UK Industry Drive To End Calf Exports
UK - In a move hailed as a significant step, the farming sector is working with Compassion in World Farming, the RSPCA and retailers to find ways to boost the domestic market for calves, ending the need to export dairy bull calves.
13 April 2007
1 minute read
CIWF chief executive Philip Lymbery
The joint initiative comes after recent concerns over the future of the calf export trade.
A stakeholder group, which includes the National Farmers Union, Holstein UK, National Beef Association and Milk Development Council as well as all the major supermarket chains, has met twice and intends to publish a joint declaration on how the industry can end exports later this year.
The group, ‘Beyond Calf Exports’ is also discussing proposals to promote changes in dairy cow breeding to allow more calves to be reared for the beef market by UK farmers.
Animal welfare groups, CIWF and the RSPCA, had been pushing for cross-industry action ever since the resumption of calf exports in May 2006 after the 10-year beef export ban.
CIWF chief executive Philip Lymbery said he hoped the stakeholder group would find enough alternatives to eventually make the export market redundant.
“There is a genuine interest among everyone in finding mutually agreeable solutions to the twin problems of having to put down calves at birth and exporting them.
“We believe there must be a humane way to rear calves in the UK and export the carcase in a way that benefits farmers, retailers and the animals themselves,” said Mr Lymbery.
Source: Farmers Guardian
