Day 102 - 13 Mar 95 - Page 62


     
     1        come and see our operation and we know from their published
     2        material and so on that they do not have objective unbiased
     3        views.
     4
     5   Q.   So as far as you are concerned, your animal welfare
     6        considerations only start with the acceptance of the
     7        factory farming system, is that correct?
     8        A.  You can define a factory farming system in whatever way
     9        you wish.   I think we have had enough experts through our
    10        doors and enough independent people through our doors,
    11        including the Ministry and veterinary experts and everybody
    12        else, that enough independent people have seen our
    13        operation to know that we are genuinely concerned to do a
    14        job which is as considerate to animal welfare taking into
    15        account all the other requirements of the business.  I do
    16        not see any necessity to have anybody else through whose
    17        views are already well-known to us before they come.  That
    18        does not just apply to her.
    19
    20   MS. STEEL:   Do you consider then that anybody who is opposed to
    21        the broiler system is not objective?
    22        A.  I think there are certainly -- I mean everybody is
    23        entitled to their own views.  If you are opposed to a
    24        particular system then you are welcome to hold those
    25        views.  It is a bit like religion; you may hold your own
    26        views, you may have great convictions about your views, but
    27        you do not have to force everybody else to have the same
    28        views.
    29
    30   Q.   Is the reason you do not think that Mrs. Druce is not
    31        objective because she is opposed to the broiler system?
    32        A.  Well, I know her views from what I have read and
    33        heard.  The fact of her obvious knowledge of this
    34        demonstration against our organisation, I am afraid, meant
    35        that I had to take that decision.  As far as I am
    36        concerned, that was final.
    37
    38   Q.   You said that she is not objective.  Is the reason for that
    39        because she is opposed to the broiler system?
    40        A.  I have given you a reason for her refusing access to
    41        our factory.  That was the question I was asked.
    42
    43   Q.   You also said about people not being objective?
    44        A.  That was a general comment before I was asked the
    45        specific question about her visit in particular.
    46
    47   Q.   So you do not think that being not objective applies to
    48        Mrs. Druce then?
    49        A.  I am not saying that.  I am saying the reason for
    50        exclusion was for another reason. 
    51 
    52   Q.   The demonstration that you talked about and the turkeys 
    53        being held up, you said they were videoed?
    54        A.  Yes.
    55
    56   Q.   That was shown on television, was it not?
    57        A.  It was.
    58
    59   Q.   That was actually what Mrs. Druce talked to you about, the
    60        pictures she had seen on television?

Prev Next Index