Farmers angry as vegan ‘don’t buy milk’ advert gets go-ahead
AN ANIMAL rights advertising campaign that claims drinking milk is inhumane has been approved by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA).
The move has been met with outrage by farmers, who say the advert wrongly suggests that dairy farmers have no regard for animal welfare.
The campaign, featuring a picture of a cow behind barbed wire with the headline: “Humane milk is a myth – don’t buy it”, was launched in February by Go Vegan World, an organisation set up in memory of a dead hen and run by an Irishwoman who runs a “farm sanctuary” for “non-humans”.
After the publication of the advert, which also appeared in The Sunday Telegraph, the ASA received seven complaints, many from those in the dairy industry, insisting it was inaccurate and misleading.
But the ASA has now rejected the complaints, ruling that people would realise the comments were the pressure group’s own opinions.
Michael Oakes, the NFU’S national dairy board chairman, said he was “angry” and “disappointed” with the ruling and felt let down by the ASA. He added that it came at a time during Brexit negotiations when the world was regularly hearing how Britain’s farming industry had impeccable animal welfare regulations.
Mr Oakes said: “I am a dairy farmer and what I do all day is look after animals who in turn look after me. Their well-being is my priority.”
The Daily Telegraph can reveal that the Go Vegan World group is a spin-off from an Irish animal rights group founded by Sandra Higgins, from County Meath, who was inspired to go vegan after she adopted two lambs.
She also started a “farm sanctuary” with 100 animals – or “residents” and “nonhumans”, as she calls them – in 2008. Initially, she campaigned in Ireland, but after receiving donations she expanded to other countries.
Last year her organisation, a not-for-profit company, launched expensive campaigns in Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Newcastle upon Tyne.
Ms Higgins says the pressure group’s goal is “the liberation of non-humans from human suppression and to support them in whatever way possible to regain their sovereignty.” She adds that she also aims to “let the animals be the spokespersons for their rights by their strong public presence”.
Ms Higgins dedicated Go Vegan World group to the memory of Matilda, a hen that she says she rescued from a “petting farm”.