Christmas ham likely to come from sow crate

Reports from animal welfare group SAFE that an urgent review of the Pig Code had been delayed and may not be completed this year are alarming, said Green Party Animal Welfare spokesperson Sue Kedgley.

The Minister of Agriculture David Carter promised six months ago that the Pig Code would be reviewed urgently, following distressing scenes of pigs in sow crates on TVNZ’s Sunday programme, and that a new welfare code for pigs should be issued by the end of the year.

“Mr Carter needs to explain why the Code has not even been released for public consultation, and how he intends to ensure that the review will be completed within the next few weeks.”

SAFE says it has discovered that the review of the Pig Code is way behind schedule and may not even be released for public consultation by the end of the year.

“Why is the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee dragging its hooves, when the Minister of Agriculture asked them to make the review of the code their ‘highest priority’ and expected the code to be completed by the end of the year,” asked Ms Kedgley.

“If this is NAWAC’s highest priority, why hasn’t it released the Pig Code for public consultation yet?

“The Prime Minister assured Parliament earlier this year that he expected changes to be made to the Code and industry. Yet here we are six months later and nothing has changed at all.”

Ms Kedgley said new footage screened on Campbell Live last night showed that conditions for sows have not improved and will not improve while the Government dithers around this issue.

“This is unacceptable. New Zealanders are justifiably horrified by footage of the conditions pigs experience in sow crates, and want urgent action to review the code and phase out sow crates.”

Link to David Carter’s speech to NZ Pork Industry 20 July
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/nz+pork+industry+board+conference