Sir, - I wish to congratulate Tesco, new owner of Quinnsworth, for its excellent decision to ban the sale of fresh pork from pigs reared in the intensely cruel stall and tether system from August 1st (a similar ban on ham and bacon to follow next year).
This humane policy will deservedly send ripples of alarm through the Irish pig industry since the majority of Irish pigs are reared in appalling, intensive systems and Tesco is a key buyer.
Farmers are always saying they care about their animals, yet pigs suffer enormously when confined by tethers or in tiny stalls. It now appears that any immediate switch to outdoor, extensive pig rearing systems, or to welfare friendly indoor systems, will once again be motivated by the fear of lost markets rather than by any concern for the welfare of the animals themselves.
Strong lobbying by Compassion in World Farming has resulted in both tethering and stalls being banned in the UK from January 1st, 1999. Under EU law, while tethering will become illegal (though not until December 31st, 2005), the equally cruel stall system will remain legal. Indeed, this is just the system that Irish pig farmers are planning to change to now that they are forced to get rid of tethering!
In the light of Tesco's policy, maybe Irish pig farmers will think again. Instead of going from one cruel system to another equally cruel system, they may choose one of the many alternative systems which are welfare-friendly, are known to work well, and which are acceptable to Tesco.
In the meantime, I hope the new pig-farming Minister of State, Ned O'Keefe, will lead by example and allow his pigs the best possible freedoms by changing to an outdoor, free-range system as a matter of urgency.
The retailer and the consumer want pigs to be treated well. Pig farmers take note. - Yours, etc., YVONNE SMALLEY,
Killiney,
Co. Dublin.