Dairy farmers are feeling increasingly under pressure from vegan activists, following the recent surge of animal-rights activism.
The number of dairy farmers quitting the industry could be partly due to Project Calf’s online map of UK dairy farms, claims a spokesperson for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
The map, which has been described by farmers as a ‘step too far’, details the addresses of over 9,000 UK farms and how to access them if there’s a public footpath.
‘We have nothing to hide’
David Exwood, South East chairman for the National Farmers Union, said: “Yes they are interested in the farms and want to see the animals. But some farmers live there with their families and it’s very intrusive having protesters turn up.”
“At the end of the day, we have nothing to hide here but there is nothing we can do to stop them.
“You can’t exactly barricade an entire farm.”
‘We are not there to intimidate’
A spokeswoman for Project Calf said: “We are not there to intimidate, but simply to document and take pictures of the cows, especially when we see calves in separation pens.
“We understand that farmers are concerned but everything we did with the map has been legal.”