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The Joys of Imported Food

I’m sure that all Just Grounders are as upset as I am at the constant unwarranted and unscientific attacks on our farming community by journalists, commentators to blogs and now more recently the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Our farming and livestock industries are in crisis and no-one except ourselves seems to know it.

In the last ten or more years we have had few to no unsafe food scandals. If we violate export protocols by a tiny fraction of a percent the whole world knows about it.

I would like to demonstrate our future if we are forced to rely on imported food.

The news organisation msn has an article on produce imported into the US and rejected.

It covers all sorts of meat, vegetable and seafood products contaminated in various ways but what raised the red flag was US dogs dying of kidney failure from imported dogfood believed to be contaminated with melamine.

This article is a catechism of what can go wrong.

I don’t want to focus just on China but they seem to have had more than their share of problems.

Australian journalist Ruth Ostrow has canvassed in one of her blogs the idea of land rights for Australian native animals so I have some pictures of Chinese animals with Land Rights here.

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For further reading the group page Think Tank is a rich source of information

Here are a few examples

CHINA, THE OECD AND AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE [click here]

The disaster that need never have happened. [click here]

What have I been saying about Australian Politicians and Agricultre? [click here]

Profit to Entice Production. [click here]

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Recent discussion on Just Grounds about unwarranted and unscientific attacks by animal welfare, animal rights and environmental groups.

Animal land rights, Farmers brace yourselves [click here]

False Allegations and Wild Accusations [click here]

Climate change determines our diet according to a National Health group [click here]

UN document would give 'Mother Earth' same rights as humans [click here]

Tags: animal, environment, extremism, food, health, imports, production, rights, welfare

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Roger Rankin Crook on May 12, 2011 at 4:43pm

I agree. To put some balance into the business of food imports it might help to read what I wrote on 'Just Grounds' on 'China the OECD and Australian agriculture' (someone must know how to link it!!)

It is easy for us to forget that as we have allowed our food value adding industries to go off shore and we have (largely) been left with the fresh market and now that is being erroded.

Just ask the Tasmanian veg growers and the potato growers around Vic what it means to have their main buyer go to NZ.

What all this means is that someone else, another country, has come in and filled the processed food gap. You might be surprised who we import from.

There was a piece in the Weekend Australian by Glenda Korporal about SPC considering going offshore.

This is serious. Let's see if we can raise a head of steam. I tried and failed. Don't think many 'Just Truthers' are all that interested.

That might stir it?!!

Roger

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Permalink Reply by Joanne Rea on May 12, 2011 at 4:53pm

http://justgroundsonline.com/group/the/forum/topics/china-the-oecd-...

This is the link to Roger's post.
I want to be clear though that I am not talking about present imports but the farming community is coming under multiple-pronged attack from many different sources. Can they sustain production in light of low to no profitability, reduced spending on research and development, layer upon layer of environmental regulation, foreign environmental groups who are gaining influence, politicians who are increasingly divorced from the productive areas, lack of competition, representative groups who don't represent and a host of other impediments?

Roger Rankin Crook said:

I agree. To put some balance into the business of food imports it might help to read what I wrote on 'Just Grounds' on 'China the OECD and Australian agriculture' (someone must know how to link it!!)

It is easy for us to forget that as we have allowed our food value adding industries to go off shore and we have (largely) been left with the fresh market and now that is being erroded.

Just ask the Tasmanian veg growers and the potato growers around Vic what it means to have their main buyer go to NZ.

What all this means is that someone else, another country, has come in and filled the processed food gap. You might be surprised who we import from.

There was a piece in the Weekend Australian by Glenda Korporal about SPC considering going offshore.

This is serious. Let's see if we can raise a head of steam. I tried and failed. Don't think many 'Just Truthers' are all that interested.

That might stir it?!!

Roger

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Joanne Rea on May 12, 2011 at 5:52pm

Well I know where MLA were. After I alerted them to the article, a week later I got a reply which said in essence that they thought it better for producers to respond.

I believe they should be reacting strongly to the NHMRC paper but is it worthwhile emailing them?

Dale Stiller said:

From a web site only just launched called Beef Central comes this article, Livestock sector not plugged in to welfare debate. [click here]

Soon after Ruth Ostrow published her first animal welfare article on her blog site I did an interview with journalist and creator of Beef central, James Nason. James asked me keep the information about this new site under my hat until it was launced. The article that James Nason took with his article is to ask where are the likes of MLA, NFF & CCA in countering the unfounded attacks by a coloumist in the widely distributed The Australian newspaper.

It is a sign of the times, and an indication of how effectively animal welfare groups are using social media to influence public opinion against livestock production.

....So why isn’t the livestock industry fighting fire with fire? Why aren’t more national farm representative groups harnessing the power of online and social networking media to ensure the wider public is kept aware of the many genuinely positive stories farmers have to tell?

On the Ruth Ostrow blog it was left to a handful of individual producers, veterinarians and people identifying themselves as meat loving consumers to provide small pockets of defence for the livestock farming industry.

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Permalink Reply by Rob Moore on May 12, 2011 at 6:58pm

Joanne,

Isn't that an amazing response!.Here we have a highly paid mob with nothing much at all to do on a daily basis and they think that we should do 100% of the work.

You and Cate and Roger and several others have devoted many hours of voluntary work to try and balance the ignorant comments. WE are paying these drongo'es with our levies and they are that tired and scared of their own shadow that they keep their head down.

A revitalised ABA may just get its wish and shut the whole mob of parasites down (MLA)- especially now that the Federal Govt is on its Credit Limit.

NFF and Agforce have the same m.o. re the Carbon Dioxide Tax- let a devoted few do all the unpopular neverending battle to balance the avalanche of propaganda and when we finally prevail -they climb on board as if they were always opposing the scam.

Accountability is going to be the new game in town -if I have my way. No more selling out behind closed doors- then pretending indignation - then getting a career job in fighting the toxic interference that results. THINK Native Vege and Property Rights, Carbon Dioxide Tax, Animal welfare,Stock Routes, DEC Depts,MDBA politics, Carbon Farming Initatives and so on and so on .

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Permalink Reply by Joanne Rea on May 13, 2011 at 8:17am

Rob

I don't know that I'm opposed to the philosophy of an MLA style body and I think they have done some good work in the past.

But they want to be popular. As much as I fought with him at the time, we need a tough guy like Dick Austin (I never thought I'd say that).

Their philosophy used to be that they couldn't respond to every little group critising the beef or sheepmeat industry but now we have some very well funded groups, including wealthy foreign ones and some groups with clout giving us a hard time based on very shallow evidence.
They seem to totally misunderstand our requests to help us present our green credentials and instead of presentinfg our present practices in a user friendly form for us they employ at great expense a populist figure to tell us what we should be doing and how to do it.

We need to reword our requirements.
Rob Moore said:

Joanne,

Isn't that an amazing response!.Here we have a highly paid mob with nothing much at all to do on a daily basis and they think that we should do 100% of the work.

You and Cate and Roger and several others have devoted many hours of voluntary work to try and balance the ignorant comments. WE are paying these drongo'es with our levies and they are that tired and scared of their own shadow that they keep their head down.

A revitalised ABA may just get its wish and shut the whole mob of parasites down (MLA)- especially now that the Federal Govt is on its Credit Limit.

NFF and Agforce have the same m.o. re the Carbon Dioxide Tax- let a devoted few do all the unpopular neverending battle to balance the avalanche of propaganda and when we finally prevail -they climb on board as if they were always opposing the scam.

Accountability is going to be the new game in town -if I have my way. No more selling out behind closed doors- then pretending indignation - then getting a career job in fighting the toxic interference that results. THINK Native Vege and Property Rights, Carbon Dioxide Tax, Animal welfare,Stock Routes, DEC Depts,MDBA politics, Carbon Farming Initatives and so on and so on .

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dixie Nott on May 13, 2011 at 10:10am

Top post Joanne.

Thanks for all your hard work along with, Roger, Dale, Cate Tony and many other who tried to respond to the unbalanced discussion organised by Ruth Ostrow as an example of the sort of popular media bias being used by those opposed to our farmers.

I wondered if the federal treasurer, Wayne Swan, was also among those that don't respect the value of our farming efforts when agriculture got no mention, that I heard, on his initial speech via ABC radio. He was concerned about the effect of the high $A on tourism and mining but no mention of agriculture.

[Tourism...such a fickle industry and so popular with the treehuggers!

So sad yesterday to hear of one of the biggest local industries in Cairns in the hands of receivers, 130 I think it was locals out a job but never mind they still have tourism.]

On a positive note: we bought a new aerial for the ute after the steers demolished the 5th one and I was supprised to hear ABC's Steve Austin rallying for Aussie farmers and reminding his listeners that No farmer=no food, or at least we know no safe, healthy food. He was giving the CEO of the Dairy organisation a hearing re the price war on milk and was very helpful to that young fellow in his interview to be followed up next week.

Would it be a good idea you send your post to Steve and indicate you are a good interviewee (you are), Joanne? I reckon a fair few voters still listen to radio.

Regards

Dixie

Joanne Rea said:

Rob

I don't know that I'm opposed to the philosophy of an MLA style body and I think they have done some good work in the past.

But they want to be popular. As much as I fought with him at the time, we need a tough guy like Dick Austin (I never thought I'd say that).

Their philosophy used to be that they couldn't respond to every little group critising the beef or sheepmeat industry but now we have some very well funded groups, including wealthy foreign ones and some groups with clout giving us a hard time based on very shallow evidence.
They seem to totally misunderstand our requests to help us present our green credentials and instead of presentinfg our present practices in a user friendly form for us they employ at great expense a populist figure to tell us what we should be doing and how to do it.

We need to reword our requirements.
Rob Moore said:

Joanne,

Isn't that an amazing response!.Here we have a highly paid mob with nothing much at all to do on a daily basis and they think that we should do 100% of the work.

You and Cate and Roger and several others have devoted many hours of voluntary work to try and balance the ignorant comments. WE are paying these drongo'es with our levies and they are that tired and scared of their own shadow that they keep their head down.

A revitalised ABA may just get its wish and shut the whole mob of parasites down (MLA)- especially now that the Federal Govt is on its Credit Limit.

NFF and Agforce have the same m.o. re the Carbon Dioxide Tax- let a devoted few do all the unpopular neverending battle to balance the avalanche of propaganda and when we finally prevail -they climb on board as if they were always opposing the scam.

Accountability is going to be the new game in town -if I have my way. No more selling out behind closed doors- then pretending indignation - then getting a career job in fighting the toxic interference that results. THINK Native Vege and Property Rights, Carbon Dioxide Tax, Animal welfare,Stock Routes, DEC Depts,MDBA politics, Carbon Farming Initatives and so on and so on .

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rob Moore on May 13, 2011 at 11:18am

Good idea Dixie,
Steve Austin does run a very balanced radio show out of Brisbane in the evenings on the ABC.

Joanne,
"Philosophy" is the operative word .That email that you have from Mla is priceless as it is documented proof that they stand for nothing on our behalf.

Why would they as they are just public servants on the Federal payroll. All this "Producer Company " gaffe is for those who believe in the tooth fairy. They just decorate it with a few big time producers who get seduced by the trips and perks. For all the tens of thousands of $ that I have had to put in to them - they have not done a single useful thing to help me since John Anderson set them up 12 years ago.

I have stood face to face with Palmer and Heatley asking them in the true Anzac spirit to stand up for our mates(if not members!) in the case of Narrogin Beef Producers v the DEC and EDO in WA.

"OUR HANDS ARE TIED" they both pleaded with me to let up on them. More iron clad proof that they are just a social club.They resorted to quoting their "charter"- more proof to prove that they can never take a stand on anything.

They didn't mind paying Fannery and a few mates 10 grand a day to debate the -Red meat Green facts show. Sorry Joanne -I know too much about them and can't be as forgiving as you.

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Permalink Reply by Joanne Rea on May 13, 2011 at 11:37am

Thanks for the vote of confidence Dixie but I'm no radio performer.

You are right about the politicians.

They seem to think that the supermarkets, Macdonalds, Wendy's et al will be able to belt out their products without farmers and they probably will but the food will not be to the standard that Australian consumers are used to. Many people I know won't touch anyting once it is past its use-by date.

Rob

I don't know that I am all that forgiving but I am trying to work with what we've got. I am presently trying to write an email about the NHMRC position.

Rob Moore said:

Good idea Dixie,
Steve Austin does run a very balanced radio show out of Brisbane in the evenings on the ABC.

Joanne,
"Philosophy" is the operative word .That email that you have from Mla is priceless as it is documented proof that they stand for nothing on our behalf.

Why would they as they are just public servants on the Federal payroll. All this "Producer Company " gaffe is for those who believe in the tooth fairy. They just decorate it with a few big time producers who get seduced by the trips and perks. For all the tens of thousands of $ that I have had to put in to them - they have not done a single useful thing to help me since John Anderson set them up 12 years ago.

I have stood face to face with Palmer and Heatley asking them in the true Anzac spirit to stand up for our mates(if not members!) in the case of Narrogin Beef Producers v the DEC and EDO in WA.

"OUR HANDS ARE TIED" they both pleaded with me to let up on them. More iron clad proof that they are just a social club.They resorted to quoting their "charter"- more proof to prove that they can never take a stand on anything.

They didn't mind paying Fannery and a few mates 10 grand a day to debate the -Red meat Green facts show. Sorry Joanne -I know too much about them and can't be as forgiving as you.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Joanne Rea on May 13, 2011 at 5:36pm

The 2008 melamine in the milk scandal was common knowledge but in more recent times Nitrites in the milk which killed three babies, have caused a flood of people to Hong Kong (only those who can afford it) in an attempt to buy imported milk powder.

This also has knock-on effects (Is this our future?)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gjptUb0T-S7ScAHw...

Eighteen people have been arrested for corruption in Hong Kong.

There has been a lot of toughening of regulations but there are so many farms that what is discovered is the tip of the iceberg.

In Hunan pork from processors, including the country’s largest meat processor has been seized and 22 people arrested as a result of Clenbuterol and/or Ractopamine contamination.

(So much for the outcry in Ruth Ostrow’s column about the small carefully released dose of HGP in a percentage of our cattle.)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/17/china-pig-farmers-arres...

In spite of all the problems some companies are offering Chinese pork products for export. China produces half of the world’s pork supply and you can buy some right here.

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Permalink Reply by Roger Rankin Crook on May 13, 2011 at 5:46pm

Joanne,

The buy link didn't work for me.

In any discussion on the importation of food into Australia you need to include Australian Customs and particularly AQIS who issue permits in the country of origin and inspect and test at port of entry into Australia.

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Permalink Reply by Joanne Rea on May 13, 2011 at 5:58pm

Tried to fix the link and I think I have lost the lot.

I'm speaking in hypotheticals here and looking to the future but in any case testing is just on a sample basis and only high risk foods. I would also anticipate that if we NEED to import food as opposed to WANT to import food some of the restrictions that we have will fly out the window.
The Chinese are trying to crack down on food safety and are failing because there is just blatant flouting of the rules so licenses might not cut it.
Roger Rankin Crook said:

Joanne,

The buy link didn't work for me.

In any discussion on the importation of food into Australia you need to include Australian Customs and particularly AQIS who issue permits in the country of origin and inspect and test at port of entry into Australia.

R