So who has rules for keeping, breeding, killing etc animals?

In qld it is called 'Safe Food QLD' and in other states I think it is the same eg SF nsw.

As for being selective with meat, it has been proven time and time again that there is no link between meat and swine flue. It's the old case of 'don't let the truth get in the way of a good story'.

Now regarding meat production. Our meat industry exports up to 85% of what we produce, not counting live exports, why? because we have to as our population is to small to consume what we produce and our life style is to high for us not to.

Now given that this industry generates billions each and every year, creates thousands of jobs, tell me, where is that going to come from if we stop exporting.

If we change the ways that we farm meats we will simply become un-competitive. So who or what is going to fill the void?

What other avenues do we have to fill the thousands of jobs at risk?

The government makes millions each year just in taxes alone from the MI, where are these taxes going to come from.

Someone mentioned pigs marinating in their own filth.

Utter rubbish! Go and visit a modern piggery.

1st, you won't be allowed in cause of quaranteen laws.

If you do you will change your mind, they are very clean otherwise they go broke.

They have suspended, slatted floors, for this very reason.

Remember. For every action, there is a reaction. This one will hurt!

Take a little visit at this piggery rechtub http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuyRXWxBKYA

I'd call that well and truely marinating wouldnt you?

This one is in WA and owned by a board member of Australian Pork Limited - the peak industry body that has control of the 'rules' for how pigs are raised.

Now who's talking rubbish?

Rehctub:”Now given that this industry generates billions each and every year, creates thousands of jobs, tell me, where is that going to come from if we stop exporting.”

Just don’t "live" export, surely doing all the slaughtering etc and packing here will create many more jobs. Now ages ago Yabby said it wouldn’t work and they couldn’t find workers where he was at… times may have changed now..?

“If we change the ways that we farm meats we will simply become un-competitive. So who or what is going to fill the void?”

Er… if we do not inflict cruelty on animals (sorry I just fully believe PF here) then we might not be as profitable?

So would you would advocate stepping up the cruel conditions to make even more money.

“In qld it is called 'Safe Food QLD' and in other states I think it is the same eg SF nsw.”

Wonder how often they inspect, shut down, and impose fines. Are they like the workers who inspect restaurants and stuff?

“As for being selective with meat, it has been proven time and time again that there is no link between meat and swine flu. It's the old case of 'don't let the truth get in the way of a good story'.”

Sorry, I meant selective as in more expensive rather than which kind. As for the Swine Flu, I’ve been ordered to go Dr’s and I just don’t want to. I have decided it is a bad cold.

Pelican:”There is no excuse for animal cruelty in food production yet we all turn a blind eye to it because of some misguided allegiance to a highly flawed economic system.”

This is probably akin to the same reasons that created The Forgotten (living in intensive farms for children) and the state wards being ignored now.

I would love to be a vegetarian, I really would. I even tried it when I was about 18 - got very ill instead, being a dumb teenager and not getting a balanced diet.

Now I consider from whom I buy my meat. Where I live in the Yarra Ranges is a butcher who specialises in free range pigs, chickens, and lambs that feed on salt-bush in the Mallee and cattle that have not been "processed" in feed lots before slaughter - these animals get to live as freely as possible. Sure the meat costs a little more, although I did a comparison with Safeway and really the cost difference is negligible - I just buy less meat. And the flavour.... well I won't be converting to vegetarianism any time soon.

BTW, I have actually been shooting; shot, skinned, prepared my own rabbit for a very tasty casserole. No I don't make a habit of it (I don't like killing, although I did enjoy hitting targets), just one of those things I did to know that I could if needed. So no patronising comments, boys, I am not afraid of blood and not at all squeamish. My point is the same as Pelican's:

"There is no excuse for animal cruelty in food production yet we all turn a blind eye to it because of some misguided allegiance to a highly flawed economic system."

Sure Rehctub would be against live exports, for butchers act out
of self interest and want their livestock cheaper, so competition
is not welcome. If its about jobs as claimed, does Rehctub drive
an Australian made car? 80% of the population don't.

Yes Fractelle, there have been some developments with the live
trade. Who knows, perhaps all my shouting and arguing on OLO
even did some good :)

Fact is that AA eventually got off their arses and got active in
Jordan. According to them "significant" outcomes have been achieved.

According to them "local workers have embraced more humane processing
systems for both cattle and sheep"

Sheesh, I remember Nicky claimed that all this was impossible.

Even pre slaughter stunning has now been accepted in Jordan!

Yabby was correct all along :)

PF, I thought you might have been out of the pig business, for I
saw your place advertised in one of the farming papers in May.

Will never be out, just moving on to other things - all still pig related.