No Union action over Kiwi butter ads
8 October 2001
No Union action over Kiwi butter ads
By Alistair Driver
FARMERS leaders say they will not take action over a 2 million advertising campaign for imported butter which criticises modern farming methods.
The National Farmers Union said it would not complain to advertising watchdogs about billboards for Anchor butter from New Zealand.
Union officials issued a statement after meeting to discuss the adverts, which have incensed some British farmers, on Monday (8 October).
“The NFU has looked closely into whether we should refer the producers of Anchor butter to the Advertising Standards Authority,” it said.
“However, our advice has been that it is unlikely that the ASA would uphold this complaint as there is no direct attack on British agriculture.”
The furore surrounds the latest part of a 2m campaign, launched in July, for Anchor butter from cows which are fed grass all year round.
The billboards feature pictures of cows grazing. One of the adverts says: “Modern farming? We are 75 years behind, thank goodness.”
Another similar picture carries the line: “Call us old-fashioned, but shouldnt cows eat grass?”
British farmers have claimed the billboards are attacking their industry which has been beset with problems like foot-and mouth disease and BSE.
Some commentators have blamed the spread of foot-and-mouth in Britain on modern intensive farming methods designed to maximise output.
Similarly, BSE was blamed on the now banned practice of feeding cows on meat and bonemeal, made from animal remains, rather than grass.
But the NFU statement said: “We know British customers have huge confidence in our dairy products.”
It added: “We do not think complaining about this advert will do anything to improve this confidence.”
British farmers blend old-fashioned stockmanship and traditional husbandry with modern milking parlours and processing methods, the NFU said.
“We are proud to have up-to-date farms that give our country the best milk and milk products in the world.”
New Zealand Milk, the company that distributes Anchor Butter in the UK, has consistently denied that it is trying to undermine British farmers.
- Farmers meet over Kiwi butter ads, FWi, 8 October, 2001
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