Renewed request from the Soil Association for help in opposing Foston Pig Factory. They write:

Thanks to everyone who signed up to support our Not in my Banger Campaign. We objected to the local council (South Derbyshire) about the proposal for an intensive pig unit in Foston, Derbyshire, that would contain 2,500 mother pigs (sows) and around 20,000 piglets at any one time. Approximately 1000 pigs will leave the farm for slaughter each week. All the pigs will spend their entire lives indoors.

We have just heard that the planning application has been resubmitted to Derbyshire County Council.

Here at the Soil Association we will be renewing our opposition to the proposal by outlining the original concerns we had about the pig factory.

If you agree with us, then make your voice heard officially by registering your opposition to the planners on the Derbyshire County Council website. You can see some of the key points of our original evidence here.

We only have until May 13th to respond to the planning application so
please make your voice heard.

I've been watching "Jamie Saves Our Bacon" on Channel 4 - a powerful programme

I've been watching Jamie on Channel 4 - http://www.channel4.com/food/on-tv/jamie-oliver/jamie-saves-our-bacon/index.html - This was a powerful plea for pigs to be farmed more compassionately. Currently many pigs in Europe, particularly the sows, endure very long periods of cruel restriction, unnaturally confined in uncomfortable pens.

If you click on the link and learn more about the matter, I feel sure you will be moved to do what you can to ameliorate the lives of the pigs. Jamie is asking us to buy British pork, because pig welfare standards here are higher, and he is asking us to buy shoulder of pork, belly of pork and pork neck fillet, because buying these cuts, which at present are less popular cuts, will help hard-pressed British pig farmers. There are recipes for these cuts on the Channel 4 website.

He is also pressing the powers that be to put better labelling on packs of pork so that consumers can be sure about the country of origin of the pork and in particular, the bacon.

(He also showed us a distasteful practice of some pork dealers - that of injecting water and phosphates into pig meat, so that you could be buying a pack of pork that is 89% pork and 11% water and phosphates...)o: - Include me out of pork like that!)