I wrote the main bones of this blog last week, it has just been sitting in my file while I’ve been doing a bit of consumer research. It sort of seemed relevant after my blog on battery hens to also focus on pig welfare.
Reading February’s Healthy Food Guide magazine my interest was taken with a small paragraph titled “another reason to buy NZ pork” (pg. 13). The last sentence of this paragraph promoting buying NZ pork read “There’s also no way to know what sort of welfare standards pigs have been raised in overseas”. Knowing that NZ falls behind many other countries in terms of our welfare of pigs I wondered why do we continue to ignore what is in front of us and place ourselves up on a holy “NZ made” pedestal ahead of “overseas”? In NZ we allow our pigs to be raised in appalling conditions all in the name of cheaper pork while other countries have taken significant strides to improve pig welfare.
One of my February challenges has been to give up pork – it’s not that hard when you see those crates and those pigs. Hubby still loves his bacon and is holding out so one of my tasks over the next few weeks is to find a free range supplier of bacon for him.
SAFE this week have sent footage of our pig farming to Jamie Oliver to see if they can gain his assistance to put international pressure on our government Scoop: Jamie Oliver Asked To Save Kiwi Pigs .
This year the NZ government is expected to review pig farming standards. It’s a great time to be lobbying your government – see SAFE LovePigs Campaign : What you can do for lots of good ideas.