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Food Production and Animal Welfare Legislation in Australia: Failing Both Animals and the Environment

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International Farm Animal, Wildlife and Food Safety Law

Abstract

In this chapter, we explore how animals in Australia are raised and processed domestically for food and exported internationally. We trace the rise of corporate domination of farm animal production in Australia as a response to increasing domestic and international demand for meat products and describe the systematic exclusion of State and Territory Animal Welfare Acts to farm animals intended to be processed for food. In doing so, we illustrate the complexity of Australia’s regulatory framework governing Australian farm animals by taking the poultry industry (chicken meat and eggs) as our case study. We then explore Australia’s highly controversial live animal export industry; its highly visible failures and more recent attempts by the Australian government to introduce traceability and accountability into the live export supply chain. We then discuss the major environmental externalities associated with intensive farm animal operations; identifying the energy inefficiencies associated with raising and processing animals for human consumption. We note the contribution of intensive animal farming to atmospheric CO2 emissions as well as the water degradation caused by waste matter runoff. In response to these environmental externalities, we propose the use of artificial photosynthetic technology as a means of transforming the farm animal industry from one of net energy and resource taker to one approaching energy and waste neutrality. We conclude by examining four major problems with the troubled relationship between farm animals and the Australian domestic food and live export industries. The chapter is purposefully written for the well informed reader, interested in farm animal welfare in the different countries of the world, but who is not necessarily informed about the industry and regulatory framework in Australia. Accordingly, the chapter is written in a way that is not overly-technical, but nevertheless leads the reader through the sometimes complex and contradictory nature of farm animal regulation in Australia.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Alex Hershaft, Environmental Action Magazine 1990.

  2. 2.

    Allen (1992), p. 209. For a more animal-centric analysis, see Thomas (2005), p. 71.

  3. 3.

    Cheever (2000), p. 43.

  4. 4.

    Wender (2011), p. 141.

  5. 5.

    Follmer (2009), pp. 45, 51–52.

  6. 6.

    McAllister et al. (2006), p. 41.

  7. 7.

    Tim O’Brien, Compassion in World Farming Trust, Factory Farming: The Global Threat, 1998, Compassion in World Farming.

  8. 8.

    Ibrahim (2007), p. 86.

  9. 9.

    Evans (2006), p. 167.

  10. 10.

    Gunderson (2011), p. 1, 3–4.

  11. 11.

    Mason and Singer (1990).

  12. 12.

    Casuto (2012), pp. 73–75.

  13. 13.

    Cassuto (2007), p. 59.

  14. 14.

    From Nest to Nugget: An Expose of Australia’s Chicken Factories, Voiceless, November 2008 at 9.

  15. 15.

    Alex Bruce, Australian Competition Law, 2013, LexisNexis Butterworths, Sydney Australia at 7 ff.

  16. 16.

    Australian Chicken Meat Federation Inc, The Australian Chicken Meat Industry: An Industry in Profile, 2012 at 13. <http://www.chicken.org.au/industryprofile/> Accessed on 29 March 2012.

  17. 17.

    Top 25 Red Meat Processors, ‘Feedback’, Meat & Livestock Industry Journal Supplement, October 2005.

  18. 18.

    ACCC will not Oppose Teys Bros and Cargill Beef Australia Proposed Merger, ACCC Media Release dated 6 July 2011.

  19. 19.

    http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Web+Pages/Population+Clock?opendocument.

  20. 20.

    McAllister et al. (2006), p. 41.

  21. 21.

    Australian Bureau of Statistics, Livestock Products, Australia, December 2011 (cat no 7215.0), p 4, on <www.abs.gov.au> at Statistics (cited 27 March 2012).

  22. 22.

    Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) is a corporation whose members are Australian cattle producers. MLA is the corporate entity that acts as the cattle farmer’s advocate in the development of Commonwealth primary industry policies. It also provides marketing and research on behalf of its member cattle farmers.

  23. 23.

    Meat and Livestock Australia, Australian Fresh Meat Consumption Increases, 3 December 2010, on <www.mla.com.au> at Prices & Markets, then Market News at Dec 2010 (cited 21 August 2011).

  24. 24.

    Voiceless, Lifting the Veil of Secrecy: The Animal Behind your Food, May 2007.

  25. 25.

    United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs; World Population Prospects - The 2010 Revision <http://www.un.org/popin/> (accessed 29 March 2012).

  26. 26.

    Thornton (2010), pp. 2854–2855.

  27. 27.

    Hocquette and Chatellier (2011), p. 20.

  28. 28.

    Hume et al. (2011), p. 1 at 2.

  29. 29.

    Galyean et al. (2011), pp. 29–32.

  30. 30.

    National Farmers Federation, NFF Farm Facts: 2012 at 3. < http://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html> accessed on 29 March 2012.

  31. 31.

    Vinnari and Tapio (2009), p. 269.

  32. 32.

    Winders and Nibert (2004), p. 76.

  33. 33.

    Plowman et al. (2008), pp. 25–29.

  34. 34.

    Jamieson (1991), p. 238.

  35. 35.

    Jamieson (1991), p. 238.

  36. 36.

    Official Record of the Debates of the Australia Federal Constitution, Sydney, 22 September 1897 at 1059–1064.

  37. 37.

    Cao (2010), p. 100.

  38. 38.

    ABC v Lenah Game Meats Pty Ltd (2001) 208 CLR 199 at.

  39. 39.

    Saltoon v Lake [1978] 1 NSWLR 52.

  40. 40.

    http://www.daff.gov.au/.

  41. 41.

    http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/1986223/cic-102054-aaws.pdf.

  42. 42.

    http://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/welfare/nccaw.

  43. 43.

    Saltoon v Lake [1978] 1 NSWLR 52.

  44. 44.

    Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (Qld); Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 (NSW); Animal Welfare Act 1992 (ACT); Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 (Vic), Animal Welfare Act (Tas); Animal Welfare Act 1993 (SA), Animal Welfare Act 2002 (WA); Animal Welfare Act (NT).

  45. 45.

    Welty (2007), pp. 176–182.

  46. 46.

    Australian Standard for the Hygienic Production & Transportation of Meat and Meat Products for Human Consumption (AS 4696:2007); National Animal Welfare Standards for Livestock Processing Establishments Preparing Meat for Human Consumption 2009-2010 (2nd Ed), Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Livestock at Slaughtering Establishments 2002.

  47. 47.

    Cao et al. (2010), p. 115.

  48. 48.

    Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 (NSW); sections 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 16; Crimes Act 1990 (NSW) s 530.

  49. 49.

    Cao et al. (2010), pp. 192–194.

  50. 50.

    Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Domestic Poultry 2002, 4th ed, Primary Industries Standing Committee, Canberra “Preface”.

  51. 51.

    http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/974882.

  52. 52.

    Sharman (2008), pp. 46–48.

  53. 53.

    Australian Chicken Meat Federation inc: Growing Meat Chickens < http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=6> (Accessed 30 March 2012).

  54. 54.

    Re VFF Chicken Meat Growers’ Boycott Authorisation (2009) ACompT 2 (21 April 2006) at 1.

  55. 55.

    Baiada Poultry Pty Ltd v The Queen [2012] HCA 14 (30 March 2012).

  56. 56.

    Cobb 700 – The New Standard in High Yield; Cobb-Vantrass Inc, 2007.

    <http://www.cobb-vantress.com/Products/ProductProfile/Cobb700_Sales_Brochure_2007.pdf> (Accessed 1 April 2012).

  57. 57.

    Olanrewaju et al. (2006), p. 301.

  58. 58.

    Buijs et al. (2010), p. 102.

  59. 59.

    Glatz et al. (2009), p. 3.

  60. 60.

    Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Domestic Poultry 2002, 4th ed, Primary Industries Standing Committee, Canberra, Chapter 13, paragraphs 13.2 and 13.4 at p. 19.

  61. 61.

    Deep et al. (2010), p. 2326.

  62. 62.

    European Commission Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare The Welfare of Chickens Kept for Meat Production (Broilers), Adopted 21 March 2000.

  63. 63.

    Ibid at 30.

  64. 64.

    From Nest to Nugget, November 2008, Voiceless at 12.

  65. 65.

    Sirri et al. (2007), p. 734; Bilgili et al. (2009), p. 583.

  66. 66.

    Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Domestic Poultry 2002, 4th ed., Primary Industries Standing Committee, Canberra at 17.

  67. 67.

    Turnidge (2001), p. 26.

  68. 68.

    Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Land Transport of Poultry, 2006 Primary Industries Standing Committee, Canberra, clause 4.5.2 at p. 9.

  69. 69.

    Ibid at clause 4.2.3 at p 7.

  70. 70.

    Animals Australia: Broiler Chickens Fact Sheet (undated). <http://www.animalsaustralia.org/factsheets/broiler_chickens.php#toc5>.

  71. 71.

    Hindle et al. (2010), p. 402.

  72. 72.

    Australian Egg Corporation Limited, 2010 Annual Report at 3.

  73. 73.

    Ibid at 12.

  74. 74.

    Sharman (2008), pp. 49–50.

  75. 75.

    Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Domestic Poultry 2002, 4th ed, Primary Industries Standing Committee, Canberra cl 12.5 at 17.

  76. 76.

    Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Domestic Poultry 2002, 4th ed, Primary Industries Standing Committee, Canberra, cl 14 at 21.

  77. 77.

    <http://www.aecl.org/system/attachments/454/original/Draft%20Egg%20Standards%20of%20Australia.pdf?1316400975> (Accessed 1 April 2012).

  78. 78.

    Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Domestic Poultry 2002, 4th ed, Primary Industries Standing Committee, Canberra, Appendix 2, A2.1.4 at p. 28.

  79. 79.

    Sharman (2008), pp. 46–48.

  80. 80.

    Sharman (2008), pp. 46–48.

  81. 81.

    Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES), Live Export Trade Assessment, July 2014 at (vii).

  82. 82.

    Colin Bettles, China Deal a “Cracking” Win: NFF, The Land, 17 November 2014. http://www.farmonline.com.au/news/agriculture/agribusiness/general-news/china-deal-a-cracking-win-nff/2717567.aspx (Accessed 12 December 2014).

  83. 83.

    Senate Select Committee on Animal Welfare, Parliament of Australia, Export of Live Sheep from Australia (1985) at 185.

  84. 84.

    A large, multi-million dollar class action suit has been initiated against the Australian government by beef export companies seeking compensation for losses suffered during the period of suspension. http://www.farmonline.com.au/news/agriculture/agribusiness/general-news/live-ex-class-action-moves-forward/2716030.aspx?storypage=0 (Accessed 12 December 2014).

  85. 85.

    Hastreiter (2013), p. 181.

  86. 86.

    Coghlan (2014), p. 49.

  87. 87.

    Brad Thompson and Andrew Tillett, Call to Make Live Export Ban Permanent: “The West Australian” 7 May, 2013.

  88. 88.

    Black (2013), p. 80.

  89. 89.

    Ibid. See also; Chaudhri (2014), p. 279.

  90. 90.

    Casuto (2012), pp. 75.

  91. 91.

    Tao (2002–2003), p. 15.

  92. 92.

    Elferink and Nonhebel (2007), p. 1778.

  93. 93.

    Tao (2002–2003), p. 333.

  94. 94.

    Cheever (2000), p. 44.

  95. 95.

    Tao (2002–2003), p. 334.

  96. 96.

    Lee Nardo (2000), p. 83.

  97. 97.

    Faunce (2011), p. 276 ff.

  98. 98.

    Ibid.

  99. 99.

    Bruce and Faunce (2015).

  100. 100.

    Faunce (2012).

  101. 101.

    Faunce et al. (2013), p. 695.

  102. 102.

    Faunce et al. (2015).

  103. 103.

    Faunce (2015), p. xxxii.

  104. 104.

    White (2007), p. 347; Ellis (2010), p. 4.

  105. 105.

    Ibid.

  106. 106.

    Cao (2010), p. 140.

  107. 107.

    http://www.mincos.gov.au/about_SCoPI.

  108. 108.

    Ellis (2010), p. 13.

  109. 109.

    http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/animal_welfare.html.

  110. 110.

    http://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/animal/committees/ahc/awwg.

  111. 111.

    Dale (2009), pp. 185–186.

  112. 112.

    Ellis (2010), p. 13.

  113. 113.

    Deborah. Cao, Animal Law in Australia and New Zealand, 2010 Lawbook Co, Sydney, NSW at 140.

  114. 114.

    National Farmers Federation, NFF Farm Facts: 2012 at 3. < http://www.nff.org.au/farm-facts.html> accessed on 29 March 2012.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australian National University, College of Law, Canberra, ACT, Australia

    Alex Bruce & Thomas Faunce

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  1. Food Law International, LLP, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Gabriela Steier

  2. Food Law International, LLP, Washington, D.C., USA

    Kiran K. Patel

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Bruce, A., Faunce, T. (2017). Food Production and Animal Welfare Legislation in Australia: Failing Both Animals and the Environment. In: Steier, G., Patel, K. (eds) International Farm Animal, Wildlife and Food Safety Law. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18002-1_11

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