A leak out of the Pork Industry Board has revealed pig farmers were advised to deliberately flout the Official Information Act to avoid public scrutiny.

The Pork Industry Board has recently finished a nationwide audit of  pig welfare on farms, the results of which should be accessible to the public.

But a leaked e-mail the board sent to farmers shows it advised those whose welfare standards weren’t up to scratch to keep the details to themselves and avoid further public criticism of farming practices.

Board chief executive Sam McIvor says the audit was voluntary, and much of the information was intended to be private.

Save Animals From Exploitation spokesman Hans Kriek says the email shows the lengths the industry is going to to avoid public scrutiny.

“Judging by the reaction we are getting – thousands of people are appalled.

"A lot of people said after last year they were concerned about buying pork, many people switched to free range, you only need to talk to any free range farmers and you’ll find their business would have doubled.

"Now, after the same farmers have been exposed again 15 months after the first time, people are saying ‘oh this is it, this is disgusting and we’re not supporting them anymore.’”