Humane Farm Animal Care application for humane meat labelling rejected

The ruling to not allow “certified humane” labels on meat products in Australia has united two unlikely groups for two very different reasons.

Meat products in Australia will not be required to have “certified humane” labels on them. Picture: Zoe Phillipd

A move by an American company to bring “certified humane” labelling to Australia has been rejected by the leading consumer watchdog.

And the ruling has united both a key red meat body and an animal rights group.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission rejected the application by Humane Farm Animal Care.

The ACCC cited concerns products certified ‘humane’ wouldn’t be consistent with Australian consumer expectations of humane animal care.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ submission to the ACCC claimed no process “that turns a living, feeling being into a dismembered, bloodied cut of flesh can ever be described as humane”.

PETA spokeswoman Emily Rice said the ACCC ruling was “the right thing”.

“One need only look at the egregious cruelty revealed by many investigations into meat production … to realise that animals exploited for their flesh, bodily fluids, and skin don’t get ‘humane’ treatment,” Ms Rice said.

Red Meat Advisory Council Chair John McKillop said a “certified humane” label could harm the red meat industry.

“Any approval given to trademark welfare claims not suited to Australian production systems would undermine our existing world-leading animal welfare standards.

“The reason Australian beef, lamb and goat tastes so great is because our livestock get the best care.”

Mr McKillop also labelled PETA’s response as a “manic statement” which proved the group wants “434,000 Australian red meat and livestock workers to be unemployed”.

“Extremist organisations like PETA are anti-farmer, anti-jobs and anti-Australia,” Mr McKillop said.

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