The NFU has welcomed plans announced by Defra Secretary of State Michael Gove for CCTV to be mandatory in all slaughterhouses in England.
“British farming is fully committed to high levels of animal welfare and the NFU expects this to continue once livestock leave the farm,” said NFU livestock board chairman, Charles Sercombe.
“The NFU welcomes mandatory CCTV monitoring in all UK abattoirs as maintaining public confidence of our great British product is incredibly important.”
RSPCA rules
The RSPCA, in addition to its earlier welcome for the proposal, has called for the following rules to apply to the new approach:
- cameras to be placed in all areas of the abattoir where key handling, stunning and slaughter/killing operations are being undertaken,
- footage to be kept for a period of at least three months,
- footage to be made available for independent monitoring to ensure effective enforcement is taking place.
Consultation on the proposals is now open and will run until September 21, 2017.