Australian Pork Limited backs pig gassing as “most humane and effective method”

Australian Pork Limited says gas stunning is the global best practice when it comes to the humane killing of pigs.

Farm Transparency Project animal activist Chris Delforce sits inside a gondola used to lower pigs into gas.

Australian Pork Limited has backed CO2 gas stunning as “the most humane and effective method of managing pig welfare during processing”, despite animal activists’ releasing disturbing footage of animals writhing in agony inside Victorian abattoirs’ killing chambers.

“APL’s position is consistent – we care about our pigs, and as an industry we share the community’s concern for the welfare of our animals,” the industry’s peak body said in a statement released this morning.

The footage taken by Farm Transparency Project director Chris Delforce, who hid himself above the gas chamber at one plant and installed hidden cameras at others, gained nationwide media coverage and led to PrimeSafe Victoria launching investigations into two of the abattoirs – the Australian Food Group at Laverton and Sinclairs at Benalla.

AFG has since closed down its killing floor, while PrimeSafe is investigating pig handling using electronic prodders at Sinclairs abattoir.

APL stated it did “not condone any behaviour that shows animal cruelty in poor handling or through the incorrect use of infrastructure.

“We fully support the regulators in investigating any individual or business that has done the wrong thing.

“The majority of Australian abattoirs that process pork have moved to invest in improved infrastructure and implement best practice like group wide stunning.”

AFG’s decision to close its killing floor and gas chamber, with the loss of 16 jobs, follows

PrimeSafe telling the company it was considering varying its licence to require the installation of CCTV in and near the carbon dioxide gas chambers, so it could monitor the process safely and check that not too many pigs were being gassed at once.

AFG executive chairman Darren Vincent failed to respond to calls and texts on the matter, but Stephen Sutton, who claims to work at the plant, contacted The Weekly Times stating the company “closed the slaughter floor permanently on Monday”.

“Please convey my thanks to the activists and PrimeSafe for putting me and 15 of my work colleagues out of a good job. Well done.”

PrimeSafe’s directive did not apply to other abattoirs and AFG had until early next month to lodge submissions with PrimeSafe regarding any concerns it has on the impacts on its plant or workers of installing CCTV with audio.

However the Australian Meat Industry Council has stated that while it supports the voluntary installation of CCTV at individual plants, it opposes them being mandatory.

In a statement, AMIC also said “CO2 stunning of pigs is considered best practice throughout the world, including in the EU, US, UK and Australia.

“CO2 stunning balances best animal welfare outcomes and the practical realities when

processing pigs.”

AFG was not a key supplier to Woolworths, but a spokesman for the retail giant said the footage of apparent poor animal welfare management was “clearly unacceptable and does not meet our expectations, and those of the wider community.

“We await the findings of the regulator’s (PrimeSafe’s) investigations and note that AFG is no longer operating as an abattoir.

“We expect our suppliers to not only meet industry standards on animal welfare, but to act above and beyond them, and we will be conducting additional due diligence to ensure pork abattoirs in our supply chain are delivering the best possible animal welfare outcomes.”

PrimeSafe is also investigating Colin Sinclair’s abattoir at Benalla, which has also been subject to animal activist incursions.

At this stage PrimeSafe is focused on how workers are handling pigs with prodders, not the use of gas.

Mr Sinclair did not want to discuss the issue with The Weekly Times, but his works are about to be targeted again by FTP activists on Mother’s Day, May 14.

TFP’s Facebook page states it will be holding a vigil 300 metres from the boundary of the slaughterhouse at 10am on Mother’s Day to “grieve the millions of mother pigs and piglets that are killed at Benalla”.