In the current economic climate we are all trying to cut back on luxuries in life and it may seem easy to save a few pence by cutting back on the quality of the food we eat.The withdrawal of Pork products from our supermarket shelves after the Dioxin contamination back in December serves as a stark reminder of why we should continue to support quality organic and local foods. At the time of the withdrawal the Organic Trust issued a statement reaffirming the safety of the Organic meat system.
Consumers are reassured that under the organic system no recycled food waste whatsoever is permitted for use in the organic feed system. All feedstuffs used on Organic Trust certified farms are fully verified by our organisation. In addition, every single aspect of the production process for organic meat is fully audited by highly qualified Organic Inspectors from field to fork – organic is the only food system which has this level of regulatory control, traceability and transparency.More here.
The issue of organic meat came to my attention again recently when I came across this article in The Guardian. As a vegetarian it may seem odd that I would want to discuss the benefits of organic pork but I understand that vegetarianism isn't for everyone and hopefully I can make you understand why organic meat is a better choice.
The Guardian article deals mostly with the welfare of intensively reared pigs and although the most shocking conditions sited are of animals raised in the Netherlands Irish pork production isn't a million miles away from their system.
Before looking at the conditions of intensively reared pigs we should first understand the natural behavior of a pig. There is a beautiful description in Peter Singer and Jim Mason's book 'Eating' which describes a pig collecting materials and constructing a nest:
This particular sow is ambling about in the brush along the tree line, biting off twigs and leaves and carrying them back deeper into the woods where she is building a nest. It looks like a large bird's nest on the ground, about five or six feet in diameter, a ring of tangled small branches, leaves, and detritus from the forest floor . The sow carries a leafy branch into it and tucks it in among the others.This is of course the description of a pregnant free range pig. So what conditions would you expect to find an intensively raised pig reared in in Ireland?
Compassion in World Farming's Irish Website states that most of the 158,000 breeding sows in Ireland are kept in intensive pig farms. At the very best this means many pigs are kept together in a large barn with little or no natural light and no access to the outdoors. At the very worst, similar to the ones sited in the Guardian article, pregnant sows are still confined to narrow pig stalls which barely allow them enough space to lie down or move around, on concrete and slatted floors when they are able to rest the pigs often have to lie on the waste which has failed to drain away. EU regulations mean that pig stalls are being phased out but the total ban does not come into effect until 2013.
Sadly this isn't the end of the suffering for a sow. As she comes close to giving birth she is often moved to and even smaller enclosure called a 'farrowing crate' these are so small she is unable to turn around or lie down, even standing up can be challenging. The intensive pig industry claims that these conditions are necessary so that the Sow doesn't roll over and crush her young but surely this problem only arises from there not being enough space in the first place!
When her young reach approximately 6 weeks old they are taken from their mother to be fattened up for meat. These piglets are again kept in crowded conditions on slatted floors. 95% of these 'fattening pigs' have their tails docked.
One of the founding principles of the Organic movement has been animal welfare. It therefore follows that pigs raised for organic meat have to have access to the outside world and are able to participate in their natural behaviors such as nesting. It is also required that they are fed on a diet consisting of 90% organic feed and as stated in the quote from the Organic Trust this never consists of recycled feeds. These principles mean that, as the Organic Trust ultimately states, orgnaically farmed pork is, as with all organically produced food, 'good for nature, good for animal welfare, good for the economy and ultimately good and safe to eat for the consumer'.
Update
As part of 'The Great British Food Fight' season on Ch4 Jamie Oliver will be looking at the pig farming industry. Don't miss it! Find out more from the Ch4 website.
