A rural social media backlash has led to Coles announcing this morning that it will withdraw funding-raising shopping bags supporting Animals Australia from sale.
The Coles’ initiative sparked six days of social media outrage, with farmers threatening to boycott the chain over its support for an organisation that is widely viewed in rural areas as an extremist animal activist group with an agenda to end animal agriculture.
Coles confirmed this morning that it had accepted an offer from Animals Australia to withdraw the bags from sale in light of the criticism the move has generated.
Animals Australia launched an angry tirade of its own, accusing the National Farmers Federation of launching a “vicious campaign” against Coles and describing farmer opposition to a campaign aimed at improving the quality of life of factory farmed animals as "deplorable'.
Coles said it had received thousands of messages of support for the initiative but agreed to withdraw the bags from sale because it was concerned that its work with pork and chicken suppliers to improve animal welfare would be over shadowed by farmer reaction to the Animals Australia campaign on live cattle exports.
The National Farmers Federation said the rural sector, which was investing millions of dollars into animal welfare improvements, refused to be bullied by an organisation that stood on the sidelines and "threw stones" and invested in expensive public campaigns against agriculture but not physical animal welfare improvements.
NFF CEO Matt Linegar said Animals Australia's description of farmer opposition to the Coles' initiative as a "vicious campaign" was 'ridiculous'.
"This was not a campaign at all: it was simply farmers mobilising to tell their own story," he said.
“This group (Animals Australia) is obviously extremely concerned that their real agenda – to end animal agriculture in this country – has been revealed."
This morning's decision has won praise on social media for Coles from many who were criticising it yesterday, and anger from those who 24 hours earlier were applauding its support for Animals Australia.
Commenting on Twitter, rural 'agvocate' and WA sheep producer Michael Trant, said the chain should receive credit for its decision to withdraw support for the animal rights group, and questioned Animals Australia's use of the term "vicious campaign" to describe farmer opposition to the shopping bag campaign.
"Lol at "vicious campaign." Fairly sure no one at @AnimalsAus will lose their job over this. Whereas we've got 2 farms 4 sale becos of theirs" he tweeted this morning.
Full statements from Animals Australia, Coles and the National Farmers Federation released this morning follow:
Animals Australia media statement:
Animals Australia has asked Coles to withdraw the 'Make it Possible' shopper bags from their stores to bring to an end to the vicious campaign launched by the National Farmers Federation against Coles and Wesfarmers.
"It is a dark day for animal welfare in this country when a retailer’s support for an animal welfare initiative is vehemently opposed by the farming lobby,” said Animals Australia Campaign Director Lyn White.
“This decision was not made lightly but in the midst of this distracting attack, the animals at the heart of this issue were being disregarded and forgotten. We also could not stand by and watch an act of generosity from Coles be turned against them.”
“It is one thing for these groups to defend the live export trade, but to actively oppose a public initiative encouraging consumers to use their purchasing power to get laying hens out of cages and a better quality of life for pigs and meat chickens in this country is deplorable.”
“Their routine PR defence of the live trade is that they can improve welfare in importing countries, yet they are actively opposing attempts to do so in their own.”
“It is not Coles or Animals Australia that are the true victims of these concerted attacks – it is the 500 million animals raised annually in factory farms who are relying on consumers becoming informed about their plight and making kinder choices.”
“There undoubtedly will be those in the farming community who will shout 'victory' that Animals Australia has chosen to withdraw the 'Make it Possible' bags. But they should reflect on the message that they have sent to the broader Australian community by opposing an initiative that was designed to improve the lives of animals and provide the platform for farmers to move to more humane systems.”
"This only increases our determination to provide factory-farmed animals with the representation they need. Our bags may no longer be in Coles supermarkets, but we will now ensure that the plight of these animals is beamed into every living room in Australia by bringing our award winning Make it Possible television commercial back on air from next Monday.”
“Assisting us to keep this ad on air will provide the many thousands of Australians who have been angered by the farming lobby's attack on Coles with the opportunity to respond in the most positive way.”
Animals Australia remains grateful to Coles for its support and its ongoing commitment to improving animal welfare in its supply chains. The Make it Possible bags will be available for sale online at www.MakeitPossible.com/bag
Coles media statement:
Coles has welcomed the large number of community members supporting its push for improved animal welfare standards but has accepted an offer by Animals Australia to withdraw its limited range of "Making it Possible" shopping bags from sale.
Up until the close of business yesterday, Coles had received thousands of supportive Facebook posts and hundreds of individual e mails supporting its campaign for sow stall free pork and an end to caged chicken eggs.
However, Coles was concerned that the good work with our farmer suppliers in the pork and chicken industries would be over shadowed by farmer reaction to the Animals Australia campaign on live cattle exports and has therefore agreed with the offer to withdraw its shopping bags.
Coles remains committed to improved animal welfare because its customers place a high priority on better farming standards and will continue to work with community groups who have a legitimate view about these issues along with our farmer suppliers.
National Farmers Federation media statement:
Australian farmers are today getting on with the job of continuously improving Australia’s animal welfare, in conjunction with respected animal welfare groups, after standing up for themselves and the Australian farming sector on social media and preventing the sale of animal activist shopping bags in major retailer Coles.
NFF CEO Matt Linnegar said the decision by Animals Australia to withdraw their bags was the sensible decision, after they saw the immense negative reaction to such a sale via social media.
“Today, farmers have shown that they will not be bullied by an extremist animal activist group,” Mr Linnegar said.
“Let’s be very clear: Australian farmers are committed to animal welfare. Our farmers raise, care for and nurture their stock and care deeply about what happens to them. We understand that improvements need to be made, but farmers, working with respected animal welfare groups, the community and governments, will be the ones who make them.
“Improving animal welfare is about changing behaviours. This will not be achieved by a group that simply stands on the sidelines and throws stones, which Animals Australia has proven itself to be.
“As far as we are aware, they do not invest a single cent of the millions of dollars they raise on actually improving animal welfare. Where are their programs that actually help farmers improve welfare? Why aren’t they investing the thousands of dollars that it will cost them to air their TV commercials on the ground in helping improve conditions for the animals they claim to defend?
“Quite simply, animal welfare marketing campaigns do not equal animal welfare outcomes.
“Critically, Australian farmers already do work with respected welfare bodies – and we will continue to do so – to ensure welfare improvements are made, and that community expectations are understood. But we will not be bullied by those organisations who do nothing but pour millions of dollars into attacking farmers and agriculture.
“The claims today that NFF ran a ‘vicious campaign’ are, quite simply, ridiculous – given it was this group that has been running vicious campaigns against agriculture continuously over the past few years. This was not a campaign at all: it was simply farmers mobilising to tell their own story.
“This group is obviously extremely concerned that their real agenda – to end animal agriculture in this country – has been revealed.
“Today’s decision is the right decision, and both Animals Australia and Coles now have an opportunity to show their support of Australian farmers by working with them, not against them, to continuously improve animal welfare,” Mr Linnegar said.