End mud farming

We, the undersigned, call for an end to mud farming, also known as intensive winter grazing, in New Zealand. 

We are calling on the House of Representatives to introduce legislation that prohibits mud farming in its entirety. This practice forces animals to endure prolonged confinement in dangerous, cruel, and unhygienic conditions, where they are exposed to mud, rain, and cold temperatures without adequate shelter or dry lying areas. Such treatment is a clear violation of the Animal Welfare Act 1999, which requires that animals be provided with the opportunity to display normal behaviours and have their basic needs met. 

Further, the continuous trampling of saturated soil by confined animals releases harmful contaminants such as nitrates, phosphates, nitrous oxide, and ammonia into nearby waterways and the atmosphere. These pollutants contribute to the degradation of ecosystems, creating dead zones in once-thriving marine habitats, reducing water quality for drinking and recreation, and releasing greenhouse gases that exacerbate climate change. 

Mud farming is an unacceptable practice that must end. We call on the government to act decisively to uphold our moral and legal obligations to both animals and the environment.