Published 23/11/2010

Dozens of politicians have shown they back the campaign against industrialised dairy farming by signing an 'Early Day Motion' in the House of Commons. So far more than 70 MPs (and counting!) have put their names against the motion supporting Compassion and several other groups' campaign against the proposed mega-dairy in Nocton, Lincolnshire.

If it were to go ahead, the dairy would see thousands of cattle worked 24 hours a day, and kept almost exclusively indoors without access to pasture. Although the initial proposal is for 3,770 cows, the developers have said they still plan to expand to 8,000 cattle in time.

What is an 'Early Day Motion'?

An 'Early Day Motion' is a formal motion submitted for debate, and a good indication of the strength of feeling in parliament. However, there is no guarantee the motion will actually be debated. You can help by encouraging your local MP to add his or her signature.

What does it say?

The motion, number 942, states that the House:

• welcomes campaigns such as Not In My Cuppa and Cows Belong In Fields to oppose the establishment of intensive dairy units such as that proposed by Nocton Dairies Ltd in Lincolnshire.
• congratulates the unprecedented collaboration of groups such as the World Society for the Protection of Animals, Compassion in World Farming, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Friends of the Earth and the Soil Association to work together to oppose such proposals.
• believes such proposals threaten to take British dairy farming in the wrong direction.
• acknowledges the latest MORI poll which shows a majority of the British public do not want to drink factory milk from battery cows.
• calls on the Government urgently to review their welfare code for cows to ensure such industrial sized dairies are not approved in the absence of welfare regulations that take into account such an unprecedented change in the way cows are farmed in the UK.

YOU CAN HELP: We aim to demonstrate the extent of parliamentary support for strengthening existing legislation to ensure the highest welfare for our cows. Encourage your MP to sign and take a stand against factory farming: