Leading Farming Magazine 'Farmers Weekly' Refuses To Condem Thirsk Slaughterhouse Animal Abuse

Leading Farming Magazine 'Farmers Weekly' Refuses To Condem Thirsk Slaughterhouse Animal Abuse

Around 3 February 2015 the story regarding Animal Aids undercover investigation Bowood Lambs in Thirsk broke in most of the media.

Animal Aid produced a covertly filmed video which showed the horrific and disgusting treatment that was being handed out to lambs during slaughter by Muslim workers. The video, quite rightly, shocked most of the UK and brought almost universal condemnation from both industry and the general public.

Except it seems from the leading farming magazine 'Farmers Weekly' which on its website describes its self as: 

"Farmers Weekly is the leading multimedia information service for farmers and agricultural businesses in print, online and face-to-face." and "Farmers Weekly has been providing a service to the UK farming community for over 80 years and prides itself on delivering authoritative and independent content that farmers can trust."

Coming as I do from a farming background I can say that Farmers Weekly IS the voice of British farming.

As the events at the Thirsk abattoir unfolded I searched the media for reports for this blog and I became more and more frustrated at the lack of comment from the 'farming world'. Abattoirs and Slaughterhouses are part of the chain of 'farm to fork' so what happens in abattoirs reflects on the nations hardworking farmers.

So I wrote an email, sending a copy to each of the; National Farmers Union (NFU), the National Sheep Association (NSA) and Farmers Weekly.

The NFU replied stating: "I would entirely echo your sentiments about the footage released recently, and so would the entirety of our membership. Farmers do not spend months and even years raising and caring for animals only for them to be treated in the way shown in this footage, which was abhorrent and is illegal regardless of the nuances around stun/non stun slaughter. I would also like to comment at this point that, even if all welfare aspects were ignored, treating animals as shown will cause stress and bruising, which will cause significant loss of eating quality and meat damage-from no perspective does such behaviour make sense."

The NSA replied stating: "The NSA was appalled by reports from the Bowood Lamb abattoir early in the month and opening condemned them in a public statement at the time – click here to view it. Such actions at point of slaughter are unacceptable and not supported by any of our members."

The Farmers Weekly replied but did not answer the points raised in my email. For the sake of transparency you can read the emails in the following:

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from: ******** ******** <********@****.***>

to: fwiinfo@rbi.co.uk

date: Tue, Feb 3, 2015 at 6:40 PM

subject: News reports in today's media regarding the Bowood Farms Ltd (T/A Bowood Yorkshire Lamb) undercover abattoir footage

Dear Sir or Madam

I am a supporter of British Agriculture (I come from a farming background) and I am also a supporter of Stunning before slaughter of all animals.

Also I have been an avid reader of Farmers Weekly for some 30+ years..

I know that you are aware of the news reports in today's media regarding the Bowood Farms Ltd (T/A Bowood Yorkshire Lamb) undercover abattoir footage released by Animal Aid as you have covered the story on FWI.

As we know the video shows extremely disturbing abuse being committed on sheep which were supposedly being humanely slaughtered.

Slaughtermen caught on camera 'hacking and sawing' at animals' throats, Sheep filmed being kicked, with one worker standing on an animal's neck, Staff laughed as a sheep bled to death with spectacles painted on its face, Another sheep seems to be punched in the face while others are taunted with knives and shouted at.

Coming from a farming background, and knowing how hard British farmers work to raise their animals to the highest of standards of welfare and to give them the best life possible, I am unable to imagine many Sheep producers (or livestock producers) who would not be horrified at the content of this video.

To know that they put all of the hard work in only for their livestock to be treated in the manner shown in the video.

It tarnishes not only the Slaughter Industry but by association the UK Sheep Farmers at a time when the British Public are very sensitive to the subject of Halal Slaughter and rightly so.

As the premier farming publication that represents the interests and views of the of our nations hard working farmers, I would like to ask for your opinion and comment on the video and to ask if you would go as far as condemning the abuse?

I am extremely worried for the farming industry at the moment and I would appreciate your comments.

Yours sincerely

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from: *******, ***** (***-**) <******.******@***.**.**>

to: "******** ******** <********@****.***>

date: Mon, Feb 9, 2015 at 11:52 AM

subject: Re: News reports in today's media regarding the Bowood Farms Ltd (T/A Bowood Yorkshire Lamb) undercover abattoir footage

Thank you for your email to Farmers Weekly.

I am hoping you can clarify your intentions for me. Was the purpose of your email to send your thoughts and ask for a response from our editor, or would you like your letter to be considered for publication in our Opinion section?

If the latter, we could consider running your letter in the magazine, but it would probably be a slightly abridged version.

Please do let me know and I will forward your email to the correct people.

Many thanks

******

****** *********

Deputy FarmLife and Community Editor

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from: ******** ******** <********@****.***>

to: *******, ***** (***-**) <******.******@***.**.**>

date: Tue, Feb 10, 2015 at 3:25 PM

subject: Re: News reports in today's media regarding the Bowood Farms Ltd (T/A Bowood Yorkshire Lamb) undercover abattoir footage

Thank you for your email.

My intention was to send my thoughts to the editor and ask for a response.

To clarify who I am, I am not a member of press or media, I am just a normal person with roots/connections in agriculture who has read Farmers Weekly for at least 30 years.

I am concerned that the agri industry has made no real comment regarding, the now industry wide, abuse of animal welfare regulations by slaughterhouses as most jump on the "Religious Slaughter" bandwagon.

Even more concerning I think is that no-one (from the agri industry) has out-right condemned the animal abuse that was reported at the Thirsk Slaughterhouse or the new Revelations over the weekend shown in the undercover film taken by Hillside Animal Sanctuary at S Bagshaw & Sons, Leek, Yorkshire.

These type of incidents are appualing and show a complete lack of respect or compassion for the animals being slaughtered, we all know that our farmers work extremely hard to breed top quality stock while adhering to the highest possible welfare standards but then having done all of that I cannot accept that most would be happy to see their stock end their lives in such a cruel way.

It also has the knock-on effect to potentially tainting producers by association.

As the most respected and most read agri industry publication I wanted to ask the editor for his comments and why the Farmers Weekly has not condemned the actions shown in these videos.

Yours sincerely

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So there you have it, arguably, the voice of British Agriculture in the media refuses to condemn the wholly unacceptable abuse of animals produced by our nations farmers when everyone else around them (apart from Muslims) did so and did so strongly.

The general public and farmers alike can rightly ask what message does this send out?

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