Mossley firm at centre of animal welfare row sees action taken

PEOPLE working at a Mossley company at the centre of a row over alleged animal slaughter malpractices have had their paperwork suspended or removed.

Hartshead Meats, based at Broadcarr Lane, has seen protests after the release of a video showing what campaigners call ‘horrifying’ methods.

Footage taken in February claims to show cows being killed without being stunned as they were sacrificed to Jewish kosher rules.

Videos showing a ‘river of blood’ running down Broadcarr Lane and even a staff member walking through it were also posted online.

The site of Hartshead Meats on Broadcarr Lane, Mossley

The furore has led several butchers in the area to issue statements saying they are not supplied by Hartshead Meats.

And Mossley’s MP, Jonathan Reynolds, has been told by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) it has already taken action while it investigates.

A letter from Professor Susan Jebb states: “We have received a significant volume of enquiries from the public – many of whom are understandably upset having witnessed graphic footage of animal slaughter.

“We are aware of the video footage, as well as the concerns raised by Lawyers for Animals.

“FSA officials immediately initiated a full investigation at Hartshead Meats Ltd and have carried out reviews of CCIV footage covering all slaughter activity at the premises, focusing on the dates highlighted to us by Lawyers for Animals.

“We have already taken some immediate enforcement action, including the suspension and removal of competence certificates so that particular individuals are prevented from working with animals at the site.”

Mr Reynolds approached the FSA to confirm all proper procedures and standards are being followed at Hartshead Meats.

According to the body, its management has been fully co-operative with its investigation.

Videos showing a ‘river of blood’ running down Broadcarr Lane and even a staff member walking through it were also posted online.

However, in a statement the firm claimed: “We wish to clarify that the footage in question has been edited in a way that lacks essential context and presents a misleading and inaccurate portrayal of our facility.

“We believe the public should consider the source of this footage and the documented history of the individual involved, whose primary objective appears to be to generate sensationalised content for financial gain.

“We maintain the highest industry standards and operate under the constant supervision of the Food Standards Agency.

“A Government veterinary surgeon and two meat inspectors are present during all animal handling to ensure welfare standards are strictly upheld.

Protests have been taking place at the site weekly since the video were circulated online

“We view these recent actions as a targeted attempt to disrupt a local business that supports dozens of families.

“We are grateful for the overwhelming support from our loyal partners and will now be handling this matter through the appropriate legal and regulatory channels.”

A spokesperson for Hartshead Meats, said: “Hartshead Meats is a fully licensed meat processing facility that has operated for more than 20 years under the authorisation and constant daily supervision of the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Our team are trained to ensure continued compliance with our licence terms, alongside upholding industry best practice on hygiene and welfare that support our Red Tractor accreditation.

“We recognise that people may be concerned by footage circulating online which grossly misrepresents what we do and how we do it. It has been recorded without consent and selectively edited.

As a result, this footage lacks essential context and presents a distorted picture of standard industry working practices. This is part of a concerted attempt by anti-meat activists to disrupt an independent, family run business, which is a valuable community employer that supports the livelihood of dozens of local families.

While we recognise that people may hold strong opinions on meat production, we are especially concerned that some of the commentary directed at our business has been tainted by antisemitic language and resulted in threats to the Jewish community, which we condemn absolutely.

“Animal welfare is fundamental to our work, and we are concerned that misinformation about our business has led to our team and families receiving violent threats which have caused a great deal of distress. These threats have been reported to the police, and they are taking appropriate action.

“We will continue to ensure high standards of animal welfare as we provide compliant and high-quality meat processing services for our customers.”