Environmental activists have held a ‘vomiting protest’ outside Moy Park in Craigavon to highlight the ‘killing of Lough Neagh’.
The event, which took place yesterday (Sunday), was organised by Slí Eile, a climate activist group, in conjunction with the Save Lough Neagh campaign, who have said more than 100 activists were involved.
It entailed activists simulating vomiting outside the company’s site.
The organisers have said the purpose of the protest, which was against the largest industrial agri-business in Northern Ireland, was to “highlight the major role of factory farming in ‘killing Lough Neagh’ and accelerating climate breakdown.”
In a post on Facebook today, the Save Lough Neagh group described Moy Park as the “quintessential example of how industrial agriculture is killing Lough Neagh”.
Credit: Save Lough Neagh
They continued: “Neoliberal capitalism has allowed this multinational corporation to enrich itself and its executives, sending profits abroad and leaving in its wake a ravaged ecosystem.”
The campaign also point to the ownership of Moy Park, JBS. The Brazilian agri-food giant is the largest meat processing enterprise in the world and has been accused of deforestation and human rights abuses.
Pointing to the reported turnover of Moy Park last year of £1.88bn, Save Lough Neagh added: “Their rampant mistreatment of both animals and factory workers is well known and largely unpunished. What do we, the public, have to show for all this suffering? A dead Lough.
“Government policy has incentivised this exploitative agricultural model for decades, through initiatives like Going For Growth backed by the 5 capitalist parties of Stormont, so it is concerning to campaigners that Andrew Muir’s recent 37-point action plan does not seek to overhaul the way we regulate these big agri-businesses.
“Corporations like Moy Park that treat our environment and our sacred spaces like a private sewer need to be held accountable, and campaigners will work tirelessly to ensure that our government doesn’t shirk its duty in doing so.”
A Moy Park spokesperson said: “Scientists have identified a number of drivers behind the algae blooms on Lough Neagh; it is a complex issue not specifically linked to any one sector. For its part, the poultry industry is highly regulated with strict limits set for waste water quality at all NI facilities. Moy Park undertakes regular review, testing and monitoring of all trade effluent discharges.
“We are continuing to work with the regulator on measures to further improve facility wastewater quality and lower the associated cost of trade effluent treatment, as well as to enhance nutrient management across our wider Northern Irish poultry supply chain.”
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