If you eat pork, you MUST read this
February 3rd, 2009 by Scott |
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Firstly, hands up if you eat pork. Ok, that’s pretty much everyone. Now put up your hand if you go to the effort of finding out where that pork came from, or how the pig lived? Didn’t think so. I’m supporting a new RSPCA campaign called “Rooting For Pigs” and I’d like you to do the same; read on to find out why.
Jamie Oliver with Pig
You may or may not have watched the recent Jamie Oliver program “Jamie Saves Our Bacon“, which was part of Channel 4’s “Food Fight” season. If you did, you’re probably now aware of some of the appalling conditions that pigs are subject to. If you didn’t, you’re in for a shock. Either way, I would like you to read on and consider giving your support to the campaign.
All pigs are descendants of the Wild Boar – social animals that like to run around in forests rooting for vegetables; of course modern famed pigs bear little resemblence to their wild cousins, but all still maintain this natural instinct. Pigs are also considered to be the most intelligent of all commonly farmed animals, more so than most pets, such as dogs. Please keep this in mind as you read on.
Some concerning facts about pig welfare:
- The UK has higher minimum standards for rearing pigs than the rest of Europe, but imports over half it’s pork. Solution? If you’re in the UK, buy British.
- 80% of male piglets in the EU are castrated without anaesthetic (would you consider doing this to your pet?).
- In most farming systems pigs are unable to carry out their natural behaviour of rooting. This is due to inadequate legislation.
- Many pigs are kept in confined cages, unable to even turn around (remember “Chicken Out!“?)
I’m going to stop there, but the poor conditions of our pigs doesn’t. In a similar way to chickens, there are a variety of different conditions that pigs can be kept in, such as Free Range, Outdoor Bred, and Outdoor Reared. In theory this should mean that consumers can make an informed decision, IF the packets are clearly labelled. But even these terms are open to ambiguety (definitions quoted from the RSPCA):
Free range
There is no legal definition of ‘free range’ when it comes to pork. Retailers can label the pork they sell as ‘outdoor bred’ or ‘free range’ without providing definitions.Similarly, imported pig products from production systems that do not conform to UK law and/or common practice are sold alongside UK products in many stores.
Although the perception that keeping livestock outside is best for welfare does not always hold true, free range systems in which pigs are kept throughout their lives outside in paddocks do ensure animals have freedom to move around and express natural behaviours.
Outdoor bred
There is no doubt the term ‘outdoor bred’ sends out all the right messages to consumers who want to buy pork from pigs free to roam outdoors. However, despite the often held belief that this term means pigs will spend much of their lives living outside, in practice, the term is usually used to label pork from pigs that have only spent the first three or four weeks of their lives in free range systems. ‘Outdoor bred’ pigs are born outside, and their mothers almost invariably stay outside in paddocks throughout their breeding lives. However, once they have been weaned from their mothers, the piglets are moved into indoor systems, which can vary considerably in terms of the welfare standards they provide.
Outdoor reared
‘Outdoor reared’ is usually used to describe a system in which the piglets are kept with full access to the outdoors for up to around 10 weeks of age, before being moved to indoor rearing/finishing accommodation. Production of ‘outdoor reared’ pigs on any commercial scale is relatively rare.
In short, we do have a choice, but we need to be given enough information to make the decision in the first place. The campaign aims of “Rooting For Pigs” sum it up pretty nicely:
- clear and consistent labelling on pork products
- a better law to protect pig welfare.
Give your support to the campaign by signing the online petition at the Give Animals a Voice Website. If you’d like more information on this subject please let me know.
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Tags: jamie oliver, jamie saves our bacon, pig welfare, rooting for pigs, rspca
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Don’t eat pork. Now I am thanking myself for it. makes me shiver:-(
Chicken is no better. Sorry! All we can do is just buy the best quality, most natural meat that there is out there.
Do you go to butcher to buy your meat? Sometimes, I don’t see many selections at the supermarket… which is pretty sad!
I’d like to say I do – I have a great local butcher. Unfortunately, I succumb to the same trap as a lot of others; I work all day Mon-Fri so when I finish work the only shop open locally is, you guessed it, the local Tesco.
I know what you mean! I have the same problem as you I think – that I work full time and the time to shop for food is either during weekend or after work. I don’t know any butcher around my area. I know Borough market is just about 15 mins from my place but heck, too expensive!
I love pork and pigs. It is really sad to see how such animals are treated… At least here, we can by Naturafarm meat.
Cheers,
Rosa
They’re so intelligent, too. It’s really a shame.
Thanks for all the info… I have a hard time buying “no name” meat, or even just the stuff from the grocery store. I buy local when I can and love knowing where my food comes from.
My local butcher is really good for that; he has signs up saying where the meat is slaughtered etc and will answer any questions asked. The people in supermarkets, of course, have no idea whatsoever.
Two hands up here!
Have you heard about the bacon in desserts trend incubating here in North America?
http://danamccauley.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/topline-trends-tuesdays-bacon-in-the-sweet-kitchen/
Well I can honestly say that I’ve never thought to try bacon in a desert, but probably would, if someone else cooked it for me. I can’t imagine something so salty working, but I’m here to be convinced. I’m quite open minded like that
We raised 2000 porks when I was young so we could put food on our table. So I know more than a lot of people on this subject. I still eat pork. Always did. But no beef. Can you imagine.
2000 pigs is a lot! I can’t even imagine. I guess you lived on a farm?
Pigs are a different species from the human species but they have the same rights as humans do.
We all share the planet Earth and all species have the same rights. Animals are not to be used by humans, as women are not to be used by men or blacks by whites, as Alice Walker puts it so well.
Veganism is the only acceptable ethical option. Meat is murder.
Hearing things like this makes me want to drop my pork habit, but it just tastes so good… I do try to buy most of my pork local directly from the farms that raise them rather than through a grocery store that has a teenager working the counter that has no idea where meat came from.
Buying from a local farm is a great idea. We’re lucky enough to have a great and popular local farm shop that rears its own pigs. Like a lot of people though I need to discipline myself to go there more often even if it is a little less convenient than the high street supermarket.
A great read on this topic is “The River Cottage Meat Book” by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. I highly suggest checking it out. Also- always ALWAYS buy your meat from a butcher. For the marginal extra cost, the piece of meat you buy will be fresher, more flavorful and of proper provenance. (If you are at a butcher shop, and they don’t know where the meat is from, you’re at the wrong store…)
Great tips, Geoff – thanks for that. I have the River Cottage Meat Book so agree with you that it is a great read. Hugh always speaks with great food morals.
What a terribly sad thing, but thank you so much for bringing peoples attention to it. I shudder to think what the standards are here in the US since we are so behind in our treatment of other types of animals (chickens, cows, etc.).
I’m not sure of the standards in the US either. You can follow the same principles though; make sure you know where the meat came from and how it the animal was kept – free range, caged, etc. The same principles apply anywhere even if the definitions and legalities vary.
I love pork! I wish there was a campaign like this where I live (I would surely support it), or even just a good butcher, but no — our choices when it comes to knowing where our pork comes from and how it is raised are pretty much nil
I haven’t lost hope though and am always looking for local farmers who raise (truly) free-range piggies!
Hi Joey, where are you from?
I’m from Manila, Philippines!
I should have read the profile on your blog to figure that out – sorry!
I love pork, and it’s one of the meats where you can really tell the difference in taste between the cheap nasty stuff and the lovingly reared organic stuff – even just the difference between Saisbury’s pork mince and Sainsbury’s organic pork mince is huge, let alone when free range comes into it. Thanks for this post highlighting these important animal welfare issues that everyone should be considering.
I love pork too, and you’re right – you can really notice the difference between organic and non-organic. Plus you feel all warm inside for making the right choice.
Thank you for this great post! Love of good food and animal rights go hand in hand. Reverence for the animal is a huge part of the meat-eating experience.
You’re welcome; agreed with all your comments. Great to see more people of the same viewpoint.
Hi Scott. You should meet Bruce King who is a hog farmer here near Seattle. He has a farm called Home Acres Farm and can be contacted at
Bruce King
ebeyfarm.blogspot.com
2069404980
He would love to speak with you and connect with your blog on Blogger. I”ll drop him a note and tell him to connect with you as well Scott. Its all one big blog and food network as far as I can see it.
Pericles Tarsinos
Co Founder Fooducopia
Hi Pericles,
I’m sure I’d be interested; unfortunately can’t sample his products as I’m a good few thousand miles away (in the UK)
I’ve taken to using the term “pastured” to describe my husbandry. That is, the animals are raised on pasture their entire lives. They have shelters to allow them to sleep warm and dry, and are given feed free-choice, which they supplement with forage which they enjoy digging out.
The problem with “free range”, “organic”, “cage free” and so on is that they are co-opted by the big producers and soon really do not represent any change in husbandry. “Free range” used to denote a bird that was raised without cages and allowed to roam around and forage. Now it apparently means that the birds are kept in barns that have a small door to the outside, which is kept closed for 4 to 6 of the 8 weeks that the bird is grown out, and when they do open it, none of the birds actually use the door. Why leave the food and water and comfort of familar surroundings?