Hello everybody.

No disrespect meant to anybody but much more needs to be done.. We just spent the biggest part of the weekend going from Woolworths to Coles to all the major suppliers asking for Free Range Pork.

I never knew there were so many shops on the Gold Coast.
I am exhausted.

Not one! Store has it. I felt like crying then I got angry that people care so little where their meat comes from.

Nobody has heard of the AA voiceless Campaign and I am talking about Woolworths managers.etc . We need to get in there and actually make changes. Promote PFs idea of introducing more free range farmers into the market.
Yabby is right you can’t promote something that doesn’t exist. People just think you’re strange. We have our consultant advisor on tap.

Nicky Celivia do you want to start a shame list? I have a string of managers names and comments here as a starter.
Perhaps people could sit out the front of stores with those loud car boot stereos with recorded messages. Wonder if we could get uni kids to put out stickers..

I could print something Free on the web site or perhaps Nicky and Celivia.

`. Hey PF I wonder if their guy who worked on the babe film would visit your farm and maybe do another short story. Totally wild might help as well.

Nicky you sneaky little thing. I missed that. Go to the top of the class! You too Celivia- great stuff

Nicky I am wondering if you have any idea what we can do to stop false advertising. Already some clever stores have banners up around here reading
Organic Pork , turkeys indicating free range. People don’t know! The difference
Under the trade practice act I guess there is a law against false advertising or misleading the public. Trouble is they have no teeth. Who is policing this? What about ACCC. It seems they must have had a meeting or at least ex changed emails because these organic free range banners are popping up everywhere. Any ideas guys?
Antje

I think I need to explain organic pork. Organic would be the ultimate in free range. The standards are very high. All organically reared pigs are free range. They have the added benifit of not being fed any kind of chemicals, antibiotics, artificials etc. If someone is selling certified organic, it is definately free range.

I feel that free range meats are only at the ground level. There is not enough public awareness to create the needed demand yet. We can only keep chiselling away at it and making people aware of intensive farming. Remember, it is only 30 years old. My parents would only remember how pigs were kept as extra income on our dairy and I think thats how most think of them. Thats the picture in my head when I think of pigs when i was a kid. Thats the problem. Too many people think thats how they are still raised, suplimental income fed fresh milk or whey. Most farms had a few back when i was a kid and they were never kept in cages.

Hi all
PALE (is it okay to use the accronym?) Your comment about the TPA is interesting because I've just been involved in a bit of enquiry about it. It seems that you can misrepresent anything to anyone as long as the anyone is not someone who would be disadvantaged by purchasing the product. In this case, a claim would be valid. It is excellent to have the "organic" terminology clarified - thanks PF, I have wondered. Is it then safe to assume that cosmetics/household products claiming to be organic will not have been tested at any time on animals then?
I agree, most people think (or like to think, as a cop-out) that all animals are farmed in beautiful pastures by happy farmers, nothing like what happens to the vast majority of pigs. PF, have you been inside an intensive piggery? Others I know who have say that the pigs literally go insane from the confinement, develop sores that don't heal, are lame with bone deformities - all that and more.
But this is about getting it out there. I think we could each deliver printed cards to the managers and meat managers of all supermarkets in our area, and explain to them the difference between cruelty legislation and codes of practice, and show them the pictures (I've got the film footage on my laptop). Also, put the stickers on the products in the refrigerators and hand flyers out. I think there's value in getting into the schools too, and the kids will then prevail on the parents.
Nicky

hello Everybody.

PF it certainly is good to have it explained like that. Nicky that info on your computer sounds great. Also sure use whatever you like. How about we go back and take photes and put them up along with names and managers comments? I can assure you the banners flying around do mislead the public. Wendy spoke with the supplier who raved on for half an hour about why he grew is ORGANIC Pork in intensive conditions. ie Rash, Sun burn. He reckons they are not given any antibiotics? So how can you have such intensive conditions and not use drugs? I think being a producer he is possibly a bit cluey [hence all the signs and banners flapping all around.]
So if you had a child who was alergic to certain drugs and these guys misleading the public surely its a job for ACCC.
I might leave you Nicky to ponder that while I try to do a bit on live exports.
The truth is there are no free range places other than PF and a handful more.
We go back to Celivia's idea of a public trust fund and input from Woolworth and major outlets to covert all intensive piggiers into free Range. 'OR' We bring funds in from overseas to create all sorts of free range farms and plants. PF may I ask you. The plant you send your supply to, Is it AQIS accredited or for domestic market?
If somebody helped set you up as a consultant to train and accredited free range pork farmers would you be interested. Has Animals Australia or voiceless offered to help in any other way.
Nicky I just think PF face should be known Australia wide.
Look Nicky I know you will be angered by me saying this but for goodness same AA have run these things for years! nothings changed expect we now have far more just like live exports.
I just think we should be dealing with the good farmers and setting up lots of alternatives to both intensive farming and live exports.

You should have a read of this
http://www.apl.au.com/media/B%20-%20Free%20Range%20Pigs%20and%20Sustainability%20of%20Outdoor%20Pig%20Prod….pdf

No wonder companies like Woolworths say they cant support free range piggeries. APL say they do not support one system or the other - crap!

Antje - there is no accreditation system in place yet for free range pork. Humane Choice will be great, but they are taking their sweet time getting it up and running. I am always happy to help anyone that wants to get started in this business.

Nicky - I have been in quite a few intensive piggeries and all those things you mentioned do happen. What you have to know though is that a lot of farms have done away with the sow stalls, not the farrowing crates though. When you have seen the antics of pigs (and sows) at play in a paddock, thats when it really hits home how cruel it is to lock these animals up. As for going crazy - I think they would feel the same as any of us locked in a cage and never being able to excerise. They have a very short life (maybe thats a blessing for them ?)

I think a lot of confusion (re organic) happens when one store sells both, and that does happen a lot because of the unavailablity of so many things - like organic pork. There are very obvious differences in the meat of intensive and free range. Intensive is pale pink grey ususally while FR is almost red. There is a vast difference in taste also.

PF
Sorry I didnt see this before I dont get a notice when anybody posts so I have to go in looking all the time.

Well I guess it takes a farmer to understand the good old ALP.

Talk about poly"s Dont start me. As an animal lover you would expect to hear howls of protests from the good Andrew Bartlett about ALP and their games.

Nothing. We hear nothing PF. The groups are led around by the nose taking directions from a party thats basically in bed with labour.

Dont even start me. Yes Verna did a good job.
You notice quitley and pretty much single handed.
Well I dont know what offers have been put to you by AA ad Voiceless to help get the Free Range pork Farms on the menu Australia wide.
Probably none. Let me know about the suggestion of being included on the board.
Please do not contact him direct before I have a chance to ask that you are excepted otherwise you will put me in a difficult postion.
The free range Farmers support web page is coming along[slowly]
I am just going to put up free leads so farmers can go in and take a look.
All the enquires will be from overseas with offers through several avenues to vaule add and become farmers exporters.
People can go in and ask for their farm to be added to the free range list.
Its going to takes ages I am afraid.[Its for all animals and I do understand pork is different]
Did you contact Free Ranger? I require to know if you are interested in the board because I am already well overtime.
Let me know if you come with a few friends to start a co op of supply for free Range with some of your contacts.
Goodnight Antje