THE BEST OF BRITISH FOOD AT THE LONDON OLYMPICS?

Compassion in World Farming is committed to achieving sustainable food standards for the 2012 London Olympics that help the environment, are ethical and have the welfare of animals at their heart.

In 2009, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) published its Food Vision Paper for the 2012 Olympics, saying it is aiming for "the best of British." Sadly for millions of chickens and pigs, the paper was far from visionary, setting Red Tractor as the mandatory baseline - a standard which permits animals to be raised intensively in conditions which do not meet their welfare needs.

Compassion feels that the London 2012 Olympics are a golden opportunity to raise the bar by providing the best food that the UK has to offer.

Assembly Member Jenny Jones takes up the campaign

This latest video from the Greater London Authority's Jenny Jones highlights that there is still some way to go. In her former role as chair of London Food, Jenny played an important part in shaping the mayoral Food Strategy for London. The strategy set a framework for bringing healthy, sustainable, diverse and affordable food to all Londoners. Jenny has sought to improve the food that is on offer to Londoners and to reduce its environmental impact.

Ongoing efforts

Thank you to everyone who contacted Olympics Food Vision calling for higher welfare food to be served during the 2012 London Games. Our supporters sent over 8,000 emails urging LOCOG to include high standards of animal welfare in the Olympics Food Vision.

To date, our Food Business team has had a mixed response from LOCOG but we continue to engage with them and their partners with a view to raising their animal welfare standards to an acceptable level. Compassion is pleased to report that all the eggs served by Olympics catering will be sourced from free-range hens.

Compassion will continue working with all LOCOG food partners as well as calling on LOCOG to set clear targets on the percentage of RSPCA Freedom Food chicken and pig meat that will be served during the games.