Saturday, August 18, 2012

Supermarket wants spies on farms




Coles supermarket chain in Australia says it wants video cameras in farms to assure customers that animals are getting humane treatment.

Tesco supermarket chain in the United Kingdom has cameras in lamb abattoirs to ensure they are adhering to food safety standards.

Australian Farm Institute director Mick Keogh said the Coles proposal lacked context, and appeared to be a cynical appeal to well-heeled consumers.

And he accused Coles of having a double standard, making no similar demands for cheaper frozen vegetables and processed foods imported from other countries.

"It's the sheer hypocrisy of it . . . They just keep on importing bacon from overseas and pretending it is Australian," said hog farmer John Bourke.