Day 290 - 30 Oct 96 - Page 03

     
     1        considering legislative changes or changes in the Codes of
     2        Practice for farm animal welfare.  And the Farm Animal
     3        Welfare Network have input into considerations for
     4        legislative changes.  And that is basically through Clare
     5        Druce.
     6
     7        The Farm Animal Welfare Network was consulted by the Farm
     8        Animal Welfare Council when the Farm Animal Welfare Council
     9        was drawing up recommendations concerning broiler welfare.
    10        And FAWN, Mrs. Druce attending on its behalf, was invited
    11        to the Farm Animal Welfare Council's pre-publication
    12        briefing meeting prior to the Council releasing their
    13        broiler report. The reference for that is day 108, page 6,
    14        line 27.
    15
    16        Mrs. Druce also related how she had visited a great many
    17        laying hen farms, most of which were battery units.  She
    18        had visited dozens, possibly hundreds, she said, over a
    19        period going back for nearly 25 years.  She had gathered
    20        information on the broiler industry since 1984, which
         included visits to broiler farms.  Prior to 1984 the
    22        organisation dealt solely with battery chickens.  That was
    23        referred to on day 108, pages 7 and 14.
    24
    25        There have been various statements through this case about
    26        how everything must be fine because all the farms are
    27        visited by inspectors from the Ministry of Agriculture
    28        Fisheries and Foods.  She referred to these visits on day
    29        108, page 19 of the transcript.  She said that only a small
    30        percentage of farms were ever visited, or were visited.
    31        There were something like 300 state veterinary officers to
    32        inspect something like a quarter of a million farms.
    33        Additionally, the farms were given prior warning of visits
    34        so effectively farmers could clean up their act before the
    35        inspectors arrived, so, in her view, the inspections were
    36        virtually worthless.  That relates to both battery farms
    37        and broiler farms.
    38
    39        Giving evidence about broiler chickens, Mrs. Druce averred
    40        her statement, which included her opinion that the modern
         broiler chicken is a genetic freak, the product of
    42        generations of selection for fast growth, and that the
    43        selection has shown a marked lack of concern.
    44
    45   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Hold on a moment.
    46
    47   MS. STEEL:   Sorry.
    48
    49   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I have got my pages in a different order.  Is
    50        that your second sheet? 
    51 
    52   MS. STEEL:   It is one entitled 'broiler chickens'. 
    53
    54   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   I just want to be in the same order as you,
    55        that is all.  So that is your second sheet?
    56
    57   MS. STEEL:   Yes.
    58
    59   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Yes.
    60