The animal rights organisation wants to make livestreaming cameras compulsory in sheds in New Zealand, according to an open letter sent to Minister of Agriculture Todd McClay.
However, Federated Farmers says the proposal is a “complete overreach” and impractical, and New Zealand has “very high animal welfare standards”.
Late last year, the non-profit released an investigation into New Zealand’s shearing practices, accusing farmers of whipping, tackling, cutting and abusing their animals.
Peta alleged animals were wounded, claimed shearers “hit sheep with various objects, including a ski pole” and said that “one worker slammed a sheep’s head against a hard wooden board three times”.
It said livestreaming what goes on inside New Zealand shearing sheds will help farm owners hold shearers accountable.
“Any wool industry executive who claims not to know about it needs their eyes checked,” said Peta senior vice-president Jason Baker.
A still from Peta's expose into New Zealand merino shearing. Photo / Peta
“Peta is calling on the New Zealand Government to mandate web cameras inside all of the country’s shearing sheds to hold the farms accountable since the industry seems incapable of doing so itself.”
Federated Farmers meat and wool chairman Toby Williams called the proposal a “complete overreach” and said it was a disproportionate response to “isolated examples of poor practice.”
Williams said placing a webcam in every shed would be “incredibly expensive” and impractical given the thousands of woolsheds in New Zealand.
“They’re trying to make out that New Zealand sheep farmers have an animal welfare issue, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” he told the Herald.
“New Zealand farmers have very high animal welfare standards, our shearers are world-class, and we take the responsibility of caring for our animals seriously.”
Barrister and award-winning shearer Jills Angus Burney said Peta was “catastrophising” the situation and their proposal lacked common sense.
Shearers kicked, beat, and stomped on sheep and threw them down chutes, Peta has alleged. Photo / Peta
Burney said the template used by shearing contractors for their employees “categorically” stated ill-treatment of sheep would not be tolerated.
“I’ve had 50 years in the industry and I can’t think of many situations where treatment of animals isn’t pulled up by other workers,” she told the Herald.
“You can’t even get compulsory toilets in shearing sheds, let alone a webcam!”
The New Zealand Shearing Contractors Association said the issues presented by Peta were “completely inconsistent” with their practices and animal welfare policy.
“NZSCA are committed to investigating all allegations thoroughly and this is our priority and focus,” it said on its website.
Associate Minister of Agriculture Andrew Hoggard said he would not recommend the use of CCTV inside farms.
”That would be a gross breach of privacy for our nation’s farming families, and a complete government overreach,” he told the Herald.
Hoggard said he was aware the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) was investigating clips alleging “mistreatment of sheep by some shearers” but could not comment on any investigation.
Earlier, MPI confirmed it had been contacted about the allegations.
“MPI has received a complaint and video clips alleging mistreatment of sheep by some shearers,” Peter Hyde, MPI manager of animal welfare and national animal identification and tracing compliance (South), told the Herald.
“We note some of the allegations date back to 2023. MPI is investigating the complaints.”
