On 16th February 2011, Nocton Dairies withdrew their controversial plans for a ‘mega-dairy’ in Nocton, Lincolnshire.

The period in which formal objections to the planning application could be submitted closed on 11 January 2011.

There has been a fantastic response with over 11,000 objections received in total.

Compassion in World Farming has applied for the decision about the fate of the proposed mega-dairy in Nocton to be taken out of the hands of the North Kesteven District Council and placed in the hands of national government.

Dozens of politicians have shown they back the campaign against industrialised dairy farming by signing an ‘Early Day Motion’ in the House of Commons. So far more than 140 MPs (and counting!) have put their names against the motion supporting Compassion's campaign against the proposed mega-dairy in Nocton.

A ‘secret’ press conference launched new plans for the Nocton ‘mega-dairy’ in Lincolnshire yesterday. New plans for the UK’s biggest factory dairy farm were kept under strict embargo until today. Although the proprietors of Nocton Dairies Ltd promised significant changes...

Compassion in World Farming would like to thank all of its supporters for helping us to raise much more than our hoped for £3,000 to place adverts on buses in Lincolnshire encouraging the communities surrounding Nocton Heath to oppose proposals for a 'mega-dairy.'

Over 50 UK MPs joined Compassion in World Farming on 26th October 2010 to learn more about the threat of 'mega-dairies' entering the UK.

The proposed construction of the UK's largest dairy farm poses a giant threat to animal welfare...

Compassion in World Farming reveals that those behind the proposed ‘mega-dairy’ farm in Lincolnshire have applied for public money and stated that without it, both animal welfare and environmental standards on the farm will be lowered.

Jay Rayner’s article, “Big agriculture is the only option to stop the world going hungry,” (The Observer, 12th September) reports that the dairy farmers the author has spoken to do not see animal welfare as an issue in the kind of ‘super dairy’ proposed at Nocton Heath.

Compassion in World Farming strongly disagrees with the recent assertion by the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) suggesting that dairy cows housed all year round with little or no access to grazing or kept in large herds can have satisfactory welfare.

Compassion in World Farming is currently fighting plans for a so-called 'mega dairy' to be built in Nocton, Lincolnshire. The proposed dairy would house over 8,000 cows indoors in cubicles with only very limited time to graze outdoors.

On Wednesday 7th July on BBC 2 at 20:00 a documentary entitled The Private Life of Cows will see presenter Jimmy Doherty investigating the feelings and behaviours of cows. He will be looking into aspects such as the hierarchy of a herd and what underlies their commonly seen behaviours.

The plans for the South Witham Dairy had given rise to widespread objections from local residents, politicians and animal welfare organisations, coming hot on the heels of plans for the 8,000-cow Nocton Heath Dairy, which have been temporarily withdrawn.

Compassion in World Farming strongly disagrees with the recent assertion by the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) suggesting that dairy cows housed all year round with little or no access to grazing or kept in large herds can have satisfactory welfare.


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More Information

The proposed "mega dairy" received widespread coverage and discussion across a range of national, local and online publications:

National Press

Online

Local Press

Compassion press releases

Date: 05 January 2011
Date: 22 December 2010


Date: 18 November 2010

Date: 27 October 2010



Date: 17 September 2010

Date: 03 March 2010

In depth

Compassion in World Farming’s views are informed by the scientific facts on animal welfare. You may wish to explore some of these in more depth:

Taking action