Consumers kept in the dark on cruelty in food products

Commenting on remarks by Law Reform Commissioner Professor David Weisbrot reported in today's Sydney Morning Herald, Dr Kaye said: "Increasing numbers of consumers are concerned about farming practices that subject animals to undue levels of cruelty.
 
"Governments have failed to adequately regulate most forms of labelling, allowing unscrupulous branding which misleads shoppers and exploits their desire to end cruel farming practices.
 
"Professor Weisbrot's call for reform is well founded.
 
"NSW Food Minister Ian Macdonald has dodged the question of truth in labelling on animal food production methods.
 
"Consumers have a basic right to know how much cruelty was involved in the production of their food.
 
"Many households would be horrified if they were aware of the conditions under which the animals that produced their bacon and eggs were raised.
 
"The Ministerial Council on Food has limited its focus to the important issues of human health impacts of food preparation.
 
"We are calling on Minister Macdonald to raise the issue of ethical food labelling at the next Ministerial Council meeting and start the process of developing a uniform set of regulations for Australia and New Zealand.
 
"He owes it to the millions of people in NSW who are deeply concerned about the quality of life of the chickens, pigs, cows and sheep who provide them with food.
 
"A consistent and rigorous system of labelling for all animal products would reward those farmers and food processors who do the right thing by the creatures in their care. Only those who inflict undue cruelty would see their market share decline," Dr Kaye said.
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455