Last week, my normally enjoyable read through of Queensland Country Life was more of a chilling wake-up call.
Right from the front page – with allegations that Animals Australia, a so-called animal welfare charity, had bribed workers to be cruel to export animals to try to discredit the industry – the paper offered an alarming picture of things to come.
There were articles on the despicable Aussie Farms agri-terrorism website and a global campaign by fringe animal activist group PETA aimed at stamping out the “cruel” wool industry.
It is clear that radical organisations like these are stepping up efforts to destroy an entire industry and are cleverly attempting to mobilise ordinary members of the community behind them.
For example, the Aussie Farms website encourages people to upload photos, videos or documents of purported animal cruelty at the farms and facilities listed, which we fear will just incite people to break and enter, trespass, and commit acts of intimidation, and, ironically, animal cruelty.
Make no mistake: these activists don’t want to ensure animals are well-treated; they want nothing less than the complete destruction of our meat and wool industries and are prepared to do almost anything to achieve it.
They are organised, cashed up, politically astute, media savvy and utterly ruthless.
As an industry, we need to be able to compete, otherwise we risk not having an industry.
Only by coming together, standing shoulder to shoulder and speaking with one powerful voice, will we be able to muster the financial resources and political clout available to radical animal activists.
AgForce is passionate about the need to communicate with politicians of all stripes and to reconnect with the community, particularly urban dwellers, so they better understand how we grow the food and fibre that is so essential to their daily lives.
But to do that we need resources and we need industry support.
So please, if you are not already a member of your organisation, consider signing up today.
Our rights to privacy, to farm without fear, and to keep our families safe are well worth the tax-deductible outlay.
