One of the big problems facing genuine free range egg farmers in Australia is the lack of a clear national definition which means the same thing to producers as it does to consumers. Hopefully this situations will change following all the recent publicity about egg substitution. The Federal Minister for Agriculture and his State counterparts are at last looking at establishing a legal definition which will provide certainty for consumers.
To help this along we have conducted a consumer survey at http://freerangereggs.blogspot.com Preliminary results show that 100% of the people who buy free range eggs expect that the birds are not de-beaked or beak trimmed, and that the hens are able to graze on grass or other vegetation for most of the day.

Scout, I am actually not focussed on trade there, just focussed
on the reality of the WA situation and the fact that nobody
has put up concrete solutions to change it.

Right now the live trade is in fact the saviour for many
WA farmers. To give you an example of this week, a sheep
slaughtered locally is worth 80c a kg cwt to the grower,
the same animal on a boat is worth a bit over 2$ a kg cwt.
Thats a halving of income for thousands of families, who are already
suffering from all sorts of financial problems.

Now if people want to go around suggesting to other Australians
that they should halve their income, they need to have jolly
good reasons!

I have in fact been one of the most vocal proponants in the
WA rural press, for more local meatworks to be built, if
possible with farmer pariticipation, as we face the collapse
of the wool industry and a move to meat sheep. That will mean
even more sheep to be concerned about. At least for lamb,
returns locally are alot better, but still way behind the
Eastern States prices.

There is little about the trade online, except in the rural
press, sites like MLA etc and some of the live exporters.
I contacted Cameron Morse to find out if his full story
was online anywhere. He said that at first he tried to
keep out of the politics of the debate, but he was so attacked
by animal libbers, that he has released it and Wellards
have it on their website.

http://www.wellardgroup.com.au/media_centre/media_releases.phtml

Hey yabby,
Jolly good reason you say? I think the cruelty on these boats and when they get off the boats is a bloody good reason,

I live in WA and am a butcher and it wasnt to long ago I helped out putting these sheep onto boats and waving them a good trip. Noone knew back then and Im sure not very many people know now what actually happens to them at the other end. Obviously we knew death was upon them but not this cruel killing of them.
Now alot of the boys I worked with on these load outs were decent fellas who did the right thing as much as they could to help these sheep and there was also cattle to get onto the boats as quick and nicely as possible.
However there were alot of times I saw how some assholes were throwing them about and punching and kicking these animals.

Now not long ago I worked in a petshop where they had the round yard for the animals to be slaughterd to stay and await there death. Most of these animals were dying or sick , they were baught into the kill room and shot in the head.

In my industry I have never seen as much cruelty and barbaric behaviour in australia as I have seen in video footage at the ends of these boats trips.

Making the trip better for these animals isnt going to stop what happens over the other side they are stil going to be mistreated.

I wont deny that some of these aussie blokes need a good kicking up the ass as to how they treat these animals and some can be out right cruel but its not just WA that has these pricks its the whole of australia they are everywhere.

I cant see a solution to the money crisis when live exports finish I guess if john howard can give out bonus payouts to mothers for having kids Im sure he can come up with something to stop the farmers going broke

Yabby
Live exports is Australia wide, not just WA. You seem to think the writer started this about live exports. its not about that. All you are doing is trying to undermine the authors intentions.
Scout has clearly said its about the lack of Church interest in cruelty to animals and finding ways to re open or build new abattoirs.
If you would like to make some constructive comments regarding those two issues it would be good.
Elders proudly say their the largest live exporter.
Although the AWB since buying Wesfarmers out in 2003 are catching up.
You mention Emmanuels and Wellard. Do you even have any idea of their track record. It seems to me I read in the other post you have some better ideas back there. Your comment to approach the Government in WA and get the RSPCA to support opening new plants was a good one.
Your posts are not consistant. The only thing that is perfectly clear to me anyway is that your somebody who likes to be the center of attention.
I read you were happy to assist the people with overseas investors to introduce them to farmers. I thought to myself, great. A good start. Then you come on line bagging the people who offered to set that up.
I have a friend who worked on the ships and saw the suffering onboard and off the ships. We can only be reasponsible for our methods and our animals. Anyway if you were a farmer , "and" producer exporter" Your going to more than make up the price per kilo. I read you said Feed lots were a fact of life. Well its a fact of live they are cruel as well. So no Yabby eventually it will change. People like you should be put on these ships instead of the animals. You say you care about farmers. Good. If you do then lets get the jobs back in the regional areas so their kids can own the farms and the abattoirs AND be exporters.
study > A LIST OF LIVE EXPORT AGENTS>

http://www.livexports.com/contacts.html

Benny you are quite correct, there is good and bad treatment of
livestock, including in Australia. I am all for suggesting positive
ways to change that.

If you read one of my posts just a little way back, you'll see
that I made a simple, cheap, cost effective suggestion which is
a win-win for all, to help change things in the Middle East.
For its not just Australian animals which go there. Fact
is Islam and the Koran matters in the Middle East and slogans
from the Koran are readily accepted. So why not constantly
remind people what the Koran actually says about animal
welfare?

Lets face it, Australia took a while to change its views on
animal welfare, the same needs to happen in the Middle East.
Why do you people only care about what happens to Aussie
animals? Why not think beyond that? The live trade is
generating funding to do exactly that kind of positive
thing.

Fact is that you won't achieve much in the Middle East
with the big stick arrogant Western approach either.
But you'll achieve something by understanding their
culture and then using that very thing in a discreet
way to bring about change. People skills matter in
this world.

The practice of exporting live sheep is not only barbaric it is offensive to Australians and the Australian way of life. If you want to look it with open eyes and gloves off, its designed to appease the wishes of not Australians in general but a select group of muslims, who have convinced themselves that getting their meat alive is the only way.
This as admitted by seniour muslims clerics is infact not even true!. This is how you fix this barbaric act. The governement says 'these are our sheep, we will kill them humanly, freeze them and export them to you. If you dont like it bad luck' Its just a typical case of Muslims and there hypocritical Islam trying to tell the rest of the world what to do. Well Akmed, you can get stuffed, im not going to treat even 1 of my sheep inhumanly for you. I wont be dictated to by some foreinger. Im making a stand for farmers everwhere. You can be a barbarian i choose not to be!

God Bless Australia