News

Farrowing crates restrict the movement of sows and reduce their ability to carry out nest building and other normal behaviours. Animal welfare standards brought in by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor in 2018 were illegal and invalid because they circumvented earlier law changes designed to phase out the controversial practice of...

Both pigs and humans alike should rejoice over the High Court’s ruling on farrowing crates, writes University of Otago law lecturer Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere. If you know anything about pigs, it’ll likely be that despite their slovenly and biblically-dubious reputation, actually, they’re quite clever creatures. Read more

Two New Zealanders are believed to be onboard a ship missing during a typhoon off the coast of Japan. The ship, Gulf Livestock 1, carrying about 6000 cows left Napier on August 14, carrying 43 crew members. Stuff understands there are at least two New Zealanders on board and one...

A crew member plucked from the sea during a search for a missing livestock ship has confirmed it sank during rough weather, the Japan Coastguard says. The Filipino man was rescued after being spotted bobbing in the water. Earlier on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) said...

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor will not comment on the future of live animal shipments from New Zealand, as public calls grow for the exports to stop after the loss of a large animal carrier in a storm this week. New Zealand has suspended live cattle exports after a ship carrying...

A Government review into the live export trade will not be released before the election despite calls for it after the capsizing of a ship carrying thousands of cows and two New Zealanders, during a typhoon. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she would not pre-empt the outcome of that review...

A former ship’s vet has called for an end to the live export trade, saying it’s both inhumane and unnecessary. Lynn Simpson worked in the Australian live export trade for 10 years and undertook 57 long-haul voyages to destinations like Russia and the Middle East, taking care of vast numbers...

SAFE – Animal Rights Charity Animal rights group SAFE says the Government’s independent review into livestock exports is mere “stalling” and akin to doing nothing. On Friday, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) announced a review would be undertaken to look at the assurances it receives when it considers an...

environment The sinking of a live export cattle ship has thrust the debate about live exports into the limelight and transformed one farmer from exporter to critic A first-time exporter of live animals said he’s never selling his animals offshore again after the sinking of the Livestock Gulf 1. Read...

Learn More: SAFE – Animal Rights Charity Animal rights group SAFE says the apology of the country’s top dairy farmer was a missed opportunity to show the importance of animal welfare on farms. Nick Bertram, along with his wife Rose, was last week named Share Farmer of the Year in...

An Auckland man has been sentenced to 12 months home detention for selling millions of eggs from caged hens as free range. Xue (Frank) Chen sold eggs through his company Black Water Trading Limited, trading as Gold Chick, a producer and supplier of free range eggs from a farm in...

SAFE – Animal Rights Charity Animal rights group SAFE says the egg industry’s efforts to prevent producers misleading consumers over where eggs come from don’t go far enough. But the industry insists it’s “very difficult” for dishonest operators to get away with fraudulent activity. Read more

Green Party animal welfare policy would see an end to factory farming in New Zealand. A ban on factory farming will be included in the Green Party’s animal welfare policy to be announced on Saturday, MP Gareth Hughes says. Hughes, who is about to retire from politics, said he was...

SAFE – Animal Rights Charity The ship Dareen is scheduled to arrive in Napier on Friday, just days after another livestock carrier, Yangtze Harmony, collected a consignment of cows from Port Taranaki. But SAFE says the Government needs to reexamine the laws around live exports, particularly in the wake of...