APL’s pledge to be upfront
PIGS being slaughtered, processed, trucked and farmed are the subject of a new “warts and all” website created by the pork industry.
Australian Pork Limited launched the site – aussiepigfarmers.com.au – to bring what it claims is greater transparency to the sector.
“We need to be upfront about what we do,” APL chief executive Andrew Spencer said.
APL wanted to create a “definitive resource for our industry” that was “real and truthful”.
The website includes footage of farmers explaining how the pigs are reared, and transporters loading the pigs into trucks.
In rare footage taken at an Australian abattoir, it shows how pigs are gassed with carbon dioxide before slaughter, described in the video “where the knife man sticks the pig”.
Mr Spencer described the website as more of a community campaign rather than a consumer push.
“I’m not sure it’ll make you want to run out and buy a pork chop,” he said.
“It’s for people who want to see it; it’s not for everyone.
“For the average person there wasn’t a lot of visual (resources) unless they went to an activist, vegan website and that’s a negative view that we wanted to balance out.”
Mr Spencer said he estimated the site cost “probably more than $100,000” to produce.
I’m not sure it’ll make you want to run out and buy a pork chop. It’s for people who want to see it... — Andrew Spencer