20 Monday February 21 2022 | the times
News
A dairy company that supplies milk to
Costa Coffee and British Airways has
suspended a farm after undercover
footage showed cows being kicked,
punched and hit with a shovel.
A cow is seen being hoisted into the
air by its hips at Madox Farm in
Carmarthenshire, southwest Wales,
and forced to walk on its front legs as
farm workers laughed.
The farmer told The Times that he
was appalled by the scenes shown on
the BBC’s Panorama, while emphasis-
ing that he had not been present and
that all the workers involved had left
the farm.
Animal Equality, the charity that
obtained the footage, said it also
revealed that the farm had left a cow to
suffer overnight despite a vet on site
advising that it would be better for the
animal to be put down.
Marc Abraham, a vet who was
awarded an OBE last year for services
to animal welfare, said the footage
showed “some of the most alarming
animal abuse and neglect that I have
encountered during my time as a
veterinary surgeon. There is no doubt
in my mind that these cows would have
suffered significantly and that their
prolonged pain was entirely avoidable.”
The family farm, which was bought
for £1 million in 2015, has 650 cows and
supplied its milk to Freshways, Britain’s
Dairy cows filmed
being hit with spade
Ben Webster Environment Editor
Dominic Kennedy
largest independent dairy processor,
which in turn sells to Costa, BA and
many supermarkets and restaurants.
Meredith Thomas, 41, the farmer,
denounced the conduct of his workers
in the film. His lawyers said: “Our client
is appalled by the scenes shown on BBC
Panorama. He was not present during
any of these incidents and gave no
encouragement to his workers to
behave in this way. He strives to safe-
guard, and support daily, the health and
welfare of his herd... and promote the
cattle’s health and welfare.
“Conduct of workers employed at his
farm recorded on the footage is con-
demned unreservedly by our client and
the only such worker remaining in our
client’s employment has already been
summarily dismissed.
“As broadcast, the farm was subject
to unannounced inspections last week
by Defra and the Food Standards
Agency, with ‘good’ and ‘generally sat-
isfactory’ findings and in compliance
with food welfare legislation.”
Freshways said it was shocked by the
footage and that the farm had been
“suspended for all collections” pending
a full investigation.
Red Tractor, the assurance scheme
that is supposed to give consumers a
guarantee that animals are well looked-
after, also has suspended the farm.
Advocates for Animals, a law firm,
has submitted a complaint on behalf of
Animal Equality to Carmarthenshire
council.A
large slide will be
installed at the
Tower of London
as part of a floral
display to mark
the Queen’s Platinum
Jubilee (Charlotte Wace
writes).
A moat around the tower
will be filled with 20 million
flowers to mark the Queen’s
70 years on the throne.
The Superbloom display,
to welcome visitors from
June, was conceived by
Historic Royal Palaces, the
charity that cares for the
historic castle.
It is hoped that the slide
will provide a “family-
friendly” dimension to the
initiative, letting visitors
slide down on a mat into the
flower meadow. The feature
was commissioned by the
National Trust for Cliveden
House, Berkshire, and
turned out to be the right
size for the moat.
The charity chose to
repurpose it, in keeping with
the project’s focus on
sustainability. Other
examples include growing
everything on site from seed
and using machinery
powered by bio-oil.
Planters will be placedalong the side of the slide.
Another entrance will be
installed for visitors who
prefer a more traditional
approach.
Tom O’Leary, director of
public engagement at
Historic Royal Palaces, said:
“We want to give visitors to
Superbloom the chance to
arrive in the flowers with a
sense of occasion and fun —
and what better way to do
that than entering the Tower
of London’s moat via a huge
slide? As well as creating a
unique way in — which we
hope will be a big hit with
families — we’re lucky
enough to have been able to
recycle an existing slide.”
In another initiative,
schoolchildren will be
invited to grow their displays
and learn about the ways
gardens can improve
sustainability.
The Superbloom event will
last from June to September
while the landscape created
to support it will remain in
the moat as a Jubilee legacy.
The charity plans to host
smaller floral displays to
mark the milestone
including at Hampton Court
Palace, Kensington Palace
and Hillsborough Castle.Jubiwheee! Tower’s
slide honours Queen