Farming and animal welfare groups have reacted following reports of abuse on a Red Tractor certified farm in East Anglia. The abuses, including pigs being kicked, slapped and attacked with iron bars, were recorded by animal rights group Animal Equality on a Norfolk farm.

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The footage taken by Animal Equality has sparked an investigation by the RSPCA, after the video was sent to the animal welfare charity on Friday (10th February). An undercover reporter filmed abuses at the farm between July and September 2011. An RSPCA spokesperson said, "The footage is some of the most shocking we have ever received and we are taking this most seriously."

Footage shot by Animal Equality’s undercover reporter revealed evidence of killing animals by swinging them against concrete floors, beating animals with gate rods and other implements which left pigs with facial and bodily lacerations, piglets left dead or dying in pens and feed containers and routine teeth clipping of piglets between 24 and 48 hours after birth.Top of Form

Assured Standards, which operates the Red Tractor scheme, and in the past has been accused of misleading consumers into thinking the logo stands for higher-welfare certification, said the revelations will almost certainly result in an increased amount of unannounced inspections. Harling Farm, Norfolk, where the undercover filming took place, has been stricken from the Red tractor accredited list and the farmers may face prosecution.

David Clarke, the chief executive of Assured Food Standards which operates the Red Tractor scheme said he condemned the behaviour recorded on Harling farm. He continued, “We are reviewing our systems in light of the lessons learned here and will almost certainly revert to more unannounced inspections.”

Mr Clarke pointed out that pig farms operating under the Red Tractor scheme are inspected five times a year including a visit every three months by a professional veterinarian.

A spokesperson for Animal Equality, which suggests cruelty and suffering are prevalent in the farming industry, said the Harling investigation "marks the beginning of an intensive campaign [to expose] the true face of animal farming in Britain". She continued, "It provides a stark contrast to the pig industry's celebrity-endorsed 'Love Pork' marketing campaign. The shocking revelations of the investigation have been submitted to the relevant authorities."

Michael Brown, the farm’s manager, who said the RSPCA had investigated the farm and approved practices over the weekend, blamed a small number of employees, who he claimed had been “Dealt with.” He said, "We take animal welfare extremely seriously and place it at the heart of everything we do here."

However, despite the assurances of the industry, such cases appear to be receiving media attention with startling regularity. A new, all encompassing animal welfare strategy is being put forward by the European Commission which will focus on educating those who work with animals to promote welfare.

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