Alex Trelinski
GREENPEACE protestors dressed in red jumpsuits staged a protest at the headquarters of the Murcia-based meat production company El Pozo on Tuesday.
Around 20 environmentalists struck at different areas of the firm’s Alhama de Murcia factory at around 7.00 am.
Protestors blocked off access to the main building and displayed banners opposing macro-farming and demanding a five-year moratorium on such farming.
Group members changed one of the company slogans from ‘El Pozo for the environment’ to ‘El Pozo kills the environment’.
A Greenpeace statement said the protest was about ‘exposing a company who benefits the most in Spain from the destructive business of macro-farms’.
The lobby group has called for a meeting with El Pozo bosses.
They want them to ‘develop a plan to reduce the number of exploited animals’ as the only ‘effective way to reduce the brand’s brutal environmental impact’.
Greenpeace claim nitrates from El Pozo’s macro-farms are contaminating drinking water supplies in surrounding towns and villages.
An investigation last year suggested that slurry from pig farms was a key factor in polluting the Mar Menor lagoon with excess nitrates.
Consumer Affairs minister, Alberto Garzon, angered farmers and meat producers at the start of the year by saying meat from large farms is ‘causing the end of Spain’.
Greenpeace agriculture and livestock spokesman, Luis Ferrreirim said: “We understand that El Pozo provides work, and we respect the staff, but the truth is that there are fewer and fewer livestock farmers in the country, because everything is in the hands of fewer families that raise huge amounts of animals to feed the business of a few”.
“El Pozo in 2018 were among the top 40 richest companies in Spain and one 25 main meat producers in the world, “ he added.
READ MORE:
- Pig farm slurry discharges may be causing Mar Menor lagoon pollution in Spain
- Fury after minister claims meat from mega farms is causing the ‘end of Spain’ – but is he right?
- Slurry bad news: Across Spain, dubious industrial and agricultural methods have continued to pollute this beautiful nation
