Large-Scale Cruelty Given the Go-Ahead in Powys

We have some sad news to report: plans to build a massive dairy farm in Wales that would inflict misery on 1,000 cows at a time have just been approved by a government minister.

Back in 2010, farmer Fraser Jones submitted an application to dramatically expand his dairy farm in the village of Welshpool, Powys. The application was vehemently opposed by local residents, groups such as the National Trust for Wales and thousands of PETA supporters, including actor Owain Yeoman. It was rejected by Powys County Council, and after a public inquiry, the planning inspector strongly recommended that it be refused.

Yet, outrageously, despite this clear opposition from every quarter, Welsh Assembly Planning Minister Carl Sargeant has approved the application, putting profit above animal welfare, human rights concerns, environmental issues and the health of the children at the primary school next to the farm.

This decision will put Powys on the map for all the wrong reasons. It is a blow to the democratic planning process in Wales as well as a grim life sentence for the thousands of cows who will be imprisoned on the new factory farm.

All compassionate people need to oppose the trend towards US-style “super-dairies” in this country. Cows in average-sized dairy herds of 120 already suffer extreme pain and discomfort, as they are kept in a constant cycle of pregnancy, separated from their babies, and forced to produce unnaturally high yields of milk until their bodies become exhausted. Scaling up the size of dairy farms means scaling up the suffering for these animals and will inevitably lead to a rise in the incidence of infection and disease.

The harmful impact of the dairy industry is also apparent in the government’s cruel and misguided badger cull, which has come about as a result of pressure from the people who intensively raise cattle for profit. As a result, British wildlife is being needlessly massacred, while cows continue to suffer on intensive farms up and down the country.

The dairy industry is unscrupulous in its exploitation of animals for profit. Whilst PETA and all of the groups opposed to this horrific development in Powys consider our next move, there is one simple action you can take immediatelyagainst the cruelty: cut milk and dairy products out of your diet. Swap your semi-skimmed cows’ milk for delicious soya, almond, rice or oat milk – it’s good for your health and even better for animals.

Please also take action against a proposal to build a large-scale pig “prison” in Foston, Derbyshire, which would incarcerate up to 25,000 animals at a time in horrifically cruel conditions:

Dairy Farm Image: Jo-Anne McArthur / WeAnimals.org