Campaigners march against Foston pig-unit plan

About 100 protestors marched through Derby to campaign against the proposed large-scale pig unit in Foston in Derbyshire.

Campaigners gathered in the city on Saturday (13 August) to protest against Midland Pig Producers’ planned unit, which will see 2,500 sows housed on one site.

Organised by welfare group Derby Animal Rights, campaigners said they are concerned about the welfare of the pigs on the site, as well as potential risks to human health.

They also claim large-scale farming will destroy traditional farming practices and could damage the environment.

Midland Pig Producers said animal welfare was its priority and the proposals addressed all of the concerns usually associated with intensive agriculture, including tail docking, teeth clipping, free farrowing and straw bedding.

Animal welfare group Compassion in World Farming has also conceded that pigs housed in the proposed unit would have a higher standard of living than the majority of indoor-reared pigs in the UK.

“These proposed standards offer the potential for the pigs to have a higher quality of life than many of their counterparts in other UK and EU farms,” a spokesman said.

Proposals for the unit are expected to go before council planners in the autumn.