Compassion in World Farming

History

Peter Roberts and Anna Roberts were Hampshire dairy farmers, who founded Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) in 1967. After being turned down by other groups, they started their own organization. Peter Roberts retired in 1991. He was replaced as Chief Executive by Joyce D'Silva, who served until 2005 and now serves as ambassador.  Philip Lymbery, co-author of Farmageddon, is the current Chief Executive.

CIWF has offices in the UK, Italy, Netherlands, France, Poland, the United States, Brussels and China. Representatives are located in Czech Republic, Spain, Germany, South Africa, and Sweden. CIWF was responsible for the veal crate ban in the UK, as well as bans on narrow stalls and chains on pregnant sows. The European Union recognised animals as sentient beings as a result of their petition. In June 2023, Emma Silverthorn, the granddaughter of Anna and Peter Roberts, published a biography of the Roberts and a history of the charity titled Roaming Wild: The Founding of Compassion in World Farming.

Activism

Compassion in World Farming does not support violence or threats. It is not opposed to killing animals and consuming their meat, but advocates for humane treatment throughout their lives. Besides advocacy, it produces educational material for school children, It presents awards including the Good Egg, Good Chicken, and Good Pig. Its undercover investigations have revealed animal cruelty to hens, cattle, pigs, and sheep.

CIWF advocates free range systems, but accepts straw-bedded indoor systems for pigs. It has advocated a complete ban on fur farming in Ireland, which it describes as "one of the most serious animal welfare problems facing Ireland today". In 2002, it called for a global moratorium on all experimental or commercial cloning of farm animals. It opposes the practice of live export of farm animals for slaughter, instead advocating that the animals be slaughtered before transport. In support of this position, its supporters have demonstrated in London, Belfast, Ramsgate, and Dover. It has also campaigned to maintain a ban on the live transport of horses. It supports a ban on foie gras, calling this "an example of intensive farming at its worst".

Celebrity supporters have included Joanna Lumley, who spoke against long distance animal transport, and Paul McCartney, who advocated for reduced consumption of meat products. In 2010, Jo Brand, Bill Oddie, Zac Goldsmith, Marc Abraham, and William Roache endorsed CIWF's protest against factory farming of cattle by Nocton Dairies. Early supporters include Spike Milligan and Celia Hammond, who protested against battery cages.

In 2007, CIWF won the BBC Radio 4 Food and Farming Award for the best food campaigner/educator. In 2009, it won the Broadcast Digital Award for Best Use of Interactive for their Chicken Out! website. In 2011, it won a Third Sector Excellence Award for its annual review and The Observers Ethical Award for Campaigner of the Year.

References

References

1. "Our story". Compassion in World Farming.
2. D'Silva, Joyce. (2006-11-22). "Peter Roberts". [[The Guardian]].
3. (2006-12-08). "Last Word". [[BBC Radio 4]].
4. "Joyce D'Silva – Ambassador". live.ciwf.org.uk.
5. Siegle, Lucy. (2014-01-18). "Have vets really sold out to industrial agri-business?". [[The Observer]].
6. Halliday, Claire. (2006-07-03). "Compassion on the menu". [[The Age]].
7. (2006-12-04). "Peter Roberts". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
8. (2006-11-30). "Peter Roberts". [[The Economist]].
9. Penman, Danny. (1995-02-04). "Extremists vow to avenge their 'martyr'". [[The Independent]].
10. Kirby, Alex. (2003-05-09). "Animals 'are moral beings'". [[BBC News]].
11. Morrison, Ian. (1986-04-30). "Susie the cow tells 'tales' in the classroom". [[The Glasgow Herald]].
12. Hickman, Martin. (2010-07-15). "Waitrose named compassionate supermarket of the year". [[The Independent]].
13. (2013-07-06). "Organic dairy wins acclaim". [[The Northern Echo]].
14. Barford, Vanessa. (2012-10-18). "The bewildering labelling of pork". [[BBC News Magazine]].
15. (1998-11-23). "'Cruel' battery hen farming attacked". [[BBC News]].
16. (1998-04-16). "Spy video reveals Irish cattle cruelty". [[Irish Independent]].
17. (2009-01-06). "Pigs kept in 'shocking conditions'". [[BBC News]].
18. (2000-04-19). "Animal export 'video nasty'". [[BBC News]].
19. (2010-12-19). "Day of the battery cow upon us". [[Irish Independent]].
20. Sheehan, Aideen. (2004-12-04). "Protesters call for a complete ban on fur farming". [[Irish Independent]].
21. D'Silva, Joyce. (2002-01-04). "Head-to-head: Cloning". [[BBC News]].
22. (2002-03-25). "Protesters herded on to tube train". [[BBC News]].
23. (2012-09-29). "RSPCA's legal threat if Ipswich port resumes live animal exports". [[BBC News]].
24. (2002-03-07). "Protest against live exports". [[BBC News]].
25. (2013-09-12). "Kent sheep deaths anniversary marked". [[BBC News]].
26. (2013-11-07). "Live exports campaigners use Dover's white cliffs". [[BBC News]].
27. (2003-11-18). "Fight for horses goes to No 10". [[BBC News]].
28. Prince, Rose. (2012-04-03). "Is there too much fuss about foie gras?". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
29. (2012-01-05). "Joanna Lumley backs long distance animal transport ban". [[BBC News]].
30. (2009-11-29). "Sir Paul McCartney urges meat-free day to cut CO2". [[BBC News]].
31. (2010-10-18). "More famous faces join the fight against plans for Nocton super-dairy". [[Lincolnshire Echo]].
32. (2007-11-28). "Former restaurant chef's return to school leads to Radio 4 Food & Farming Award". [[BBC Radio 4]].
33. McMahon, Kate. (2009-06-19). "iPlayer guru honoured at Broadcast Digital Awards". [[Broadcast (magazine).
34. (2011-10-04). "Third Sector Excellence Awards 2011: Annual Report - Winner: Compassion in World Farming". ThirdSector.co.uk.
35. (2011-06-10). "Observer Ethical awards Winners 2011". [[The Observer]].