Road trains, mustering choppers and tractors will converge on Darwin next Tuesday as part of a major rally in support of the live export trade.

The rally will be held to raise awareness about the impact of the Federal Government’s suspension of live cattle exports to Indonesia on Australia’s entire cattle industry, and to highlight the impact that a total ban will have on animal welfare in key markets.

The rally will start in the Darwin CBD and will then make its way around to Parliament House.

“We have to do something before they ruin this industry,” one of the organisers, Anna Parsissons from Flying Fox Station, Katherine, told Beef Central this morning.

“People are in dire straits, they can’t sell their cattle.

“It has happened at the time of year when people sell their cattle so they can pay their mortgages and their debts.”

The rally will take place form 6am until 2pm on Tuesday, June 21.

Organisers are emphasising that the ban is an animal welfare issue, not an export Issue.

They are stressing that the event will be a peaceful and family orientated rally, and will be an opportunity to raise support and awareness, not conflict.

Road trains, B-doubles, tractors and helicopters will be strategically positioned around the city to support the awareness campaign.

“As a representation of the diverse range of commercial entities that the ban on live export has affected in Northern Australia we are asking participants to not bring protest banners, but to bring banners of their organisation, business, company, station and/or logo for display on the day."

The rally will draw attention to the view that work by animal welfare groups to shut down the live export trade on animal welfare grounds is likely to have the perverse effect of leading to worse animal welfare conditions for all animals in those countries through the removal of the Australian industry as a key agent of change and investment in animal welfare improvements in those markets.

Visit the rally website at www.asbf.com.au or click here to view the full information flyer.

Further details on the rally available by clicking here