St Helen’s Farm goat appeal update
Last weekend (August 22) saw a day of action centred around Far Marsh Farm, the supposed former supplier to St Helen’s Farm that was exposed by Surge for subjecting the goats there to unfathomable cruelty. Since news of our investigation broke in national press, resulting in almost all the UK’s major supermarkets taking St Helen’s off their shelves, the appeal to re-home the Far Marsh Farm goats has gone international with support from high profile activists including Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara and Leona Lewis.
Yet despite this and more than 80,000 signatures on our petition, we are still no closer to re-homing any of the goats. Here’s an update on everything so far…
Day of peaceful action at Far Marsh Farm - August 22nd
Local activists from the Hull and surrounding areas answered a call for help from Surge, for which we are hugely grateful. Activists from Humane Being’s Scrap Factory Farming campaign, Hull Animal Rebellion, Lincoln Animal Rights, Humberside Against Blood Sports, HART - The Hull Animal Rights Team, and some new friends from the local hunt sab group, spent the day at Far Marsh Farm to demand they speak with representatives of the appeal.
Despite the fantastic turnout by local activists and the overwhelming support shown by locals and passersby, our attempts to make contact with the owners of Far Marsh Farm proved fruitless yet again. Our invitation to engage in sensible, meaningful discussion was refused, and we were told to direct our message to the head office to which we have already sent many registered letters. Sadly this means we are no closer to re-homing any of the Far Marsh Farm goats, taking them to safe homes away from the place where they were abused so terribly.
However, we are more hopeful than ever thanks to the efforts of local activists and the response from people living in the area, some of whom even offered us the use of their toilets. We know that people in the area are furious about what happened, and the workers who no doubt live around there will be feeling the pressure even more now. We will be keeping up the pressure, both locally and nationally. Far Marsh Farm continues to sell its milk to other producers, shipping at least some of it overseas, and St Helen's Farm products will always be linked to the abuse there as long as its parent group Kavli maintains its 25% ownership of Far Marsh Farm.
Petition reaches 80,000 signatures
Our petition in support of our re-homing and alternative farming appeal has reached an incredible 80,000 signatures in less than a month and shows little sign of slowing down. We have signatures from around the world - even though the responsible parties are ignoring our calls, this overwhelming show of support and public opinion continues to give us hope.
Investigations by authorities still ongoing
The RSPCA, APHA and Trading Standards have all been looking into the abuse at Far Marsh Farm, and they are all in possession of all the evidence given to us. So far we’ve yet to receive an update from APHA on their investigation, and the RSPCA has told the press that they may prosecute if APHA does not.
We’re staying on top of things as much as possible, and will give you all an update as and when we know more.
Next steps
Having secured more than 270 spaces at sanctuaries up and down the country, a great many excellent people are on standby to take the goats at Far Marsh Farm away to safety. We’re in discussions now with local activists on how to keep the pressure up on the farm itself, but also on the companies that Yorkshire Dairy Goats supplies. We know they are still operating and shipping the stolen goats’ milk to producers overseas, and we are updating the press and others with any relevant information we discover.
Rest assured that we will be planning more ways for you to get involved, both directly and online, and coming up with new angles through which to exert pressure on Yorkshire Dairy Goats and their part-owner Kavli Group, who continues to profit from the sale of milk at Far Marsh Farm.
Yorkshire Dairy Goats failed the animals in their care, and in doing so they have forever tarnished the reputation of not only themselves but St Helen’s Farm. As long as they continue to farm animals, they will never be without guilt, but they have a rare chance here to do something right – and that is to not stand in the way of the goats and their freedom.
