16/01/21: Farmed Fish Slaughter; Mental Health; Rural Services

Farming Today

• Episode: 16/01/21: Farmed Fish Slaughter; Mental Health; Rural Services
• Website: Farming Today
• Feed URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qj8q/episodes/downloads.rss
• Duration: 00:13:43
• Published: 2021-02-16 07:00

There are calls for new regulations to protect the welfare of farmed fish during slaughter, following secret filming by an animal rights organisation. Two supermarkets have suspended buying fish from the Scottish Salmon Company after a video from Animal Equality UK appeared to show workers hitting fish with clubs and struggling to control fish that had not been stunned effectively. An open letter signed by 70 animal welfare campaigners and experts says tougher rules are needed now to protect the welfare of fish at slaughter. A spokesperson from The Scottish Salmon Company says it take this matter extremely seriously and is investigating the incident, which it described as "historic". It says "This activity does not align with our stringent welfare code of practice, and does not in any way represent the operations of the company. Our harvest processing sites are subject to strict, regular audits from third party accreditation providers which ensure we meet globally-leading animal welfare standards.” This week is "Mind Your Head Week", a campaign led by the Farm Safety Foundation, aimed at opening up a wider discussion about mental health and farming. We speak to 23-year-old farmer Kelsey-Ann Williamson who lost her partner to suicide in 2019, and also find out how university researchers from Reading and Exeter hope a new project will better inform the government as to how farmers and people living rurally can be supported. Plus as part of our week assessing Rural Services and how they are coping during the pandemic, we hear from a group in the Wiltshire village of Minety who have opened their own community shop to serve local people. Presented by Anna Hill Produced by Natalie Donovan