Compassion in World Farming (helping animals everywhere!)
Compassion in World Farming is a wonderful organisation for everyone to support, whether you are vegan, vegetarian or omnivore. Founded by a couple of concerned dairy farmers (the fallout from losing a case trying to stop a Catholic-run vegan farm in Sussex, which later closed down), it has gone on to become the UK’s stop charity for better welfare in the farming industry.
Read the story of Compassion in World Farming (written by a relative to the founders) and also about CIWF’s proposed six food labels, for consumers to be given better choice to know which foods to buy, if they eat animal foods.
This is a charity that not only has clout, but has instrumented tremendous success. Here are just a few things that this marvellous charity has helped to do:
- Banned the live export of farmed animals (after a campaign lasting 50 years). They never gave up.
- Carried out undercover investigations, leading to better welfare for farmed animals
- Campaigned for animals to be recognised as sentient beings (capable of feeling pain and suffering).
- A ban on battery cages for hens in the egg industry.
- A ban on veal crates.
- A ban on sow (mother pig) stalls across Europe.
- A ban on fur farming in the UK
There are lots more ongoing campaigns, which you can read about and support on the site. The charity has many high-profile supporters including:
- Dame Joanna Lumley (actress)
- Peter Egan (actor)
- Dame Penelope Keith (actress)
- Rose Elliot (veggie cookbook author)
- Chris Packham (wildlife presenter)
- Deborah Meaden (businesswoman)
- Dr Marc Abraham (vet)
- Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (chef)
- Virginia MacKenna OBE (wildlife campaigner)
- Pauline McLynn (‘Mrs Doyle’ in Father Ted!)
How to Support Compassion in World Farming
Obviously either eat plants, or free-range organic foods if you eat animal foods. Other ways to support CIWF include:
Buy organic cotton clothing (t-shirts and sweatshirts and plastic-free shopping totes), all with slogans promoting CIWF). Everything’s made with clean energy and sent in zero-waste packaging. The same shop also sells other eco staples like reusable water bottles, with profits helping the charity’s essential work.
List CIWF as your chosen charity at easyfundraising. Then whenever you buy a product or service from participating retailers, the company donates to the charity on your behalf, at no cost to you. It does not affect loyalty points.
Buy The Pocket Companion Guide to the Countryside, written by a supporter who gives profits to CIWF. This makes a lovely gift too. It lists many plants and animals, Joanna Lumley is a fan and recommends buying a copy!
If you play the National Lottery, switch to their Compassion Lottery, which costs £1 and has prizes from £5 to £10,000.
