More than 15,000 people across the UK have signed a petition launched last week by national animals rights group PETA UK calling for plans to expand a pig farm near Ingbirchworth, Sheffield to be scrapped.
A planning application for ‘the erection of an agricultural livestock building’ near Green Farm on High Lane was first submitted to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council by Mr James Stafford, 30, in August 2023.
According to details from the application, Mr Stafford’s family have been farming the area for the past three generations and currently the business, operating under the name J Stafford Farming, has around 300 pigs that are raised to slaughter for the meat industry.
The application proposes a new building which would house more pigs be built on the farm, however the plans have been met with backlash from animal rights activists over concern for the welfare of the animals if they were to go ahead.
National animal rights charity PETA UK launched their petition earlier this week, appealing for animal lovers from South Yorkshire and beyond to support their cause, and now has enough signatures to be delivered to Barnsley Council for consideration on 6th October 2023.
Katie Werner, senior campaigns manager for PETA UK, said: “From the increase in odours and potential environmental harm to the knowledge that thousands of sensitive pigs would suffer and many would perish inside filthy sheds, the proposed expansion to this facility must be stopped.
“If Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council members visited one of these intensive farms, saw the terrified animals, heard their screams, and smelled the putrid stench of ammonia, faeces, and rotting flesh, they would surely refuse plans to expand this hellhole.”
Neighbours have been notified however Barnsley Council are yet to reach a decision regarding if the planned expansion will go ahead.