"The health and welfare of our pigs is our highest priority and we were horrified to see this unacceptable historic footage, filmed at Somerby Top farm. As with the North Moor Farm footage, released in May 2025, the content was recorded several months ago but has only very recently been shared with us. We find the treatment of the pigs in the footage distressing to watch and we apologise unreservedly for this lapse in our standards. It does not in any way reflect the operating practices at our farms today.
“Since May, we have been implementing major changes across all of our farming businesses to address the challenges raised within the footage. We have changed the management team at these farms and staff shown in the footage no longer work for the business. We have recruited five new full time welfare officers. All of our farm colleagues have been retrained in livestock handling, with a strong focus on animal health and welfare. We are currently installing AI enabled CCTV at all of our indoor farms to enable us to monitor the health of our pigs and the behaviour of our colleagues, in real time, to ensure our exacting standards are consistently met.
“Following the release of the North Moor Farm footage and as previously announced, we have commissioned a full review of our on-farm practices, which is being completed by an independent veterinarian professional. We will share the results of this investigation when it is complete."
For background.
- Both North Moor and Somerby Top farms were acquired by Cranswick in late 2023.
- Since acquisition, Cranswick has invested significantly in the farms to improve the welfare conditions, working practices and culture, aligned to the rest of the Cranswick operated farms.
- The footage of North Moor Farm was captured in Jan/Feb 2024 and Somerby Top from May 2024 to Jan 2025.
- The footage has been held back by the team at Animal Justice Project until May and August 2025 respectively.
- As soon as the footage was shared, a full investigation was launched.
Actions taken as a result of the North Moor footage shared in May 2025
The vet-led review is underway with a significant number of farm visits and staff interviews already completed. The findings will not be shared with Cranswick until the project is completed. The results of the investigation will be shared when available.
- Employees were suspended immediately and have now left the business. One individual was implicated in incidences at both of the farms.
- We have changed the management teams at these farms.
- Cranswick has introduced enhanced staff training, with refresher training completed and additional welfare modules added to the ongoing training programmes.
- The business has changed the policy relating to euthanasia, banning the use of non-mechanical manual blunt force trauma ("piglet thumping") across all sites.
- Five new field-based welfare officers have been employed to carry out unannounced spot audits and ensure units are run in accordance with the stringent Cranswick operating standards.
- The business is installing advanced AI capable CCTV to monitor on farm activity, ensure compliance to the agreed procedures and continue to evolve our welfare procedures. This will allow us to identify any concerns relating to the health of livestock whilst monitoring the behaviour of our farm-based teams. It will also allow us to continually improve on farm activity.
- This will be installed at all 45 indoor farms. Somerby Top was the first system installed and around 50% of these farms are now streaming live footage. Additional farms are coming on stream with the technology every week.
- The team at Cranswick is available to demonstrate this system in operation and will share live footage from any of the cameras installed and operational.