It sounds like a simple question, where does the food you eat everyday come from? Whether it’s the bacon and eggs you had for breakfast or the chicken parmigiana for dinner, do you know how it got from the paddock to your plate?
Food Production in Australia
Australia produces large quantities of fruit, vegetables and meat that are exported to foreign countries, but a lot of it does end up in the mouths of hungry Aussies. In terms of agricultural strength, Australia is one of the mightiest. We have around 2 arable hectares per person, which happens to be one of the highest in the world. Despite that, the government actually imports a lot of things to cover what we cannot grow or produce here in Australia. We receive live animal imports from the UK, Indonesia and Japan but our largest live animal imports actually come from New Zealand. When it comes to cereals and grains, Australia relies heavily on countries like Peru, Bolivia and China.
There is some confusion surrounding what factory farming entails. Basically, factory farming is a nice way of saying intensive animal farming and essentially means it’s a low cost way of producing more meat at an efficient rate. Although a lot of Aussies think factory farming doesn’t occur in our country, it definitely does.
Fast Facts:
– Around 95% of pigs and chickens raised for meat in Australia are factory farmed
– Decades ago, meat was a luxury and stock was usually raised in open pastures by family run farms. Because of the high demand for meat these days, it’s now turned towards factory farming.
– In Australia 500 million animals are raised in factory farms for meat each year
– More than 40% of Year 10 Aussies surveyed believed cotton came from an animal
– 92% of children surveyed didn’t know bananas grew on plants
– Between 2012 and 2016 the number of Australians that adopted a vegetarian lifestyle increase from 1.7 million to 2.1 million.
Does It Really Matter?
Do Australians really care about where their food comes from? Or what conditions it was raised in? Since the recent animal rights protests across the nation, it’s become quite clear there is a divide between Aussies. On one side there are the radical vegans forcing everyday Aussies to endure protests on a Monday morning and on the other side there are people that don’t really care where their food comes from as long as it’s affordable. Then, in the middle of these two sides are Aussies that want better conditions for animals but don’t know (or can’t) how to make the changes. What side do you sit on LiveTribers?
1 Comment
I am a vegetarian myself and have been for 10 years now, and I’m 22 now. I used to be more extremist type of vegetarian and went vegan for a bit, but I now am a very understanding person and I don’t push people to go vegetarian or otherwise I just talk to people like my family or my spouses family occasionally about small topics on animals or the planet. I also might suggest a product that is better for the environment and is not tested in animals, I give people my honest opinion on whatever you would like to know and I don’t lie and tell people a product is good just because it fits in with my standards of cruelty free. I always suggest a product or food that i do think highly of, is good value for money and works sufficiently for whatever you need it for.
I try to help animals wherever I can, most days I’ll be cooking delicious vegetarian/vegan lunches and dinners for my boyfriend and I, he loves it in all honesty and I love being able to still cook for someone even if they’re non vegetarian. I can change the world in small ways by signing petitions sometimes, voting for responsible parties that involve themselves in strategic though s for our environment, helping animals and setting out goals that they will achieve if they are elected, certain parties also for the legalisation of cannabis in Australia and the decriminalisation of drugs in Australia. Helping refugees and the homeless in our country. I think that anyone can help and change the world, even in small ways some people might think that it just won’t do, but remember it will and don’t give up and give in to others. Always share your opinion but in a reasonable, safe, and caring way. Be kind to poeople even if they don’t share your exact beliefs, we are all only human after all (for now) …..
Thanks,
Tayla