Humane Choice Blog

Humane Choice has a new Logo!

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 05:36:20 GMT

As free range becomes a much more familiar word in the consumer's vocabulary it is becoming harder to to work out just what is and isn't genuine free range. With the lack of a legal definition that leads to misleading labelling, we wanted to make sure there was no mistake about products carrying the Humane Choice logo.

Our standards are clear and precise and available to all. Our audits are carried out by an independent, registered audit provider. You can be sure its true free range when you see our logo.

David Jones Happy to Deceive Customers

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 23:17:17 GMT

Over the past 2 years HSI has been corresponding with David Jones over the misrepresentation of pork products sold through their flagship Sydney store. David Jones is continuing to brand pork as ‘free range’ knowing full well that they are misrepresenting production method.
Although we have repeatedly approached David Jones and sought intervention by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for false and misleading representation of products, they continue to deceive consumers. David Jones is taking advantage of the growing number of consumers who are seeking welfare friendly food and are prepared to pay extra. They have obviously identified that consumers are looking for free range product, but rather than finding the real McCoy, they are just mislabelling existing non free range product and charging the extra.
In a surprising response to media enquiries about the mislabelling of it’s ‘free range’ pork in their flagship Sydney store, David Jones has responded with the following:
"As there is no law or standard governing the use of the terms "free range" or "bred free range", David Jones is fully compliant with its legal obligations. This is a matter for the regulators."
Best wishes,
(name withheld)
General Manager - Public Relations
David Jones

This is certainly an eye opener for their customers! David Jones acknowledges that as there is no law governing terms used for meat production they can and will continue to deceive. And they are certainly not shy at charging premium prices with pork costing up to twice as much as the local supermarket.
“Consumers want and have the right to make informed decisions about the animal-derived food products that they are purchasing,” said HSI Director, Verna Simpson. “However, instead they are met with a suite of confusing, poorly defined and unregulated terms which producers and retailers are able to use and misuse at will.”
A labelling overhaul is overdue. HSI is calling for a national and mandatory labelling scheme for the method of production of all meat, eggs and dairy products, that only permits the use of a limited number of legally defined and regulated animal-welfare descriptors.
The Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council, comprising Ministers responsible for food and health issues are currently reviewing food labelling laws and policy. They have already had over 6000 written submissions and a series of public consultations, and the message is loud and clear. The Australian public has the right and the desire to know what they are buying. They are intelligent enough to decide their own ethics and make purchasing decisions on that basis.
Without Truth in Labelling it is not possible to make these informed purchasing decisions and it is time for Government and industry to catch up.

Contact: Verna Simpson, HSI Director, 02 9973 1728

Action Alert

(Past member) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 04:46:36 GMT

Humane Society International Extinction Denied Program

Action Alert

Demand the suspension of pork industry executive charged with animal cruelty

Sydney, 3 June 2009

Act as soon as possible

The manager of Western Australia’s largest piggery, Neil Ferguson, is still on the board of the pork industry’s peak body despite being charged with an animal cruelty offence.

In yet another disturbing case of animal cruelty on a pig farm, an investigation and raid were first carried out at the Westpork facility at Gingin in 2007 following the release of footage showing it was so full of waste and excrement that the pigs were struggling to walk. It has also been alleged that pigs were left to die lingering deaths once they had succumbed to illnesses, and that some pigs had eaten others that had died and were left in the pens.

The explicit footage taken at the Gingin piggery can be viewed online at:

http://ara.org.au/index.php/News/westpork-pty-ltd-charged-with-cruelty-at-gingin-pig-farm.html

The treatment of pigs at the Westpork Gingin piggery is unacceptable, yet despite the animal cruelty charge against him, Mr Ferguson has maintained his position on the APL (Australia Pork Limited) Board. In fact, it is not the only executive position in the pork industry maintained by Mr Ferguson – he is also involved in the training of pork producers through his position on the Pork Industry Training Committee in WA, and is the Chair of the WA Agriculture Produce Commission’s Pork Committee.

It is wholly inappropriate for a person charged with an animal cruelty offense to continue to hold a Board position with APL. Likewise, he should not be permitted a role in the training of pork producers.

It is essential that the APL, the Pork Industry Training Committee in WA, and the WA Agriculture Produce Commission revoke the positions held by Mr Ferguson until the case is resolved in court, and suspend him permanently if he is convicted. The hearing is scheduled to take place on the 1^st July 2009.

Action:

Write to each member of the APL Board, urging them to immediately suspend Mr Ferguson from his position on the Board until the animal cruelty charge is heard in court, and that he is removed permanently if found guilty. Ask that APL also makes a recommendation to the WA Pork Industry Training Committee and the WA Agricultural Produce Commission that his position is reviewed in light of the animal cruelty charge, and that further action is taken to revoke these positions if Mr Ferguson is convicted.

The members of the APL Board are: Mr Enzo Allara (Chairman), Mr Aeger Kingma, Mr Kenneth Cameron, Mr Paul Pattison, Mrs Kathy Grigg, Mrs Kay Carey, and Mrs Christine Quick.

Send your letters for each member to:

Australian Pork Limited

PO Box 148

Deakin West ACT 2600

Write to the West Australian Pork Producers’ Association who facilitates the Pork Industry Training (WA) committee, noting that Mr Ferguson has been charged with an animal cruelty offence and should therefore not be allowed a training role in the pork industry until the case is heard in court. Highlight your concern about Mr Ferguson’s involvement in the development and facilitation of training courses on stockpersonship and production given the charge against him.

Contact:

Mr Russell Cox

Executive Officer

West Australian Pork Producers’ Association

277 Great Eastern Highway

Belmont WA 6104

Email: russell@wappa.com.au

Write to the Agricultural Produce Commission, stressing that a person charged with an animal cruelty offense must not be permitted to continue to be on the Board of a government committee supporting the pork industry until the case is resolved.

Contact:

Ingrid Smith

Executive Officer

Agricultural Produce Commission

3 Baron-Hay Court

South Perth WA 6151

Email: apc@agric.wa.gov.au

Please send us copies of any responses you receive.

Further information at www.hsi.org.au

HSI concentrates on the preservation of endangered animals and ecosystems and works to ensure quality of life for all animals, both domestic and wild. HSI is the largest animal protection not-for-profit organisation in the world, with over 10 million supporters globally and has been established in Australia since 1994.

Humane Society International Inc - Australian Office

PO Box 439 Avalon NSW 2107 Australia

Ph: 02 9973 1728 Fax: 02 9973 1729 www.hsi.org.au