Shropshire farmers reject call on cow welfare law

Farmers in Shropshire have dismissed campaigners' calls for Europe-wide legislation to protect the health and welfare of dairy cows.

They say there is no place for such laws because health and welfare standards in Shropshire are already 'high'. Joanna Lumley is backing an attempt to bring in EU-wide rules to safeguard dairy cows, which campaigners say are often kept without sufficient space and suffer a poor diet and ill health.

The Supporting Better Dairy campaign hopes to mobilise a million consumers through the European Citizens Initiative, which allows the public to propose EU legislation, to push officials to improve conditions.

But Jeremy Lowe, regional policy advisor for NFU West Midlands, said: "It is in the interests of Shropshire dairy farmers to maintain the already high health and welfare standards for their cows because healthy, happy cows are productive cows.

"The NFU can see no place for such legislation when so much can and is being done on a voluntary and targeted basis."

Benyon Brown, who farms near Ellesmere, said: "Dairy farmers are under a lot of pressure. We keep having our milk prices cut.

"We don't need legislation for welfare, we need legislation for milk prices."

Campaigners say with dairy farms becoming increasingly intensive across Europe, there are concerns that standards will not improve on their own.

They claim an EU directive would ensure a level playing field for farmers across Europe so that areas with good conditions such as the UK are not undercut by low-welfare imports.

Ms Lumley, patron of Compassion in World Farming, said: "We are asking that these creatures can follow their natural behaviour by grazing on grass. Cows should be walking on soil, not standing on concrete, and they should be able to run in the open air.

"With this campaign we are asking for an even break for cows."