Madam,- The current pig/dioxin crisis is a one-off: that is what the consumers are being told.
However, the industrialised production of pigs is, by its very nature, susceptible to problems on a mass scale.
When you confine such huge numbers of animals in such a claustrophobic, unnatural environment (the broiler chicken industry is another case in point), when margins are tight and competition from the Far East (where welfare standards are even worse than our own) threatens to overrun the domestic industry, when profit trumps welfare every time - the possibilities of disaster are everywhere.
After many years of campaigning for the rights of animals, I have come to the conclusion that campaigning and lobbying, while necessary and sometimes surprisingly effective, will not bring about change on a meaningful scale.
Ultimately, it will be the industry that will shoot itself in the foot.
And with this recent extravagant disaster, we are presented with one more example of that. - Yours, etc,
GERRY BOLAND,
Animals in Crisis,
Keadue,
Co Roscommon.
Madam, - We are told (December 8th) that recalled meat would go to rendering plants for conversion into bonemeal, which would then be destroyed.
Will the meat first be removed from its plastic packaging?
Otherwise, further dioxin-like products may be formed during the rendering process.
Also, how will the bonemeal be destroyed? - Yours, etc,
Dr B O'REGAN,
Institute of Technology,
Kilkenny Rd.
Carlow.