RSPCA defends Freedom Food scheme
The RSPCA is standing by its scheme designed to make sure animals reared for food are being treated properly - despite footage which showed alleged cruelty on three charity-approved farms in Norfolk.
Footage obtained exclusively by the Evening News two weeks ago showed the grim conditions on four farms across the county.
On one farm near Norwich a worker was seen punching a duck, while other images showed ducks, turkeys and pigs, some of them barely alive and others already dead, being kept in cramped conditions. The footage raised concerns about the RSPCA's Freedom Foods labelling scheme, because three of the farms, but not the one where the duck was punched, were officially approved.
Under the scheme farms which meet certain animal welfare standards are allowed to put the Freedom Foods logo on their products and demand higher prices.
But today the RSPCA defended the scheme and called for it be extended and made compulsory.
Jackie Ballard, the RSPCA's director general, said: “The RSPCA cannot monitor farms 24 hours a day and has never claimed to. Of course in rare cases individual farms or farmers can let us down, but for every animal shown on covertly-filmed video there are millions who have had a better life.”
Following the footage, gathered by workers at the Hillside Animal Sanctuary, in Frettenham, the three Freedom Food farms were suspended from the scheme. The footage of a worker punching a duck comes from Cherry Dene Farm, at Hellington, which produces for Manor Farm Ducklings (MFD Foods Ltd).
East Anglia Animals Rights Coalition
Po Box 487
Norwich
Norfolk
NR5 8WE