"It has been a source of some irritation to NPA recently, and pig producers in general, that green, welfare, vegetarian, vegan and organic groups are increasingly opposing planning applications for new intensive livestock units on the grounds that larger-scale farming must equal poorer welfare," says the NPA.

"Where, wonders NPA, is the evidence to show that one well-equipped large unit with well-trained stockmen is less competent in welfare matters than several smaller ones?

"The large-bad-small-good syndrome is not confined to Britain. In the Lower Saxony region of Germany, the Green Party is demanding a limit on large-scale production.

"The party wants the maximum size of new units to be restricted to 30,000 chickens, 1,500 pigs and 600 cattle. And it says finishers should be able to produce a minimum of 50 percent of their animal feed themselves.

"The German press reports that other regions are also beginning to oppose 'animal mass production'."