free range eggs.

Humane Choice brings a reasoned response to the article.

High Politics and Low Blows - A Rebuttal
Australian Egg Corp Progegganda

Lee McCosker gives a Humane Choice perspective on the Australian Egg Corp article entitled 'High Politics and Low Blows in NSW' by Kai Ianssen. Read the article here ....

Free Range Labels Shake Consumer Confidence

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:45:53 GMT

Humane Choice has expressed its concerns to the ACCC about the potential to mislead consumers with the labelling on Primo pork products as ‘RSPCA Free Range.'

The labelling of the pork product, available in Woolworths supermarkets, could lead consumers to believe that the Primo pork is actually an ‘RSPCA Free Range’ product, or at the very least, that the brand is endorsed as free range by the RSPCA.

The RSPCA does not accredit free range pork farms, so labelling any product as ‘RSPCA Free Range’ is deceptive.

The RSPCA Paw of Approval and logo can be applied to indoor, outdoor or combination systems and the consumer has no way of knowing which is which.

The RSPCA has a commercial arrangement with brands that carry their trademark but the RSPCA refuses to endorse small scale producers farming pigs under genuine free range conditions because they have deemed them ‘not commercially large enough.’

“We would like to see the RSPCA take control of the use of their trademark. The RSPCA is a respected organisation and it would be awful to see it used to erroneously influence consumer buying decisions,” says Humane Choice Chief Operating Officer, Lee McCosker. “The RSPCA charges 2% of sales to be licensed to use their logos. There is a huge commercial advantage for producers who use the Paw of Approval logo and RSPCA needs to take ownership of that.”

The RSPCA standards allow for massive stocking densities in their accredited pork program with an average Babe size pig (around 35kg) only needing 0.51 sq metres of space outdoors. That equates to nearly 20,000 pigs per hectare and would not meet most consumers’ perceptions of what free range means.

Humane Choice standards encompass animal, environmental and human health and promote a system of farming that is sustainable in the long term. Humane Choice promotes realistic stocking densities, land and pasture management and does not allow for pigs to simply being put outdoors to be labelled free range.

“Animal welfare is not for sale. The consumer has an expectation of what free range means and will not tolerate being conned,” says McCosker.

Update: Primo have now made changes to this label. Label as it appeared 19/1/12

Contact: Lee McCosker - Chief Operating Officer for Humane Choice
0412 326 030 / (02) 6562 7318
humanechoice@bigpond.com

Pig Cruelty Case Finally Goes to Trial

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:18:46 GMT

Long serving Board Member of Australian Pork Limited (APL), Mr Neil Ferguson, will stand trial for animal cruelty on the 25^th of this month in Perth.

Ten charges of cruelty to pigs have been laid against Mr Ferguson and many other charges against members of his staff at Westpork Ltd.

This is the second time that Mr Ferguson has appeared before the courts on charges of cruelty yet requests for Mr Ferguson to be removed from the Board of APL, Australia’s peak industry body for pork producers have been dismissed.

Concerns are mounting that a recent reshuffle of the states Animal Welfare Legislation administration will allow the Westpork cruelty matters to dissipate while Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) struggle to get themselves prepared to for the looming trial date.

“We are concerned that the change in administration from Local Government to DAFWA will mean that this matter will not be given the full attention that it needs. If DAFWA fumble because they lack preparedness, Mr Ferguson could walk free on a technicality for a second time. Our inquiries so far have given cause for concern.” Says Lee McCosker, Chief Operating Officer of Humane Choice. “Our calls to the Department in the lead up to Friday’s case indicate they are confused about Friday’s matter and were unsure if it was even a trial date. The Department state that they are committed to monitoring welfare and enforcing the Act so we certainly hope that they stand by that statement and ensure their staff are fully engaged for this trial.”

DAFWA does have a role to play in protecting animals from cruelty. Lets hope they are on the ball for this one.

____________________________________________________

Further information: Lee McCosker 0412326030

HISTORY

Mr Ferguson is currently listed on the Australia Pork Limited website as a Board Member.

Mr Ferguson is currently Chairperson of WA Agriculture Produce Commission Pork Producers Committee and is appointed to this position until 2014.

The Pork Producers Committee funds WAPPA (West Australian Pork Producers Association) and their pork industry training.

Ferguson faced court in June 2010 but the matter was withdrawn because of a technical legal difficulty.

The fresh charges against Ferguson were heard on 15th August and Ferguson is ordered to stand trial on 25th November 2011.

Director of Australian Pork Limited charged with cruelty to pigs

30 May 2009 4:51 PM |

Director of Australian Pork Limited, Neil Ferguson, has been charged with being cruel to an animal, namely a pig, which suffered harm that could have been alleviated by the taking of reasonable steps under section 19(1) and 19(3)(h) of the Animal Welfare Act 2002.

Ferguson also chairs the WA Agriculture Produce Commission (Pork Committee) and is on the Committee of Pork Training WA.

Westpork piggery, managed by Ferguson, was raided by police two years ago amid claims that some pigs at the facility had eaten others which had died in the pens has been charged with animal cruelty. Read the full story and view the disturbing footage.

The matter will again be before Midlands Magistrate Court (WA) on the 29th September 2009.

This is an embarrassing situation for the Australian Pork Industry. We would like a clear statement from Australian Pork Limited that this sort of cruelty and disregard for animal and human health will not be tolerated. This cannot be dismissed as an isolated incident and Mr Ferguson should be stood down from the Board of APL until this matter is heard in court.

A Thankyou from The Greens

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 02:11:14 GMT

The Greens NSW would like to thank Humane Society International and their Humane Choice division, Free Range Egg and Poultry Association of Australia (FREPAA) and Animal Liberation for their guidance and ongoing support of our Truth in Labelling for Free-range Eggs Campaign.

Our Truth in Labelling (Free-range Eggs) Bill now has a chance of becoming law. We would not be in this position had they not so generously shared their time and expert knowledge on the egg industry and the challenges facing ethical farmers and consumers.

Visit their websites to find out more about their great work and campaigns to help our bill become law

http://www.hsi.org.au

http://www.humanechoice.com.au

http://animal-lib.org.au

The Greens NSW would also like to thank the following organisations and their assistance

Animals Australia

Voiceless

There is still a long way to go to achieve truth in labelling for free-range eggs. The bill needs to pass through the Lower House with the support of the Government.

Click here to read more about our bill and what you can do to support it.

A Question of Balance

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 02:45:18 GMT

Interview on free range chicken stocking densities plus Sound file

http://www.aqob.com.au/details.php?p_id=511&listid=569&slistid=&menuid=category_id_20&submenuid

Industry Feathers its Own nest with Misleading Free Range Logo

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 02:53:21 GMT

Industry Feathers its Own Nest with Misleading
Free Range Logo

Humane Choice has taken an unprecedented stand in support of small free range producers nationally and today has shone the spotlight on the Australian egg industry’s peak industry body, Australian Egg Corporation and the inequity of its Egg Corp Assured program. The industry owned quality assurance program is to come under scrutiny for its bias towards large producers and the misuse of their Egg Corp Assured Trademark.

“Egg Corp have taken advantage of producer and consumer confusion over standards, codes of practice, production definitions and accreditation logos for far too long,” stated Chief Operating Officer for Humane Choice, Lee McCosker. “We have Codes of Practice in place for animal welfare and environmental management for free range egg production that make a very clear statement about what the acceptable stocking density is for free range hens and that is 1500 birds per hectare. Stocking rates are not ‘uncapped’ as Egg Corp would have us believe.”

Egg Corp administers the Egg Corp Assured program that licences producers to use their logo on egg cartons. The quality assurance program operates under a certification trademark and as such indicates to consumers that the eggs carrying that logo meet a particular standard. In this case, that producers meet the requirements of the Model Code of Practice for Animal Welfare – Domestic Poultry.

In recent media, Egg Corp have acknowledged that their audits have revealed free range stocking densities in excess of 50,000 birds per hectare.

Egg Corp is in breach of their own standards and rules of their quality assurance program and have allowed producers to misrepresent their product. Egg Corp have effectively licensed producers to deceive the public into believing that all eggs labelled free range and carrying the Egg Corp Assured logo act within the guidelines of the Code of Practice when this is generally not the case.

McCosker says that it is time to expose Egg Corp for its disregard for industry code of practice and the law, to put an end to the widespread mislabelling of free range eggs and to protect the genuine free range producer before the integrity of their industry is in tatters.

“Australian Egg Corporation needs to be held accountable for the part they have played in allowing this deception to happen and for government and regulators to acknowledge that industry is just not capable of self regulation. The push to increase stocking rates to 20,000 birds per hectare needs to be brought to an abrupt halt. Given the performance of Egg Corp to date, we cannot trust them to enforce 1500 birds per hectare so what could we expect if it was increased to 20,000?”

The term free range is not up for grabs by the highest bidder or levy payer. The consumer has driven the demand for free range eggs and their expectations are not being met. Humane Choice has lodged an official complaint with ACCC about the deception that is being perpetrated by the Australian Egg Corporation.

Contact: Lee McCosker - Chief Operating Officer, Humane Choice
(02) 6562 7318 or 0423 260 030
Email: humanechoice@bigpond.com

Humane Choice True Free Range is a whole of farm accreditation system for true free range, pasture raised pork, beef, lamb, chicken and egg producers.

Truth in Labelling Bill - Integrity for the Free Range Industry

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 07:11:27 GMT

MEDIA RELEASE 22^nd September 2011

Until now it has been pretty much a free for all when it came to labelling free range eggs.

The burgeoning demand has led to some producers simply re-inventing themselves with clever marketing and incorporating the words free or free range into their brand to capture a share of this market. Consumer needs and wants have been ignored or just exploited by those that have chosen to misrepresent their product.

Consumers have an expectation when they purchase free range eggs. At the very least there should be some guarantee that these birds are actually free to range. Allowing massive increases in stocking densities for outdoor birds will only line the pockets of intensive producers and will be detrimental to consumer perceptions of the free range industry, the health and welfare of the birds and damaging to the environment.

Industry is almost frantic to take control of the term free range and has attempted to implement these changes quietly without full producer consultation or, more importantly, without consideration for just what the consumer perceives free range to be.

“Feeding a growing population is no justification for high jacking the term free range”, says Lee McCosker from Humane Choice. “What Australian Egg Corporation are proposing would be the equivalent of hen feed lots and socially and environmentally irresponsible.. The term free range belongs to those producers that are truly committed to giving the consumer the ethical product that they seek. The choice is the consumer’s to make and must not be taken from them with deceptive labelling. If it’s not free to range, simply call it something else.”

Humane Choice will be attending the launch of the Green’s Truth in Labelling Bill (for free range eggs) to show our support for this much needed initiative. We need legislation now that will define free range and protect not only the consumer, but the welfare of layer hens and the environment.

How to Tell if the Eggs You Are Buying Are Truly Free Range

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 01:16:13 GMT

Free to call their product whatever they like. That’s what some chicken producers thought until the ACCC stepped in this week and announced that the term ‘free to roam’ was misleading consumers.

The burgeoning demand for free range product has seen many producers attempt to side step changes to their actual production systems and instead simply reinvent their image with addition of the word FREE in their marketing. Free to roam, free to fly and room to roam and play are all sweeteners for production systems that are nothing more than birds and animals kept at very high stocking densities in sheds.

The ACCC announcement coincides with the release of the Australian Egg Corporation’s (AECL) proposed free range standard that will allow stocking rates for free range birds to increase from 1,500 to 20,000 birds per hectare. AECL, a producer owned industry peak body that is also funded by the government, is proposing that producers act outside the Code of Practice, and in Queensland, outside the law.

Humane Choice represents true free range producers and over 100,000 layer hens. Humane Choice had written to the ACCC asking that they step in and prevent the AECL from rushing these standards through without full industry consultation. The ACCC has now put on hold any decision regarding the AECL certification trademark application before them (that would allow the standards to be immediately implemented) pending the outcome of further consultation with all producers.

“The big end of industry is intent on using the term ‘free’ in their marketing to take advantage of this growing market and to boost sales. We don’t see the needs of the consumer being addressed at all. It’s a mine field of false or confusing claims for them with no way of telling if what is written on the label means eggs are actually free to range.” Says Lee McCosker, Compliance Manager for Humane Choice.

McCosker suggests that consumers check out the different brands and label claims first at www.animalwelfarelabels.org.au

Contact: Lee McCosker - 0412 326 030, email humanechoice@bigpond.com

No growth promoters in Coles Pork

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 06:50:54 GMT

No growth promoters in Coles Pork - PAYLEAN just doesn’t pay

06 July 2011

Coles has once again put the consumer and animal welfare first and banned the use of the growth promoter Paylean in fresh pork supplied to their stores.

Paylean is banned in over 160 countries including China, but is used extensively in the Australian pork industry.

Unlike other growth promoters and hormones used in livestock, which have a withholding period before the animal can be slaughtered, Paylean is administered at the finishing stage of pig production and generally fed to them in the last 28 days of life. Producers are only required to stop feeding this product to pigs 12 hours before slaughter.

The Paylean product label offers this warning: “Not for use in humans. Individuals with cardiovascular disease should exercise special caution to avoid exposure.”

Paylean makes pigs miserable. It can make them aggressive, difficult to handle and cause heart attacks in stressed pigs. The term ‘paylean pigs’ is used in the industry to describe the dead carcasses that arrive on trucks to abattoirs. The stress of handling and transport is just too much for many of these pigs.

According to Temple Grandin, Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, the "indiscriminant use of Paylean (ractopamine) has contributed to an increase in downer non-ambulatory pigs," and pigs that "are extremely difficult to move and drive."

Nor can we overlook the effects of "adding these drugs to waterways or well water supplies - via contaminated animal feed and manure runoff - when this class of drugs is so important in treating children with asthma," says David Wallinga, MD of the US Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

Paylean has implications for animal welfare, human health and meat quality. We applaud this move by Coles to ban it in pork sold in their stores.

Contact: Lee McCosker, Humane Choice Manager on 0401 067 967 or

email humanechoice@bigpond.com

Empty Promises?

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 17:12:02 GMT

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HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL Media Release
17 December 2010

Smithfields turn their backs on sow stall promise

In 2007, Smithfield Foods (one of the largest pork producers in the world) promised to phase out the use of sow stalls in all their operations by 2017.

Animal welfare groups hailed the decision as the most significant voluntary improvement ever made in pig welfare. The pressure was off Smithfields and they revelled in the praise. For the next 4 years they traded on their empty promise. Smithfields have recently announced that they are reneging on the pledge to put an end to the suffering of confined sows.

This may sound familiar. An industry promise to pursue the voluntary phasing out of sow stalls by 2017?

Just like Smithfield's, the Australian Pork industry promise to phase out sow stalls is only voluntary and there is nothing to bind industry to fulfil it. We have heard the CEO of Australian Pork compare this undertaking with the banning, by law, of sow stalls in New Zealand in an effort to mislead consumers into believing that there is an actual ban on sow stalls in Australia.

Sow stalls are not banned here. In fact we have new legislation that permits their use indefinitely.

The Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Pigs, is due for review in 2014. Lets get serious about ending the use of sow stalls and legislate a ban on their use, instead of relying on an industry that is attempting to trade on the ignorance of consumers.

Smithfield Foods promised an end to sow stalls in 2017. This footage from Humane Society International shows it’s just business as usual for Smithfields and the promise to end these pig’s suffering is a distance memory. Don’t let that happen to Australian pigs. Support the industry when they have actually delivered on their promise, not before. Demand the pork you buy is actually sow stall free.

http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2010/12/smithfield_pigs_121510.html

Contact: Lee McCosker 02 6723 2971 or 0401 067 967

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Fraudulent Free Range Labelling Exposed

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:58:18 GMT

The UK has set a new precedent for labelling standards on free range pork products. Supermarket giant, Waitrose, has had their campaign for Waitrose pork banned for misleading consumers about the pigs' living conditions.

The ads, featuring chefs Heston Blumenthal and Delia Smith, said pork sold under the retailer's Essential Waitrose label was deemed to misleadingly suggest Waitrose pork came from pigs that spent the duration of their lives outdoors, when in fact the pigs live in sheds after weaning. This system of farming is known as outdoor bred (bred free range) and as such the pigs grown for pork are raised indoors.

"This decision should sound warning bells for all pork producers that choose to misrepresent their product in an attempt to take advantage of the growing free range market" said Humane Choice Compliance Manager, Lee McCosker.

Consumer perceptions of free range pork are that the pigs are free to graze in open pastures. Packaging and labelling that allude to these conditions but cannot deliver a genuine free range product are deceitful and a blatant effort to mislead the public.

Vigilance will help to expose such fraudulent claims in Australia and reporting your concerns to us or directly to the ACCC will help stamp out free range fraud. A matter concerning substitution in Western Australia of cage eggs for free range is currently before the ACCC.

If you are seeking a guarantee that the free range product is genuine, request that your retailer stock Humane Choice products. Humane Choice accredits true free range farms that allow their animals to graze on pasture and adhere to animal welfare and environmental standards.

Swine Flu. The Price of intensive agriculture?

(Past member) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:33:42 GMT

Thursday, April 30, 2009

As the number of people infected with Swine Flu grows, the search for the source of this outbreak continues.

Mexico, believed to be 'ground zero' for this new strain of swine flu, is home to many large scale, confined pig operations. These 'barns' can house 500,000 pigs in conditions that can only be described as conducive to the development of disease. As agriculture intensifies, so does the risk to human, animal and environmental health.

What is a confined pig operation? In Australia we call it intensive pig production or factory farms. This method of pork production confines pigs indoors in cramped conditions devoid of sunlight or natural stimulation. They live on top of their own excrement, sheds are poorly ventilated, they are systematically treated with antibiotics that can result in compromised immune systems, artificial lighting, artificial breeding, artificial growth enhancers, all in an environment that would allow the rapid development of viruses such as the new flu strain.

The housing of pigs in these confinement systems should not be viewed in isolation however. The waste produced from these units is staggering and has been a major cause of concern to people residing near these farms for some time. This article printed in Rolling Stone Magazine, provides a confronting insight into the problem.

Are you supporting this type of pork production system?

95% of pigs grown for pork in Australia are produced under confined conditions. You can make a clear statement to industry about your concerns by changing your buying habits. Support free range and organic growers, demand that your butcher stocks nothing less. Humane Choice is the benchmark for sustainably grown, healthy, wholesome pork and is your guarantee that the pigs accredited under this label were grown under natural conditions, not confined to sheds, farrowing crates or sow stalls.