There’s less than four weeks to go until Farm Animal Week. 

This is our annual awareness-raising week when we encourage as many shoppers as possible to choose higher welfare products like Freedom Food.

This year the week begins on Monday 15 July 2013 and there will be lots of ways you can get involved.

You can buy selected Freedom Food products in Sainsbury’s to raise money for the RSPCA, enter our Fab Farm Animals photo contest, and encourage others to switch to at least one higher welfare product such as Freedom Food (and buy one yourself!).

Check out our Farm Animal Week page for more on what’s planned; we’ll be announcing the latest news and activities in coming weeks.

If you don’t already follow us on Facebook or Twitter, now is the time to join the Freedom Food online community as there will be lots of fun content to enjoy and share as well as farm animal welfare news, views and the chance to quiz one of the RSPCA’s farm animal experts! 

For other ways to support Freedom Food and farm animal welfare, check out our new get involved pages.  

Watch this space…..!

Try our recipe for Freedom Food bacon and broadbean risotto which is full of flavour but light enough for a warm and sunny day.

Alternatively lamb with pak choi gives your Freedom Food lamb a new twist without losing any of the meat’s flavour.

Or for a lighter bite, there’s Liz McClarnon’s chicken and guacamole salad which makes a lovely picnic dish or a change to the usual sandwich in your packed lunch.

You can find out where to buy Freedom Food labelled products in your area by searching by your postcode. 

If you’d like to find out more about how you can support Freedom Food and help farm animal welfare, check out our new get involved pages.  

Our Fab Farm Animals competition is a celebration of what makes farm animals so special and we hope it will help re-connect people with where their food comes from and the importance of good welfare for farm animals. 

All kinds of photos can be submitted from quirky cows to dabbling ducks, the serious to the humorous, and close ups or landscapes.

Contest organiser Liam Kurzeja said:

“It doesn’t matter whether you have an iPhone, a compact camera or the latest SLR, any kind of camera can be used.  We just want people – whether they are young, old, mums, dads or even farmers - to get out there and start capturing the amazing lives of farm animals on camera.

 

“We hope that this fun way of getting people to engage with farm animals will help increase awareness of how important it is that they are cared for properly, and how choosing higher welfare food - such as Freedom Food - can directly help improve their lives.”

The photos will be put to the public vote and the 10 most popular snaps will be submitted to a judging panel who will announce their overall favourite on 25 July.  The lucky winner will receive a digital SLR camera (Canon EOS 1100D) with accessories.

Taking part is easy:

• —Friday 7 June - 5 July the contest opens for entries and you can upload your photos
• —From 8 July anyone can visit the site to vote for their favourite picture
• —Sunday 21 July - voting closes
• 23 July -  top 10 finalists are announced and put forward to a judging panel
• 25 July - winner announced

Freedom Food’s annual awareness raising week, Farm Animal Week, kicks off on Monday 15 July and there will be a drive to get people voting for their favourite fab farm animal photo during the week.

The annual event, organised by Leaf, is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to meet the people who grow their food and discover first-hand what it means to be a farmer.

Of course it’s also a chance to see a Freedom Food-approved farm in action and find out more about what’s involved in meeting the RSPCA’s animal welfare standards.

Activities will vary from farm to farm, but may include a farm walk, nature trail, tractor and trailer rides, a mini farmers’ market or picnics.

Here are the Freedom Food-approved farms taking part in Open Farm Sunday.* Take a look and see if there’s one near you!

*information correct as of 29.5.13 and is subject to change. For the latest information about these events, please check the Open Farm Sunday website or check with the venue before travelling.

● Arlington Court

Arlington

Barnstaple

Devon

EX31 4LP

11am to 4pm

Meet sheep and cattle, learn about livestock, fun crafts, demonstrations.

Normal admission charges apply, free entry for National Trust members.

● Betty’s Farm 

Castleway

Willington

Derbyshire

DE65 6BW

Visit the chickens from 10am to 4pm, see how eggs are collected between 10am and 12pm, take a tractor ride and walk the nature trail.

● Bragg Agricultural Services

Frogmary Green Farm

West Street

South Petherton

Somerset

TA13 5DJ

Meet the animals, craft area for children, quiz for all the family, tractors and farm machinery, guided farm walk.

● Cambridge Road Farm

Wimpole Home Farm 

Arrington

Wimpole

Cambridge

SG8 0BW

Static machinery display, hosted farm tour, self-guided walks.

● Cavick House Farm

Cavick Road

Wymondham

Norfolk

NR18 9PJ

2pm to 5pm

Bottle feed the lambs, meet the animals, farm machinery, farm walk.

● FS Dann and Son Ltd

Pound Farm

Pound Lane

North Tuddenham

Dereham

Norfolk

NR20 3DA

Freedom Food-approved laying hens

11am to 4pm.

Meet the animals, tractor and trailer rides, machinery display, hosted farm tour.

● Grove Farm

Kimbolton

Nr Leominster

Herefordshire

HR6 0HE 

2pm to 4.30pm.

Meet the animals, hosted farm tour, static machinery display, learn about cider apples and how they’re harvested.

● Maundrils Farm

West Huntspill

Highbridge

Somerset

TA9 3QS

2pm to 6pm

Guided farm walk, watch the cows being milked, static tractor display, ask the vet and ask the farmer sessions, clay modelling using clay dug from the farm.

● Middlebere and Hartland Farms

Norden

Dorset

BH20 5DX

11am to 4pm

Talks by the farmers, displays of farm machinery and tools, see grazing cattle, meet ponies and sheep, tractor-trailer rides.

● North Netherscales Farm

North Netherscales

Hutton End

Penrith

Cumbria

CA11 9TU

10am to 4pm

Meet the animals, farm walks and trailer tours, static machinery display, watch sheep shearing.

● Sapling Home Farm

Ullard Hall Lane

Lower Peover

Knutsford

Cheshire

WA16 9GE

10am to 4pm

Egg packing, see the hen shed and range area, learn about the welfare of hens, nature walk for children.

● Sibberings Farm 

Sibberings Barn

Half Acre Lane

Blackrod

Bolton

BL6 5LR

11am to 4pm

Tour of chicken shed, tractor-trailer ride, see the machinery, see an egg grading machine in action.

● Weighton Wold Farm

Market Weighton

York

East Yorkshire

YO43 4NE

Meet the animals, tractor and trailer rides, static machinery display, self-guided walks.

You can bring out their creative side and keep them entertained, too!

Children will love helping you make these very simple sausage and apple rolls which make a fantastic lunch or savoury snack on a rainy day. Our recipe includes ready-made puff pastry, which is easy to use and will fascinate the kids as they watch it ‘grow’ in the oven.

If you find you’re enjoying cooking together, then why not ask the children to help you with this easy-peasy turkey and sweet pasta recipe? If this pasta dish includes more adventurous flavours than your little ones are used to, they might be tempted to try something new if they’ve helped prepare it.

If the children (and adults!) fancy something sweet, these lemon curd-filled butterfly cakes are fun and easy to make – and best of all, the cost of the ingredients won’t break the bank. You may find they’re eaten rather quickly!

All the recipes include Freedom Food-labelled ingredients. To find out where you can buy Freedom Food products, check out our Where to Buy guide.

It was also a fantastic opportunity to meet some special guests from Dubai who were also there to see higher welfare farming systems in action and learn about the Freedom Food scheme.

They were Mohammed Yousif Al Shaikh Al Hammadi, head of the Dubai Municipality’s veterinary control and treatment unit, and head vet for commercial farms Mohammed Hassan Mohd Ahmad, who are responsible for both small free range and organic and large commercial farms.

Guests of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), they were being shown around the farm as they wanted to see various higher welfare systems in the UK, find out more about the Freedom Food scheme, and take back information and ideas that could be put into practice in the United Arab Emirates.

It was fascinating to meet them and hear about the various issues they face in farming – including the very different climate! The green rolling hills, wild flowers and woodland of the Ruckmans estate must have been quite a contrast to the farms of the United Arab Emirates.

The farm is home to 250 sheep and 300 pedigree Hereford cattle which are all raised to strict welfare standards under the RSPCA’s Freedom Food scheme. The Hereford is one of the UK’s oldest native breeds, originating from the county of Herefordshire in the mid 1700s. Finished on grassland, Herefords produce a ‘marbled’ beef which is known for its quality and distinctive flavour.

As we drove down the long, winding driveway towards the 500-acre farm, I was stunned by how beautiful it was – even on a slightly chilly, breezy May day.

We went to see the cows first, which were still indoors due to the wet weather and lack of grazing in the fields. This means extra work and higher feed and bedding costs for farmer Harry Hewlett, who has been running the farm – with the help of wife Cindy and daughter Aimee – for more than 20 years.   

But it’s all part of being a farmer, and it’s clear how proud the family are of these wonderful animals which produce the finest quality beef and lamb.

Harry said: “If our animals are happy, then we are happy and we can produce good quality meat. This means giving our animals the best care we possibly can by farming them to the high welfare standards set by the RSPCA.

“There’s no doubt about it, looking after my animals to the highest standards I can help attract customers both locally and further afield. It gives customers that added reassurance that the product they are buying is not only good quality, but has come from an animal that has been properly cared for.”

Harry was hoping to get the cattle out in the field as soon as there was enough grass for them to eat as it’s better for their welfare – and he said it’s clear they enjoy being on grass as they run, jump and roll over when they first enter the field.

We moved on to take a look at the sheep field where Harry’s Suffolk cross Scotch mule sheep were happily grazing under the trees. There was a cool breeze blowing across the field, so lots of the lambs were lying close to their mothers, but some of the more adventurous ones were busy exploring.

Harry told us that ewes carrying just one lamb are fed less than those with multiple lambs. Otherwise, the single lamb would grow too big and the ewe would be more likely to require a caesarean, something that is not allowed to be done routinely under the Freedom Food scheme.

I was impressed by how proud Harry, Cindy and Aimee were of their animals – their quality, the way they’re cared for and the taste of the meat they produce – and the time and effort that goes into achieving these high standards.

It’s clear that they all get a great sense of job satisfaction from knowing they are doing the best they can for their cattle and sheep and are proud to be part of the Freedom Food scheme.

Helen Coen, Digital marketing manager, Freedom Food

So, if you’re planning to do a bit of alfresco dining - even if that does mean wrapping up in a blanket - then we have some great menu suggestions for you.

As the asparagus season is almost upon us, try Moro’s asparagus with pine nuts, egg and herb sauce.

Mark Hix’s barbecue beef ribs lend an American twist to British ingredients.  Delicious with a green salad.

Nick Nairn’s teriyake salmon is light, summery and very simple to do.

Or tuck into Paul Merret’s lamb koftas.  Served with tzasiki and grilled aubergine, this will not only satisfy your taste buds, but will get you in the holiday mood.  It’s nearly summer after all!

And for an extra-special sweet treat, why not try Thomasina Miers’ Mexican flan with tequila syrup? This pudding goes extremely well with tart, poached fruit such as rhubarb. Divine!

These latest figures come after news that McDonald's has become the first high street restaurant chain to use 100% Freedom Food pork across its UK menu, making it the second largest buyer of Freedom Food pork products. 

The increase in Freedom Food labelled pork is mirrored by an upsurge in the number of pigs under the scheme - there are now almost 1 million* more pigs reared to the RSPCA's welfare standards under the scheme than in 2009 - an increase of almost 50%.

"This means that nearly a third of all British farmed pigs are now being reared under Freedom Food where they benefit from the RSPCA's higher welfare standards which is great progress." commented David Squair, chief executive for Freedom Food.  

"This news reinforces the fact that people really do have the power to bring about positive changes to farm animals' lives through what they buy at the supermarket and choose to eat in restaurants. "

It also shows that animal welfare is firmly on the mind of the consumer despite difficult economic times.  A fact supported by new research released by McDonald's last week.  They revealed that three quarters of people say they prefer to buy food from farms with high standards of animal welfare, ranking welfare second only to price as the top factors behind their food buying decisions.  

According to The Co-operative's latest annual report, Ethical Consumerism (December 2012), ethical food sales continue to grow, with a rise of 4.66% in 2011.   Freedom Food labelled products are one of the biggest winners, showing growth in 2010/2011 of 17.32%

* Around 948,000 more pigs are reared on the scheme now compared to 2009- figures correct as of March 2013

Pork sales figures are based on licence fee income for the use of the Freedom Food logo

We are delighted that McDonald’s have today announced a switch to 100% British Freedom Food labelled pork  - across its entire UK menu.  The move means that all sausage and bacon, used in the popular breakfast McMuffins through to the bacon in premium salads and promotional burgers, will be from Freedom Food approved farms.

The Freedom Food market has been growing for a number of years, but having one of the UK’s biggest restaurant chains serving only Freedom Food logoed pork is a first and it marks a major milestone for farm animal welfare. 

It is also an impressive achievement by McDonald’s.  They have shown that it is possible to bring higher welfare food to the everyday consumer at an affordable price and on a national scale.  We hope this will encourage other restaurants and restaurant chains to follow McDonald’s lead and inspire more farmers to adopt the RSPCA’s welfare standards, allowing more animals to benefit from better lives.

With this move McDonald’s becomes the UK’s second biggest buyer of Freedom Food pork.  The investment is part of McDonald’s commitment to align the quality and sourcing of ingredients with consumers’ changing preferences and expectations.  A recent survey showed that nearly ¾ of UK adults prefer to buy food that is produced from farms with high standards of animal welfare in place.  Second only to price, respondents ranked high welfare standards as more important than traceability, British sourcing and organic credentials when deciding what food to eat.  

This is a great step forward for animal welfare, if you would like to say thank you to McDonald's for making this move to 100% Freedom Food labelled pork, and helping to improve the lives of farm animals, click here

What's different about Freedom Food labelled pork?

Find out more about what pigs need at www.freedomfood.co.uk/thinkpig and try our interactive tool

Lamb and turkey are frequent mainstays of a family Easter Sunday.  Our roast turkey recipe is simple and very tasty - making it a great way to make the most of a high welfare (Freedom Food labelled) turkey.  You can buy Freedom Food labelled turkeys from Traditional Norfolk Poultry at Sainsbury's this Easter.  

Bill Cove's recipe for rosemary scented lamb is something a little different to a traditional roast, yet perfect for the time of year. 

And for dessert?  Make life easy and whizz up something the night before - the crunchy cinnamon mousse (from the Opus restaurant in Birmingham) would be perfect.  Or make The Feather's baked Northumbrian Creams.  Both  are top-notch and a welcome antidote to a chocolate fuelled few days.

Good Friday is traditionally the time for fish, so here's a couple of delicious - if slightly different - salmon recipes for you to try.  Try Matthew Brooks of Bristol's Bordeaux Quay restaurant's semi-cured salmon with beetroot: a super winter recipe - quite appropriate given the arctic conditions we are experiencing. Or, if you want to inject some sense of warmer days to come, you could try Aldo Zilli's blackened salmon with caponata.  

And finally, getting back to those chocolate eggs.....Sophie Wright's lovely chocolate coconut cupcakes are just the ticket.   

Breakfast: Eggs benedict or smoked salmon and scambled eggs make a perfect treat for mother's day.  

Cakes: Simple, yet delicious, whizz up a batch of these lemon butterfly cakes  or these yummy chocolate and pistachio brownies. Both are ideal for children to make (with a little help!)

Lunch: Roast chicken is a frequent favourite, and Skye Gyngell's recipe is a knock out.  Follow it with another classic - Simon Rimmer's very naughty baked Alaska (it is the day for treats after all!). 

Dinner: Brian Turner's recipe for rib of rose veal with honey and soy glaze is not only delicious but actually quite simple. Follow it with Lemon Posset with lavender shortbread

All recipes are from the Freedom Food Celebrity Recipe Collectioin 2011

The menu: 

Start with a delicious warm salad of asparagus with pine nuts, egg and herb sauce, courtesy of the brilliant Sam and Sam Clarke of Moro in London.  The sauce can be made in advance and kept in the fridge so all you have to do is quickly pan fry the asparagus.  Just halve the recipe ingredients for two people.

For main course try Bradan Rost salmon with whisky and mushroom sauce, courtesy of Loch Fyne restaurants. With a side salad ready prepared and some bread or potato salad on the side all you need to do is griddle the salmon and fry some mushrooms adding whisky and cream for a delicious sauce.  Again, just halve the recipe ingredients for two people. 

Our suggestion for dessert is Burnt Northumbrian cream, from the lovely Rhian Cradock at The Feathers Inn, Northumberland.  These are delicious, but do get prepared the night before (or lunch time if you happen to work from home) as the custards, while simple, need time to infuse and time to chill.  But they are super quick and easy to serve - just dust with demerara sugar, pop under the grill and hey presto a devine dessert is ready for you.

Here's what to do:

Firstly, if you aren't normally in charge of the kitchen, make sure you have (or know where to find) a couple of frying pans and a griddle pan, and for the dessert some ramekins or shallow dishes.  Then check your cupboards and go shopping for the remaining ingredients! 

The night before - or lunchtime if you are at home - make the Burnt Northumbrian cream.  

Halve the ingredients in Rhian's recipe so you make 4-5 desserts (depending on the size of the ramekins or dishes you are using).  It is awful if you drop one of the custards before serving (it has been known!) and a huge relief to have a spare!  Plus they are so delicious you will probably be quite happy to tuck into another one the following day.  Keep the desserts in the fridge until you are ready to pop them under the grill to serve.

Early evening - at some point in the afternoon or early evening get ahead by making a hard boiled egg and then making the pine nut, egg and herb sauce to go with the asparagus.  It won't take you long, but it is nice to have it all ready.  And if you are having it, make sure you get your champagne or sparkling wine in the fridge! Then get your salad and potatoes ready for the main course (I would make - or whisper it, buy - a potato salad for a very easy life), just don't dress the green salad until you are ready to serve.  If your whisky normally lives in the bottom of a drinks cabinet make sure you have that handy for the recipe too!

Then, ten minutes before you are ready to eat, fire up the hob and start cooking the asparagus - and have a great evening.  

Like many people we'll be using Freedom Food labelled barn and free-range eggs, but sadly, here in the UK around 30 million hens (about 49%) are still kept in cruel cages where the minimum usable space for each bird can amount to less than the size of an A4 piece of paper.

The good news is that more people than ever before are choosing to buy free-range or barn eggs - and those carrying the Freedom Food label have been kept on farms inspected to the RSPCA's strict welfare standards where they can perch, scratch about, move around freely over a large area, flap their wings and express other normal behaviours.  

So, whether you are going traditional with lemon and sugar, or have other delicious recipes to try (like our rhubarb and ginger pancakes), please think about hen welfare too and choose cage free this pancake day.

The chefs and teams at all of these restaurants make sure that Valentine’s Day isn’t the only day of the year for caring. They make sure to serve higher welfare, ethical food, locally sourced where possible. With all these hearts everywhere, Valentine’s Day is a great time to remember we’re a nation of animal lovers - and that includes farm animals!

Roast in Borough Market, London

You can enjoy an intimate gourmet feast this Valentine's at Roast, one of London's iconic venues. Head Cook Marcus has created an exclusive sharing menu, featuring seasonal British highlights throughout. Champagne lovers will also receive additional special gifts during Valentine's Week (11-17 February). Any table ordering a bottle of Champagne to the value of £60 or more with their lunch or dinner will receive a complimentary pair of silver cufflinks and a silver pendant featuring the iconic Roast flame, designed by jeweller Noreen Mirza. 

www.roast-restaurant.com

Alimentum in Cambridge

This romantic restaurant is ideal for Valentine’s and you can indulge in a lavish seven course Tasting Menu (£72) from Thursday 14^th February to Saturday 16^th February. In addition you can relax and enjoy the atmosphere created by live music from wonderful pianists – your date will be seriously impressed! You can always go a la carte if you’d prefer to do that.

www.restaurantalimentum.co.uk

The Feathers Inn, Hedley on the Hill in Northumberland

If you’re after something relaxed and informal, yet special, try The Feathers Inn which has several awards under its belt. You can experience a Valentine’s Dinner menu with a glass of carefully selected wine to match each dish (£30 per head, £46 for the wine option). A flute and harp duo will be the perfect accompaniment to your evening!

www.thefeathers.net

Masons Arms, Devon

This picturesque, thatched 13th Century Inn and Restaurant is situated in the village of Knowstone on the edge of Exmoor. Celebrate Valentine’s with a specially designed menu featuring delicious food, which you can enjoy alongside wines from around the world. The award-winning one star Michelin restaurant has a warm, cosy and non-stuffy feel, so you can totally relax and unwind.

www.masonsarmsdevon.co.uk

New research* shows that duck is a dish of choice at Chinese New Year with well over half of respondents who eat duck (61%) saying that Chinese is their favourite cooking style for duck and over a fifth (21%) saying if they celebrated Chinese New Year, they would have duck.

So as the year of the snake begins on 10 February 2013, the RSPCA is calling on food lovers to think about the duck meat they buy. Tesco supermarket have announced that they will be introducing a Freedom Food labelled whole duck to their shelves this month, making it easier for shoppers to choose a higher welfare product.

Tesco now join Sainsbury’s in giving their customers a Freedom Food option when they are buying duck meat.

Eloise Shavelar, RSPCA said “Millions of ducks are farmed for meat in the UK each year, yet despite being waterfowl, there is no legal requirement to provide them with full body access to water.

“The RSPCA believes this is unacceptable and ducks reared under the RSPCA's Freedom Food scheme must have access to bathing water.”

Duck meat is enjoyed both at home (17%) and when eating out (27%) and the RSPCA is working with leading celebrity chef Ching-He Huang to inspire people to opt for a higher welfare duck meat product and to try and cook it new ways.

Ching said “My mission is to de-mystify Asian cooking and inspire people to think both about how and what they eat.” 

“Please get behind the RSPCA and support this cause, look for the Freedom Food label when you buy your duck meat because increased welfare standards for our animals can only be better for the well-being and health of everyone and our planet.”

The RSPCA’s Like A Duck To Water campaign, launched in September 2012, has already generated support from over 20,000 members of the public concerned about the welfare of farmed ducks.

The Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) is also supporting the campaign. Tom Tanner of the SRA said “Currently, there are not plentiful supplies of higher welfare duck meat available for the hospitality sector. We will be working alongside the RSPCA to boost supplies and match them with restaurants keen to serve their customers higher welfare duck.”

Shoppers can make sure they are buying higher welfare meat by looking for the blue and white Freedom Food logo. All Sainsbury’s own-label duck meat is Freedom Food labelled and during February Tesco will be introducing a Freedom Food whole duck in store. M&S own-label duck meat is also from farms that provide full body access to water. 

If you are celebrating Chinese New Year - or just fancy cooking some delicious Freedom Food labelled duck - try Ching-He Huang's simple recipes here including a delicious take on the traditional peking style roast duck

* The RSPCA commissioned a YouGov Survey to look at people’s attitudes to duck meat. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 2376 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 21st - 23rd January  2013.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). 

pictures copyright of www.chinghehuang.com

Well, it is not quite that simple.  The veal industry rightly got a very bad name due to the use of veal crates, one of the most bizarre and cruel ways to keep calves it is possible to come up with.  Fortunately, the crates were banned in the UK in 1990 and eventually banned across the EU in 2006.  But while crates may be a thing of the past and the calves have to be given some roughage as part of their diet, the standards for rearing veal calves in the EU are still lower than those required in Britain.  It’s not just the amount of space provided that is different.  Calves on the continent don’t have to be given straw bedding once they are more than two weeks old and EU legislation does not require their diet to be sufficiently iron-rich to avoid the animals becoming anaemic.  All-in-all, it is hardly surprising that veal has disappeared from the welfare-conscious shopper’s trolley.  But if you eat meat, like a drop of milk in your tea or a slice of cheese in your sandwich, it is time to think again.

There is a very strong argument for eating veal – but only British high-welfare or British rose veal*. About 10,000 male British dairy calves were killed last year, simply for being the wrong sex and unable to produce milk. With the ban on live transport lifted, a further shocking 11,000 were shipped abroad last year - and the live transport trade is growing. Animal lovers are rightly concerned about the fact that live calves are transported over these distances, sometimes in appalling conditions and having experienced the trauma of auction, to live in conditions illegal in the UK.  It’s an issue Compassion in World Farming and the RSPCA have been trying to tackle through a forum on veal calf exports they set up in 2006.  A recent RSPCA survey revealed consumers are really concerned about live transport and an epetition against the live export of calves is currently gathering signatures (http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/42002) .

British high welfare veal provides another, ethical option. Calves can be reared in the UK where legally they have to be given bedding and a proper diet that not only ensures their digestive systems can develop normally, but also ensures they do not become anaemic. Choose veal with the Freedom Food logo and the animals will have been reared to RSPCA standards, which ensures higher welfare.

Farmers like Freedom Food member David Tory are raising British veal calves which are free to run around with pen mates and in fact have a longer life than chicken, pigs, turkeys and lamb! 

Your choices make such a difference – so always make sure it’s British high-welfare veal – whether you are cooking at home or eating out.

*Freedom Food labelled British high welfare veal comes from calves reared to the RSPCA welfare standards, slaughtered between 6 and 12 months.  They must have evidence that their blood haemoglobin is above accepted levels.  Calves slaughtered between 8 and 12 months can also be called ‘rose’ veal.

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“A high standard of animal welfare is so important to me simply for humane reasons. Money is tight for everyone right now, but this is something I’d never scrimp on. I urge you to look for labels such as Freedom Food to ensure all animals are treated properly and the farmers that do this are rewarded. Thank you!”

Liz McClarnon

“Seeing the FreedomFood label when I’m out shopping gives me a huge sense of satisfaction knowing that the animals involved in producing the food have been looked after and treated well. Just take that extra moment to choose wisely when buying your food – it makes all the difference to the welfare of the animals.”

Phil Vickery

“A common sense approach to food is essential to stay fit and healthy. The RSPCA’s higher welfare Freedom Food label is not just another label to look out for on the supermarket shelves, it is ‘the’ label that makes it easier for the time strapped consumer to make a guided choice when buying ethically sourced meat and fish – the Freedom Food logo is the first thing I’m looking for when shopping for dinner.”

Linda Barker

We hope you’ll agree that our site is now far more slick, interactive and user-friendly, not to mention packed full of useful information about farm animals and food.

Here is a quick run-down of the website’s new features:

• New about us section - which includes a short video about Freedom Food, a brief history of the scheme, our key welfare concerns about farm animals, some fascinating facts and figures and some very handy frequently asked questions.  
• You can now search for supermarkets stocking Freedom Food and ‘Simply Ask’ restaurants directly from our homepage or clicking on our where to buy.  We don’t have all the supermarkets listed yet, but rest assured we are working on it.
• New recipe section - our vibrant new recipe section now includes a search facility to look for recipes by ingredient, as well as by course or occasion.  And, if we haven’t already done so, we’ll soon be adding a community recipes page where you can add your own recipe or find someone else’s.
• Top new stories are now listed on our homepage and we also have an updated news section to keep you fully tuned in to what’s happening in Freedom Food.

And if you’d like to keep up to date on all the latest Freedom Food news, sign-up to our new newsletter launching soon at the bottom of this page.

We hope you love our new site as much as us, but as with all new websites there will be some teething problems and we would like to thank you for your patience.  However, if you do happen to come across something that isn’t working then please do let us know by contacting us.

Did you get around to making any new year’s resolutions, with all the celebrations going on? We’ve broken some already with leftover mince pies and cheeky glasses of wine to start the year!

One resolution we’d love you to make and keep this year though, is to think about farm animal welfare – we’re a nation of animal lovers after all! Maybe you already choose higher-welfare meat, fish and eggs when you shop (we hope you do!) but what about making a real effort this year to think about where your food comes from when you eat out. There are lots of lovely pubs and great restaurants serving higher welfare food. Here are a few ideas to start you off…

Killerton House, Exeter

Killerton is a beautiful 6,400 acre estate where local food is an integral part of a visitor’s experience. The daily home cooked menus served in the stylishly refurbished Stables café and Killerton Kitchen restaurant are shaped by high welfare seasonal produce.

Roast, London

Sick and tired of delicious roast dinners after the festive period? Nope, nether are we! Visit Borough Market and you’ll find Roast and experience gorgeous British food, fine seasonal produce and classical cooking, all with ethics in mind.

Calke Park, Derby

Nature meets history at Calke Park. Kids would love the wildlife walk and you can also discover some of the oldest trees in Europe. The restaurant serves freshly prepared local produce, including meat reared from the RSPCA Freedom Food approved estate.

The Feathers Inn, Northumberland

This lovely pub has great ale, tasty food, picturesque surroundings and RSPCA Good Business Awards! You can warm up in front of a huge fire and then enjoy a good meal on a cold day.

Visit:

• www.nationaltrust.org.uk
• www.roast-restaurant.com
• www.thefeathers.net

"We simply didn’t have enough space for free range farming, so we opted for higher welfare indoor production which gives the birds more room and a longer, happier life than most indoor systems,” says Nick. “Our lower stocking densities and slower-growing breeds provide better welfare than those found in standard high production sheds, no question, with plenty of unusual objects inside our chicken houses to interest the birds and keep them active."

Straw bales, perches, dangling CDs, windows to allow natural light in and maize cobs for the chickens to peck at are all things that you will find in Frogmary Green Farm’s two houses, each home to 21,000 slower-growing breed birds – raised exclusively for the shelves of Sainsbury’s and Tesco supermarkets.

Video produced by NFU/Red Tractor.

The farm business supports two full-time employees and six seasonal workers – although the chicken houses are fully automated and require only limited expert stockmanship, which is important on a busy arable farm.

We want to continue to produce chicken to the highest welfare standards we possibly can, whilst protecting and enhancing the environment. We are also passionate about promoting agriculture and farming by opening our gates to local schools, our customers, clubs and other farmers. Our five-year goal is to continue to increase turnover, profitability, education and to organise a better work/life balance!”

And given the way that Frogmary Green Farm has progressed in the previous five years or so, you wouldn’t bet against them achieving just that.

On October 24th the RSPCA recognised those businesses from the world of food and fashion, which have been leading the way when it comes to animal welfare.  At the Good Business Awards ceremony in London, companies as diverse as global fashion giant ASOS and supermarket Sainsburys were rewarded for their animal welfare policies, alongside traditional butchers and luxury small fashion labels.

Shopping as social activism

With shoppers more savvy and socially conscious than ever, they expect more from the companies they give their hard earned money too - they want better value and greater meaning in the businesses they support, said Gavin Grant.

“In these difficult times consumers want ways to give their lives more political and ethical meaning, and this new form of social activism has affected day-to-day activities such as shopping. That’s why the Good Business Awards are so relevant, as people feel the award is a badge of quality and assurance,” he added.

Food for thought

The highest accolade of the evening among the supermarkets went to Sainsbury’s for Retailer of the Year. The judges were impressed with their all round commitment to higher welfare food and good customer communication. Sainsbury’s was also honoured with the Engagement Award for coming up a brand new higher welfare pork luncheon meat.

This year also marked the launch of the brand new Hot Topic award, which put the power to decide what animal welfare issue matters most, back into the hands of the consumer.  Live transport was the Hot Topic for 2012, and GBA judges chose the Co-operative to receive this award - for having an average transport time of less than hour.

Edge and Sons, a traditional local butcher in Wirral, won best independent retailer, while organic food delivery company Abel & Cole and cured meat producer The Bath Pig Company were both highly commended.  Lussmans fish and grill restaurant in St Albans and Hertford won the independent restaurant award, while Cafe Spice Namaste in London was highly commended.  The British Larder, Suffolk, won the pubs category for its commitment to animal welfare. Navigation Inn at Buxworth was highly commended in this category. Eco Cuisine – an ethical catering company in London - won best caterer.

Fashion without fear

Both large and small fashion companies are also working hard to improve animal welfare.  Global fashion giant ASOS scooped the RSPCA’s Good Business Award for Innovation; proving that no matter how large an organisation, animal welfare can be at the heart of successful business.

Despite the online fashion and beauty retailer offering over 50,000 branded and own label products, ASOS is leading the way in developing and implementing an impressive animal welfare policy that covers wool, angora, cashmere, feathers and down; animal testing, as well as endangered species, fur, leather and exotic skins.  The company also has robust employee training programmes and has published its own ‘faux from real’ fur guide to help buyers, suppliers and customers identify fake from real fur.

High street favourite George at Asda was presented with the large company with the large company award, while Izzy Lane scooped the small company award for producing desirable, ethical high fashion at an achievable price. Eco-fashion company Rapanui were highly commended in this category.

Designer and co-founder of Red or Dead Wayne Hemingway, an RSPCA Good Business Awards fashion judge, said: “This proves the industry has run out of excuses. If a company as large as ASOS can bring so many labels and lines together under one ethical sourcing policy then there is no defence for others.”  "The fashion industry must up its game now, if it wants to remain relevant and profitable to a new generation of clued-up, ethically active shoppers,” he added.

The winners were revealed and awards presented at the RSPCA Good Business Awards evening ceremony at One Marylebone, London, on Wednesday 24 October 2012.