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Self appointed President of the Free Range Pork Farmers Association (FRPFA), Fiona Chambers, has decided 'bred' free range producers should now come under the umbrella of the free range association. *

Founding member of FRPFA, Lee McCosker, has walked away from the Association and wants to send a clear message that she does not support Chambers or her actions.

"What a sad day this is. I think I speak for the majority of true free range pork producers when I say that I am appalled by this groups careless and irresponsible actions.  You really do have to question the motives of the people involved because they are not considering the interests of the hundreds of small free range producers in this country."  says a disappointed McCosker.

"I dont quite understand what their motivation is, but it is clearly not in the interest of the free range industry."

The new plans for FRPFA are in stark contradiction with information on Chamber's own website that states "Bred Free Range is a loose descriptor and continues to be a widely misunderstood term". 

Also contradicting himself is James Casper, supporter of Chambers and member of the committee of FRFPA.  Only a few weeks ago he was heard on national radio declaring that Bred Free Range is only a step up from intensively farmed pigs and the actual pork you are buying is not free range.  He goes on to say that having the words 'free range' in that descriptor is misleading for consumers.  Casper also states that he does not want be classed with people where the welfare of animals is not as good genuine free range.  You can hear the full story here ...

Lee McCosker is angry and so are many other free range producers.  "I operate a commercial, viable business and I have earned the right to differentiate my product from other pork production systems.  We have worked hard for over 3 years to set ourselves apart from industrialized pig farming and we are going to keep it that way" she says. "If this group wants to start an association that encompasses bred free range operators that is there right to do so, but, do not do it under the banner of free range pork."

"We are moving on from this and staying true to our producers.  The Free Range Pig Producers Association is the only organization dedicated to supporting true free range production.  Its simple, its free range or it isnt."

*SMH article

On Sunday night, 60 Minutes aired an expose on the pig industry with a focus on the use of sow stalls and farrowing crates.

"Our view is that the consumer should be able to make an informed choice when they purchase any product.  The intensive pig industry has been hidden from public scrutiny until now making it difficult for the consumer to understand that there are several different production methods within the pork industry"  commented Lee McCosker, President of the Free Range Pork Farmers Association.

"As a producer myself, and a member of Australian Pork Limited (APL), I must say that I am very disappointed with comments made by CEO of APL, Andrew Spencer during the 60 Minutes interview.  Mr Spencer has virtually condemned free range production as cruel in his attempt to defend the intensive industry.  We are part of this industry too and we do not agree with Mr Spencer's claims that 'sows love sow stalls, that they are actually good for them and that [stalls] are fantastic'.  The free range producer does not support the use of sow stalls.  It is clearly evident that the majority, (the intensive producers), rule within the austalian pork industry", says McCosker.

Review of Food Labelling Law: All claims on labels must hold up under scrutiny

Freedom of choice is the right of each and every consumer. Being able to make an informed choice is especially important.

The meaning of the word freedom, when used as a descriptor for the farming of pigs, is some what blurred by the lack of a legal definition for the term ‘free range’. 

 

Dictionaries define ‘free range’, the Australian pork industry describes it (www.aussiepigfarmers.com.au) yet, we cannot trust that the words have anything to do with freedom when it comes to product labelling.  The term ‘free range’ is not regulated by industry or defined by law, therefore, pork producers and processors have liberty when it comes to marketing their product.

 

A multitude of terms, designed to appeal to a new category of consumers seeking meat grown in a healthier, welfare friendly conditions of farming prevail. These include:  free range bred, bred free range, all natural, barn raised, eco shelter housing, deep litter housing, open range, organic  and free range.  All these terms prey on the ill informed public in the hands of unprincipled marketers.

 

“As a free range pig farmer myself, I can assure you that the differences between genuine free range production and any other system are vast.  Free range for us means just that, free to range.  For our farm it also means freedom from the burden of disease and the need for antibiotics as part of our production routine.  A free range farm also negates the need for mutilations like teeth clipping and tail docking that have become common practice in factory farming,” said President of the Free Range Pork Farmers Association, Lee McCosker. 

 

“If the consumer makes a choice to purchase meat for ethical or health reasons they have the right to be able to trust the label on that product. If a farmer makes the choice to satisfy the demand for such meat, they too should have the right to be able to sell without being undermined by lower cost imitations.”

 

A current survey, carried out by the Humane Society International, clearly demonstrates that consumers want more from their product labels. While 98.3% of respondents believe that full and adequate labelling is every consumers right,  only 7.4% believe that current labels give enough information to allow them to make informed purchasing decisions.

 

The Free Range Pork Farmers Association would like to see terms used to describe farming methods for meat products addressed at FSANZ’s upcoming food labelling law and policy review. 

 

“In the interest of simplicity, uniformity and the least burden to industry, we are suggesting that the pork, chicken and egg industries adopt the same descriptions with the terms to be defined in legislation” says Ms McCosker. 

“These terms, free range, barn raised and caged, are already in use, well accepted by consumers and aptly describe production systems in use in all three industries”.

For more information: 0401067967

The UK has led the way with animal welfare standards for pigs.  They have banned the use of sow stalls.  The EU will follow in 2013.  Australia has no intention of banning these stalls anytime soon.

Changes to our Code of Practice will supposedly restrict the amount of time a sow can be held in a stall, but there are also allowances within the code to extend that time at the will of the pig producer.  These changes would not take effect until 2017.

The Australian Code of Practice allows for sows to continue to be kept in stalls only centimetres larger than their bodies.  “ Industry would have us believe that there are major changes to the size of sow stalls, but, the new dimensions for these stalls only applies to new installations.  Pre-existing stalls will remain in use as long as the sow does not touch the bars on both sides simultaneously.” says  Lee McCosker, President of the Free Range Pork Farmers Association.

Australian intensive producers use farrowing crates and the Code allows for sows to held in these for 6 week periods each pregnancy.  The dimensions of these crates, as per the Code of Practice, are even smaller than sow stalls.

“The part of the story that I found quite disturbing was that viewers were left with the notion that all pigs are incapable of natural mating.  This may occur in factory farms were sows are too weak to stand for the boar and suffer injury as a result, but it is certainly not the case on a free range pig farm” commented McCosker.  “Certified free range farmers allow their pigs to mate naturally as our pigs are strong and healthy and do not suffer as a result of confined conditions that do not allow the sow to exercise and therefore cause her to become fragile”.

Australia is lagging behind when it comes to animal welfare standards for pigs.

A NSW intensive piggery has had pigs test positive for H1N1, or swine flu.  This is the first time Australian pigs have been affected by Swine Flu while most other pig producing countries have some form of Swine Flu endemic in the herds and have had so for some time.  There has been no risk to human health from pork produced in these countries.

“I expect that the affected piggery will be well managed by authorities and the outcome will be similar to a human swine flu outbreak in Canada and that it will be an isolated event”,  commented Lee McCosker, President of the Free Range Pork Farmers Association.  “There is no cause for consumer alarm, properly handled and cooked pork meat is safe to eat.”

FRPFA is in constant contact with our members reminding them to be vigilant and offering advice on how to manage their herds to prevent contamination.  “This is certainly a time when the value of our association is very apparent. Over 70% of Australian small producers own very small herds and many are left out of the loop when it comes to the dissemination of industry information.  Our association is ensuring open communication and discussion about swine flu amongst our 200 strong membership.” says McCosker.

Director of Australian Pork Limited, Neil Ferguson, has been charged with being cruel to an animal, namely a pig, which suffered harm that could have been alleviated by the taking of reasonable steps under section 19(1) and 19(3)(h) of the Animal Welfare Act 2002.

Ferguson also chairs the WA Agriculture Produce Commission (Pork Committee) and is on the Committee of Pork Training WA.

Westpork piggery, managed by Ferguson, was raided by police two years ago amid claims that some pigs at the facility had eaten others which had died in the pens has been charged with animal cruelty. Read the full story and view the disturbing footage.

The matter will again be before Midlands Magistrate Court (WA) on the 29th September 2009.

This is an embarrassing situation for the Australian Pork Industry.  We would like a clear statement from Australian Pork Limited that this sort of cruelty and disregard for animal and human health will not be tolerated.  This cannot be dismissed as an isolated incident and Mr Ferguson should be stood down from the Board of APL until this matter is heard in court.