Live exports: Essential trade or a PR disaster for farming?
Philip Lymbery Compassion in World Farming
Live export of animals is an issue which continues to seriously tarnish the image of British farming. Animals can endure journeys of up to 100 hours and in the hot summers of southern Europe, exhaustion, stress and dehydration can take a heavy toll. This is not just a PR disaster for the whole of the farming industry it is an economic one too. As the UK sends tens of thousands of sheep and calves overseas we import 25% of beef and 35% of the lamb we consume. Surely there is an opportunity to meet increasing consumer demand for home-produced food by growing animals for the UK market. Read argument against in full
Frank Langrish, farmer and haulier
Live export of animals is a legal trade and the animal welfare has improved. Veal crates are banned and at six months the animals are impressive and healthy looking. It is criminal that we are shooting dairy bull calves at birth when we have a market of 300m people on our doorstep in France, Belgium, Holland and Western Germany. My local sheep abattoir of any size is in Holland according to Route Planner. It is a shorter road journey to Paris for me than to our main abattoir in Dorset. The crossing to France is far quicker from the UK than the journey from Ireland. Yet the main ferry companies support this. It is imperative we persuade these companies to allow live exports from the UK. Read the argument for in full
- Choose your side: Vote on our homepage – Question of the week
- Join in the debate: discuss on the forum
- You can get others involved too: Email a friend
Some articles that might sway your decision: