Pigs Are Worth It

UK - Three little pigs will start a tour of Britain today (Monday) to help raise awareness of the crisis currently facing British Pig farming.
calendar icon 31 March 2008
clock icon 3 minute read

The 'Pig Issue Tour' will visit 11 towns and cities across the country, where the three little pigs will be joined by farmers from each region demonstrating for fair prices for their pigs.

The Pig Issue Tour may provide the last chance for many city dwellers to see a live pig.

The tour is being organised by the NPA and BPEX as the latest stage of the ongoing Pigsareworthit campaign.

BPEX and NPA Chairman Stewart Houston said: "There is no doubt that people are starting to listen. Over 16,000 people have signed our online petition and after the Westminster rally around 50 MPs signed an Early Day Motion supporting pig farmers and wrote to major retailers asking them to provide more support to the pig industry.

"The price is starting to move in the right direction but the industry is still facing massive losses.

"Without this many farmers face the prospect of going out of business. Then consumers will lose the choice to buy higher welfare Quality Standard Mark pork, bacon and ham."

Tour organiser Malcolm Baxter said: "We may have three little pigs on the tour but we're certainly not crying wolf.

"The UK is the only country in the world with a significant amount of outdoor pig production. Between 30 and 40 per cent of pigs in this country are now outdoor reared.

"That's why you can drive through the countryside and see pigs out in the fields. Our welfare standards are also amongst the highest in the world. All of this is under threat and if things don't change this really might be one of the last chances that people have to see live pigs or choose high welfare products."

The Pig Issue tour starts in Newcastle today, Monday, before visiting Harrogate, Hull, Nottingham, Derby, Norwich, Ipswich, Cambridge, Bristol and Southampton.

The pigs for each day of the tour will be provided by local farmers. During the tour the pigs will be handled by an experienced stockman and will be subject to the highest standards of care and animal welfare.

Consumers can support the Pigsareworthit campaign by looking for the Quality Standard Mark when choosing pork, bacon, sausages and ham or visiting www.pigsarewothit.com and signing the online petition.

The Pigsareworthit petition now has more than 17,000 registered supporters.

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