News

Industry groups call out environmental groups for continual attacks

Beef Central 24/07/2024

CATTLE Australia and the National Farmers’ Federation have come out against a growing list of environmental groups who have been campaigning against the beef industry.

The latest has been the Australian Conservation Foundation, which today released a report labelling the food system is failing nature. It followed a report last week, which is covered in this Beef Central item today.

Environmental groups have been attacking some of the beef industry’s biggest supply chains in recent months, in a bid to get them to go above state vegetation management laws and commit to eliminating “deforestation” from their supply chains.

The ACF, the Wilderness Society, the WWF and Greenpeace have also been running fundraising campaigns off the back of their attacks on the industry.

National Farmers’ Federation president David Jochinke said the latest ACF report is an ill-informed swipe at farmers and food companies.

“Peddling this kind of ideology spreads harmful misinformation and completely ignores the facts,” Mr Jochinke said.

“Inflammatory language suggesting when people are just trying to feed their families, they’re contributing to wildlife extinction is extremely poor form. It’s a transparent attempt to line their fundraising coffers by beating up on household brands that buy from Aussie farmers.

“As custodians of more than half of Australia’s landmass, farmers play a central role in caring for and improving our natural environment – it’s in their best interests to do this and they do it on behalf of all Australians.

“Australia’s regulatory framework is some of the most stringent in the world, and we’re seeing clearing rates continue to drop further each year.

“Evidence shows in Queensland clearing has dropped 50pc year-on-year and 80pc of what is being cleared is repeat management of woody regrowth required to maintain a healthy biodiversity balance.”

CA says groups are cherry-picking science

CA chief executive officer Dr Chris Parker said the current campaign by eNGOs is further proof these groups have no interest in engaging with the sector or broadening their understanding of the science that accurately reflects the important role of Australian beef production.

“Creating outrage is fundamental to the business model of these groups; that’s how they get money from donors. We understand they need to have an enemy to create this outrage, however the cattle industry is not that enemy,” Dr Parker said.

“We’ve tried engaging with these groups, however they’ve made it clear to us, and the supply chain, it is their way or the highway.

“Unlike eNGOs, who are intolerant to alternate views and seemingly cherry-pick science or create their own, the Australian beef industry is committed to continually demonstrating and improving its performance through evidence-based metrics, to ensure we remain a world leader in this space.”

Cattle Australia CEO Dr Chris Parker

Dr Parker said the Australian beef industry plays an important role in food and nutritional security, contributes to the resilience of our communities and nation, and as custodians of more than 50 per cent of the country’s land mass, is proud to play a part in ensuring the sustainability and prosperity of our environment for generations to come.

“It is disappointing to see, yet again, eNGOs are more interested in peddling idealisms and misinformation than engaging in sensible and respectful discussions that will genuinely lead to greater outcomes for landscapes, animals, biodiversity, food security and communities throughout Australia and across the globe,” he said.

“Rather than waste time on the entirely unworkable ideologies purported by extreme groups, we would much prefer to engage in productive dialogue about the range of policies CA, and the wider industry, is working to implement.”

Dr Parker said well-managed and thriving natural resources and livestock production are not adversaries, but rather run hand-in-hand.

“There is a wealth of data showcasing this intrinsic link between healthy environments and the prosperity of agricultural business, and these ‘scorecards’ by eNGOs proclaiming Australian agriculture is failing nature do not account for the specific nuances of our industry,” he said.

“The wilful ignorance from environmental groups serves their purposes well, but does little to help the environment, despite positioning themselves as its ‘protector’.”

Dr Parker said you need only look at Australia’s vegetation management regulations, which are some of the strictest in the world, to find evidence of the industry’s commitment to the environment.

“The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization ranks Australia as second in the world for reforestation with an average net gain in forest area between 2010-2020 of 446,000 hectares per year,” Dr Parker said.

“Research by the University of Queensland (UQ) has shown 95% of Queensland’s koala population is found within beef cattle properties. This work clearly highlights that well managed landscapes contribute to sustainable conservation and, in this specific case, productive agriculture coexists with and supports healthy koala populations.

“Land management activities are also critical to managing natural disasters, as well as weeds, pests and diseases, to ensure the ecological health of our landscape and positive biodiversity outcomes.”

Most recently, independent data from the Queensland Government’s Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATS) showed in 2021-22 there was a decrease of 7pc in overall woody vegetation clearing activity across the state compared with the previous year.

They also reported a 64pc reduction in regulated vegetation clearing over a four-year period.

Dr Parker said this report shows it is possible to strike the right balance between conservation and agricultural production, and supports the beef industry’s land management practices.

“Australian beef producers prioritise their responsibility to care for natural resources and we absolutely stand behind our sustainability credentials and commitment to continual improvement, as evidenced by the gains we consistently make across a range of environmental measures,” Dr Parker said.

“We are committed to working with all stakeholders to achieve the best possible outcomes for environment, animals and people.

“If eNGOs truly want to fight for our climate and communities together, it’s time they made the same commitment.”

Source: NFF and Cattle Australia

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  1. Greg Menzies, 03/08/2024

    As a fellow livestock owner that runs sheep it is a growing concern that these so called Conservationists are attacking the whole agricultural industry with these idealistic ideas that are looking to starve the world population misinformation is the new weapon that is peddled by the Labour /Greens government and all those opposing agriculture
    The fight is only going to get harder when a lot of this nonsense is being pushed by University Lecturers on our next generation

  2. Tony Gleeson, 25/07/2024

    For all my adult life I have been involved in the commercial, policy, science, and political facets of animal production, most specifically in beef production. Now near the end of my working life it is depressing to read these divisive observations from representatives of the National Farmers Federation (NFF) and Cattle Australia (CA). Our license to farm is not enhanced by these actions.
    Representatives of the NFF and CA should reflect on the fact that urban and regional Australians have great empathy with farmers but they, like environmental organizations, are concerned about the capacity of farmers and governments to protect the natural environment.
    The NFF President, David Jochinke accuses the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) of peddling ideology but at the same time advocates for farmers as conservationists. It has become customary to denigrate people because of their ideology. Yet what groups other than land managers and conservationists would have ideologies, that is beliefs and values, of greater similarity?
    Mr Jochinke’s contention that farmers are just trying to feed their families reflects an unattractive agricultural fundamentalism that infects organisations representing farmers. In this context it might be noted that, building on NFF Farm Facts, Australian food exports are sufficient to cater only for the needs of about 0.2 percent of the world population. These exports are consumed mainly by well-off people in NZ, US, UK, Japan, and China. Furthermore, small volumes of low-priced Australian exports to countries like Timor Leste arguably depress local food security.
    The Cattle Australia’s Dr Parker observed you need look only at Australia’s vegetation management regulations to find evidence of the industry’s commitment to the environment. This is a curious point given the industry’s legendary opposition to vegetation management regulations albeit at times for good reasons. Perhaps Dr Parker and others might better acknowledge that the measured reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the red meat industry is primarily driven by regulated changes in land use rather than by industry innovation.
    To finish on a lighter note, given the status of the koala as a threatened species, it is a conundrum as to why the Cattle Australia’s Dr Parker highlights that ninety five percent of Queensland’s koala population is found within beef cattle properties. Is he suggesting that the other five percent would be safer on beef properties?

    • David Hill, 26/07/2024

      What is your point Tony?
      Are you saying that the illegal clearing claims made by the likes of Greenpeace and ACF are true?
      As to your lighter note statement, nothing light about seeing billboards and media statements saying that eating red meat kills koalas!
      We have had Dr Bill Ellis on our land, I would hope that you would agree that he has a level of credibility equal to your own, he was quoted in an article on this forum which was in response to claims I mentioned above. We have a lot of koala habitat as well as significant numbers of koalas, which Dr Bill Ellis maintains benefit from the way we manage the environment which sustains our small family business. We also have a significant amount of Brigalow country, I am not sure what you think is going to be the benefit’s from those that say how we currently manage regrowth is illegal and should be stopped because Brigalow regrowth left alone is monoculture that has little upside!
      As to your statement about emissions reductions in the red meat industry, maybe you might like to recognise that there was and has been next to no upside for affected landholders! Different story for wider Australian taxpayers and emissions intensive industries though?

      Story with Bill Ellis here: https://www.beefcentral.com/news/why-some-of-qlds-largest-and-healthiest-koala-populations-are-found-in-cattle-grazing-areas/ Editor

    • Bill Burrows, 26/07/2024

      Here you go Tony. All the land depicted in the following photos (See: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jW6siSJ3shaZLPKAW7u41QAgFjJWUhZT/view ) is predominantly non rural and in areas previously regarded as ideal habitat for vulnerable koalas and greater gliders, amongst many other threatened fauna and flora species in Queensland. It has been protected in the past because of its steepness and inaccessibility.
      Yet the photos clearly show the damage now being inflicted on this unique area by State anointed industrial scale bird choppers (I can’t call them wind ‘farms’ as it is insulting to rural industry). Under the State’s Vegetation Management Act (1999) clearing of most of the area required for wind turbine development in this pristine high country would be prohibited by Law (with very stiff financial penalties imposed for even minor infringements).
      Then how did all this come about? Surely the VMA protects this pristine habitat? Well Robert Onfray noted in the Australian Rural and Regional News newsletter (3 December 2023) that to get around these ‘problems’ “wind factories were made exempt from the Vegetation Management Act 1999 (Qld) and Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Qld)”. ————“. Instead, they are subject to State Planning Code 23, the Wind Farm Code, which incredibly overrides those two acts”!
      So, our precious government exposes its selective decision-making process in all its glory. And likewise, not a murmur from our ostensible “conservation bodies” to save this unique flora and fauna habitat. Hypocrites all of them!

  3. John Gunthorpe, 24/07/2024

    Unfortunately, Cattle Australia have fallen into the “Chamberlain appeasement strategy”. These activist bodies want to exterminate beef production, and they are our direct enemies. As Dr, Parker is finding out, you cannot talk to them about reconciliation. Stop wasting your time and member contributions.

    You must attack them with every argument you have so you can sway the public view to the truth. Converting grass to meat protein is the best use of much of the land we have under management. Meat protein is an important dietary component of a balanced human meal. MLA had an advertising campaign around the iron benefits to women from meat consumption. It needs to be revisited as part of the campaign to defeat these activists.

    Stop the foolish discussions with our enemy and start a well-designed campaign to defeat them.
    Australian Cattle Industry Council

    • Helen, 01/08/2024

      You are correct, there is a lot of misinformation about meat and animal agriculture, I belong to numerous pro meat pages of facebook and have to deal with toxic vegans on a daily basis. I know people who, although not vegan or vegetarian, avoid red meat because they believe that is unhealthy. I think the beef and livestock industry needs to run education campaigns, especially targeting the you on the benefits of red meat. There are high profile doctors out there, such as Dr Anthony Chaffe who can assist with that. I suffered much of my life on a high plant diet, now I eat lots of meat and feel great, no health issues despite my age. Access to good nutrition is a basic human right.

  4. Peter Dunn, 24/07/2024

    Dr Chris Parker is both correct, and not correct.
    Firstly, regarding the ACF, WS, WWF and Greenpeace axis, he is absolutely correct that creating outrage is fundamental to their business model. That axis of denial/disruption/dishonesty/deceit (choose your descriptor/s) is ideologically blind and incapable of reason. Dr Parker is correct about their business model.
    However secondly, Dr Parker is not correct about the cattle industry, because, for the foregoing reasons, the cattle industry IS THEIR ENEMY. So too, for that matter, are all other rural industries, to varying degrees and at varying whims of urgency.
    Ideology is about unquestioning faith in feel-good goals. Ideology is not about guaranteeing a viable or sustainable alternative, it is not about responsibility for the consequences of goal achievement, and it is not about concern for those who are adversely impacted, the community at large, or indeed the entire nation.
    Ideology is only about achieving the goal. Financial and human costs are of no consequence. Ideologues have no friends.

    • Bill Burrows, 25/07/2024

      Well said Peter! It’s time to stand up to ideologues and fanatics/activists. They are not interested in establishing an honest dialogue with rural industry. They have no understanding of history because they act and believe as though it only began on the day they were born. They certainly do not appreciate the structure and function of our vegetation and its evolutionary pathway. Dorathea Mackellar’s ‘land of sweeping plains’ is simply beyond their comprehension and education. The last thing they are interested in is optimising the tree-grass balance to benefit the environment and the productivity of domestic livestock.
      It’s time for everyone who has the Australian beef industry at heart to tell these tunnel visioned zealots to “go pound sand”. And frankly (as John Gunthorpe’s comment implied ) the present mindset of these activist bodies invites only one response – don’t have anything to do with any of them. [To which we should probably include the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists – see “Scientists put dollar estimate on cost to repair Australia’s environment” (Beef Central 24/07/2024). Another group of largely woke, green dominated ‘experts’ who are quick to trumpet a myopic version of the land and its condition – but with nary an acknowledgement of the successful rural landholders and others who have helped feed and clothe the nation for the past 200 + years, and many other parts of the world as well].

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