Farm industry groups and waste campaigners have clashed over a new campaign aimed at changing European law on feeding food waste to pigs.  

On Thursday 21st November, key players in the Pig Idea campaign organised a free meal in Trafalgar Square. Pigs raised at Stepney City Farm went to feed thousands of people gathered in Central London. The pigs had been fed on a diet of spent brewer's grains, whey, unsold fruit and vegetables and okara (a tofu byproduct) which would otherwise have been sent to landfill.

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Having gained the support of a number of high profile chefs, food waste campaigners are seeking to raise the profile of food waste and drive a re-examination of European law that prohibits the feeding of scraps to pigs. They suggest that, rather than increasing food production, which would in turn increase the burden on the natural environment, addressing food waste could lead to greater food security and reduce the cost of farming; author Tristram Stuart – who has backed the Pig Idea campaign – estimates that reclaiming 25 percent of the food wasted in the U.S. and Europe alone could end global malnutrition.

However, the veterinary industry body BVA and pig keepers' group the National Pig Association have both warned that the scheme could spread dangerous misconceptions about the safety of feeding leftovers to pigs. NPA has claimed that, by sending "confusing messages" about food waste to hobby pig keepers, the Pig Idea campaign could be increasing the risk of a serious disease outbreak.

An NPA spokesperson said the group has opposed the campaign because, if feeding pigs 'swill' from leftovers were reintroduced, a regulatory breakdown in one of the 28 EU member states could have serious ramifications for the entire industry.  

Supporters of the Pig Idea campaign maintain that, so long as waste is properly treated, feeding certain waste foods to pigs could massively reduce the environmental impact of the food industry and reduce the amount of edible grains fed to farm animals.

They argue that crops used to feed animals would be better used to feed hungry people and point out that countries including New Zealand, the United States and Japan all still feed food waste to pigs. Currently, 37 percent of the world's food harvest goes to farm animals, and only 11 percent comes back to humans in the form of meat and dairy products. The campaigners behind the Pig Idea believe there is scope to cut food waste and the proportion of edible foods going to feed livestock, preserving more for people.

The EU feed restrictions were brought in as a reaction to the Foot and Mouth outbreak in 2001. Under the restrictions, feeding raw or cooked waste to pigs – even vegetable waste – is illegal under European law. Fruit and vegetables direct from the garden or allotment are allowed, but feeding pigs waste from the kitchen is illegal under any circumstances, as food might have come into contact with contaminants such as raw or cooked meats. 

The Pig Idea was launched in June this year, and caused a stir amongst pig industry high-ups. Discussing the issue with Farming Online shortly after the campaign began, Emma Slawinski from Compassion in World Farming said, "It is of utmost importance that caution is taken and that the correct biosecurity arrangements are in place. Although we should obviously take all the necessary precautions, this caution shouldn't stand in the way of what is an excellent idea and a sustainable approach to farming."

At the time, NPA said it recognised that "feeding pigs properly-treated and rigorously-tested foods such as unsold bread and vegetables can deliver significant environmental benefits," but warned of the potential for confusion amongst some pig keepers. However, the Association appears to have taken a harder line in recent months.  

Last week, an NPA spokesperson said ahead of the event in Trafalgar Square that the Pig Idea campaign is a "superficially attractive concept, promoted by well-meaning people, but it is destined to fail because it is fundamentally unsafe."

The spokesperson continued, "The European Union will not be persuaded to lift its zero-tolerance ban on feeding swill to pigs. Even if it did, the idea could not work commercially, because the overwhelming majority of British pig farmers, refuse to contemplate feeding swill, because of the disease risk involved." NPA went so far as to state its opposition "to cannibalistic feeding on ethical and food safety grounds."

A Compassion in World Farming Spokesperson clarified on Monday that the Pig Idea campaign is not seeking a return to cannibalistic feeding practices. The spokesperson reiterated that biosecurity must take priority in feeding animals on waste.

On the other hand, NPA has backed moves to reintroduce Meat and Bone Meal (MBM), which, it claims, could alleviate Europe's 'protein deficit'. Reintroducing MBM, now called processed animal protein, has been discussed at the European level. The practice of feeding animals on waste from others of the same species was outlawed in 2001 after it was linked to the BSE crisis. EU health watchdog EFSA has suggested that 'intra-species' feeding for fish, poultry and pigs could be safe.  

NPA said on Wednesday that the British pig industry already uses 1.23m tonnes a year of co-product from the human food chain, which accounts for 43.9 percent of total pig feed produced.

British Veterinary Association President Robin Hargreaves also commented, "We appreciate the efforts of campaigners to encourage the pig industry to use legal waste products from the food production industry, such as hops and whey. We understand that the pigs featured at Thursday's event have been fed on garden and bakery waste. This is a safe and legal approach already widely adopted by many pig farmers.

"However, the legislation barring traditional swill feeding has been very effective in protecting the UK against further outbreaks of diseases such as Foot and Mouth, classical swine fever and African swine fever. While a return to swill feeding seems appealing on the surface, we remain concerned that checks could never be enforced effectively enough to ensure that no traces of meat, including pork products, were included in feed."