Victoria’s $900k pro-farmer, anti-animal activist campaign delayed again

Research – to guide a Victorian Government-funded pro-agriculture campaign – has revealed how consumers feel about the state’s farmers and what issues need to be addressed.

Vegan activists, who want to see an end to animal agriculture, block a major intersection in Melbourne in April 2019. A Victorian Government-funded campaign to counter these anti-farm messages was announced two months later. Picture: AAP

THERE is still no date locked in for a Victorian Government-funded pro-agriculture campaign announced 18 months ago to counter animal activists’ anti-farming messages.

The Weekly Times reported in June last year the campaign — announced in July 2019 — had been delayed due to coronavirus and was expected in the second half of 2020.

But the campaign has been delayed again, with the Victorian Farmers Federation, responsible for executing the $900,000 project, saying last week “comprehensive research has been completed and the campaign is progressing towards commencement in the coming months”.

The VFF was allocated $190,000 to employ a project officer, $210,000 for research to examine the “current community sentiment towards agriculture” and $500,000 for a communications campaign promoting Victorian farmers.

The campaign will use traditional, social and online tools and encourage user engagement.

Former Victorian Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes announced funding for a campaign to counter animal activists’ “untruthful” messages in July 2019. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Research, which concluded in August last year and undertaken by Kantar, included rural and urban focus groups and wider quantitative research of about 2000 community members and 500 Victorian farmers.

The research found most Victorians felt positive about the state’s farmers doing the right thing, but didn’t know much about farming practices.

It concluded it was still a social norm to eat meat, but 33 per cent were eating less meat with concerns about animal welfare.

Most respondents felt Victoria’s animal welfare standards were high and farmers did the right thing, but 74 per cent would feel more comfortable about eating meat knowing the animal was humanely treated.

Kantar decided the communications campaign would need to humanise farmers and address the quality of an animal’s life, not just the product, so Victorians can feel guilt-free about eating meat.

The Weekly Times asked Victorian Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas whether she believed the campaign – announced by her predecessor Jaclyn Symes – would combat anti-farming activists’ messages and whether the $210,000 to survey the Victorian community on its sentiment towards agriculture was needed.

A spokeswoman said the work was part of an ongoing effort to respond to anti-farming sentiment.

“We have backed this campaign to tell the important story of agriculture from the perspective of farmers and this is being led by the Victorian Farmers Federation based on the research they conducted last year,” she said.

The research also surveyed Victorians about climate change and farm chemicals. A final report is expected to be released at some stage.