*If you are happy to see it take a 15% hit and laugh it off then I think the producers should be damn glad they don't have someone like yourself in charge.*

One week's sales? ROFL Csteele. I worry about the big picture,
not the little picture. If all those cattle not shipped start
flooding into southern markets, then beef producers will indeed
have something to worry about. If the live trade closed, it would
be an absolute disaster for them.

As head of the cattle council, I would have been one of the few
people with the power to question MLA on how they spend their
resources. I would certainly have pushed for an increase in
animal welfare spending long ago, as I have made plain.

Ammonite, I have made my position very clear, many times on OLO,
but perhaps you don't bother to read most of the posts and just
blow in late. I am part of WA agriculture and for WA agriculture
the live trade is absolutaly critical. I have not sold anything
to the live trade for a number of years, but I acknowledge their
vital importance. In times of drought we need to be able to move
animals in a hurry. I would sell to them tomorrow if I had to,
rather then see my farm blow away.

No defense for me Ammonite, I am acting in some,s self interests.
Australia's, its remote and near cattle breeders, and in admitting wrong the cattle them selves.
Now in every post I have so far seen, yabby has said like me, cruelty has to stop.
But we sin, we say exports must continue.
Now us, yabby and I stand charged with being blind to one side of the case.
Heard about glass houses have we?
It is what the market wants live meat not packed.

I'm a meat eater not a vegan simply because that's the way I've been raised and that's what I'm used to cooking. I've never really looked into vegan recipes as such unless you count things like potato pancakes and other potato dishes. Beef, pork, chicken, lamb, veal, are all part and parcel of our household eating. However I must admit that since seeing that news report on how animals are treated - I've never stopped to think about what goes on in abbatoirs. And this thread has also presented another persepctive - from the farmers point of view. We can only trust that things will be worked out correctly by our government to everyone's satisfaction.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/cattle-cruelty-checks-may-extend-worldwide/story-fn59niix-1226077160224
How does this link fit in with the cattle men do not care mob?
If it was not for the fact vegans do not eat meat crow may be on the menu for some.

Belly

Your link proves nothing.

Whatever suggestion I or others have made such as reopening abattoirs, improving conditions for live animals exports, training people from other countries has been met with nothing but scorn from Yabby and yourself.

Most vegans are not extremists, another fact you choose to ignore, nor do they want to enforce meat-eaters (and I am one) to become vegan.

And NOW you claim you sincerely want to reduce cruelty to animals?

Words fail me.

*Whatever suggestion I or others have made*

Ammonite, all heart and a lack of informed opinion, is not going
to do it for you. All you have displayed so far is your naivety
about the industry. Trying to reinvent the wheel won't do it either,
I am afraid. There has been plenty of work gone on to improve
welfare on boats. Are you even aware of the new purpose built
boats involved in trade? We've explained why opening local plants
makes no sense, if they are not viable for both the owners and
producers. It clearly went over your head. It is pointless training
people, if they don't have the correct frigging equipment to do
the job, which is why Belly and I have made suggestions to solve
that. As it happens MLA already does alot of training of people
all along the supply chain.

On the other thread you suggested that Gertrude was a breath of
fresh air, apparently with all the answers. IMHO you showed
very poor judgement. But find that our for yourself.Gertrude
indeed means well, that is about all.

IMHO your real problem is that you have a problem with people like
me, who call a spade a spade. Sorry, I don't do the touchy feely
stuff to try to win brownie points, I write what I think.