Good news! NH Foods Group announces gestation-crate free!

On 2021/11/11, we are able to deliver great news for pigs. NH Foods Group made an announcement as follows.

Promote initiatives that take animal welfare into consideration

• Elimination of gestation crates on all NH farms (pigs)
  To be eliminated from all domestic NH farms by the end of 2030*
• Installation of drinking water facilities in lairage pens at all NH meat processing plants (pigs and cattle)
  To be installed at all domestic bases by the end of 2023*
• Installation of cameras on all NH farms and meat processing plants to ensure environmental quality
  To be installed at all domestic bases by the end of 2023*

* For companies in which the NH Foods Group holds a majority stake

https://www.nipponham.co.jp/csr/nhgroup/materiality-list/

Gestation-crate free by 2030!

Up to now Animal Rights Center Japan has held many dialogues with NH Foods Ltd. They listened to our opinions and claims sincerely. After overcoming many internal adjustments and obstacles, two farms had already been gestation-crate free in February this year, and they had announced that all new farms will be gestation-crate free. However, they also expressed their desire to actively transition and set a deadline for the end of gestation crate breeding.

Subsequently, NH Foods set animal welfare as one of their important issues, and among the important issues in their medium- to long-term plan announced in May, animal welfare was included along with the environment and human rights. At the same time, they had set “Vision 2030”, and what NH Foods aspire to be in 2030 included the release of pigs from gestation crates.

Some may feel that the transition period of 9 years is long. However, many foreign companies are making the transition over similar periods. We at ARCJ sincerely welcome this NH Foods’ decision.

Drinking facilities complete by 2023!

86% of pig slaughterhouses in Japan do not have water drinking facilities. The response of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare was that a drinking facility should be installed when constructing or rebuilding new slaughterhouses, but improvement has been stalled since then. NH Foods Group has announced that it will complete the installation of drinking facilities by 2023, even if there’s no rebuilding.

CCTVs to be installed by 2023!

In the UK, France and Israel, CCTVs, or cameras, are being introduced in places where animals are handled, such as slaughterhouses. There is also evidence that the treatment of animals become more gentle just by installing cameras.

In previous discussions, we explained, “If human intervention is involved, abusive treatment will inevitably occur. Other countries have introduced surveillance cameras, etc. Without such backing, It’s not possible to claim that handling is gentle”, and advised on camera installation as a way to ensure proper handling. Nevertheless, we had thought that the decision to install cameras would still be a long way off.

This will be realized for the first time in Japan. This is also progressive within Asia. CCTVs may be used by Thai companies that export a lot overseas and when processing meat for Europe/US/Australia, but this time a Japanese company mainly for domestic consumption has announced that it will be realized.

This effort should greatly improve the welfare of many pigs and broiler chickens in Japan.

A big step towards world-class animal welfare

NH Foods’ decision was not only one that will undoubtedly reduce the suffering of animals, but also one that aims for an internationally accepted animal welfare. Such a change that is concrete and is undoubtedly to be reflected at the livestock farms is what animals need.

We hope that many food companies will continue to adopt the trends of animal welfare and envision a future that leads to concrete changes with us.