Day 113 - 03 Apr 95 - Page 08

     
     1        Council.  These were really invited comments from those of
     2        us who had been out in the field doing this sort of thing.
     3
     4   Q.   While we are on that subject of the Farm Animal Welfare
     5        Council, were you also invited to help them with research
     6        for one of their productions?
     7        A.  I did help with a video, made a big contribution to
     8        that, which dealt with matters particularly pertaining to
     9        markets and farm practices and transport of animals and
    10        slaughter.
    11
    12   Q.   So, have you been visiting farms and markets over the
    13        years?
    14        A.  Yes.
    15
    16   Q.   What, regularly?
    17        A.  Yes.
    18
    19   Q.   So would you say you have visited hundreds of farms?
    20        A.  Yes.
    21
    22   Q.   Hundreds of markets?
    23        A.  Yes.
    24
    25   Q.   Have you visited a considerable number of slaughterhouses?
    26        A.  Yes.
    27
    28   Q.   You are still doing that, are you?
    29        A.  Yes.
    30
    31   Q.   So you are up-to-date with present conditions?
    32        A.  Yes.  Obviously, for one person it is difficult to be
    33        everywhere.  I also take an interest in international
    34        treatment of animals because this pressure has intensified
    35        now with the European Union and all that goes on there.
    36
    37   Q.   Have you been an official researcher for the Vegetarian
    38        Society?
    39        A.  Yes.  I was the Honorary Research Adviser for that
    40        Society until two or three years ago.  They disbanded their
         research section -- we had some disagreements actually --
    42        and those of us, most of us, who were in the research
    43        section started another group to do the same job which was
    44        called VEGA, and that stands for Vegetarian Economy and
    45        Green Agriculture.
    46
    47        We also rather liked the acronym because VEGA is the name
    48        of a leading light for mariners, navigators, in the sky.
    49        So, we thought that would be a guiding light for us.
    50 
    51   Q.   Are you also involved with a research project, a specific 
    52        hands-on research project at the moment? 
    53        A.  A specific -- sorry, I did not catch that word?
    54
    55   Q.   Are you involved with a research farm?
    56        A.  Yes, it is really a sanctuary.  We have rescued 60 head
    57        of cattle and sheep.  We have also rescued a few poultry
    58        and some other animals, but they have been rescued from the
    59        dairy and beef industries, primarily from the dairy beef
    60        industry.  We have actually rescued two farmers too who