New Zealand's top bacon producers will be competing for high praise and accolades this Friday. However, animal advocates from SAFE are urging the 24 judges of the annual 100% NZ Bacon Competition to fail entries if the pork is sourced from factory-farmed pigs.

"Last year's bacon competition was postponed after comedian Mike King exposed horrific images of pig suffering to the nation. The public outcry of suffering pigs on factory farms should have sent a clear message to the industry that it is time to change their practices," says SAFE's Wellington coordinator Jonathan O'Brien.

This year's bacon competition will see supermarket managers, food writers and chefs judge the best New Zealand bacon. SAFE says since exposing the shocking state of the New Zealand pig industry, that pig welfare has become a serious and major concern for consumers.

"Unfortunately, the 100% NZ Bacon Competition still appears focused on taste and appearance rather than animal welfare. It shows the pork industry still hasn't got its priorities right and is failing to address the pressing animal welfare problems facing their industry," says Mr O'Brien.

SAFE believes that the judges can help make progress for pigs by refusing to judge factory-farmed bacon. "Surely this terrible cruelty must leave a bitter taste in the mouth of any judge and certainly should not be recognised with an award," says Mr O'Brien.

In New Zealand over 20,000 pregnant sows are confined in crates so small they can't turn around. These animals suffer leg weakness and other health problems and exhibit unnatural behaviour such as bar biting, indicating that they are under severe stress.