Community - what we do
Supporting the farming community
We're committed to supporting the UK farming community to continue providing the good standards of food production and animal welfare practices we all expect. After all, the Co-operative is the country's biggest farmer. For more information on the contribution made by UK farming to society in terms of food production and managing the countryside visit www.cobritishfarming.org.uk
The UK has led the way in the welfare of pigs by banning the use of stalls and tethers since the beginning of 1999.
The rest of Europe have until 2005 to follow our lead. As a leading farmer, we believe the welfare of our animals is paramount.
We review the methods of farming for the pig meat sold in our stores and used in our products, sourcing from UK farms wherever possible. Indeed, most of our fresh meat & poultry is bought from suppliers, who working on our behalf, specially select UK farms, so that we can guarantee the best standards of animal rearing and welfare. We also banned the use of animal by-products in animal feed for fresh meat and poultry and the use of pig swill in animal feed, over five years before the government ban on this practise.
We've supported the introduction of the British Farm Standard which represents a partnership between everyone in the food industry - farmers, growers, processors and retailers - all working together to deliver food to a guaranteed standard.
All products which carry the mark are backed by farm assurance schemes where farmers and growers work to an agreed set of production standards. The Co-operative has actively supported food produced under these schemes for many years.
Importantly, independent monitoring ensures that all relevant standards are met and maintained.
You can find out more about the British Farm Standard and what it means for you, the consumer by contacting us or visiting www.britishfarmstandard.co.uk