Day 104 - 15 Mar 95 - Page 65


     
     1        questions asked this afternoon I have now rather more than
     2        two questions.
     3
     4   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Is there anyone who cannot sit on a little
     5        later if need be?
     6
     7   MR. RAMPTON:  I certainly can.
     8
     9   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  If you are in difficulty, I think having
    10        reached this stage, probably Ms. Steel can hold the fort
    11        unless she has to get off very promptly as well.  You will
    12        get your transcript in due course of anything you miss.
    13
    14   MR. MORRIS:  Believe it or not it is because my son's heater at
    15        school has broken down.  He is actually staying with
    16        relatives at the moment.
    17
    18   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  We will start again at 5 past 4.
    19
    20                       (Short Adjournment).
    21
    22   MR. MORRIS:  Have you ever looked into the potential for
    23        pesticide residues in chicken feed to be transferred into
    24        humans?
    25        A.  Yes, we have looked at that and we do have a testing
    26        programme which is part of our quality control programme
    27        for feed and also for a requirement for our suppliers.
    28
    29   Q.   What have you found in fact?
    30        A.  We have found no evidence of pesticide residues in feed
    31        ingredients.
    32
    33   Q.   So you mean the chicken feed that you get does not have
    34        pesticide residues in it?
    35        A.  That is correct.
    36
    37   Q.   You use barley wheat, soya and a number of other plant
    38        foods?
    39        A.  Yes.
    40
    41   Q.   And none of those are grown with pesticide?
    42        A.  Certainly agro-chemicals are used on those to grow
    43        those crops.  What we do not find is residues of them in
    44        the raw material that we use for our feed.
    45
    46   Q.   Are you saying they are below the acceptable levels or they
    47        just do not exist?
    48        A.  Well, we have found no evidence for them existing.
    49
    50   Q.   Would you accept that the process for a chicken being 
    51        caught put into crowded drawers, transported for a couple 
    52        of hours in those drawers, possibly left for three hours in 
    53        a yard in those drawers, then caught once more and hung
    54        upside-down by the legs before reaching the stunner as a
    55        process for a bird is cruel?
    56        A.  I do not accept that it is cruel.
    57
    58   Q.   On what grounds is it not cruel in your view then?
    59
    60   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I think it is difficult with a negative and

Prev Next Index