News

Farmers concerned about “anti-meat UN talkfest”

Beef Central, 27/07/2021

The National Farmers’ Federation and Red Meat Advisory Council is seeing red at the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) and has urged the Government to do its best to stop uninformed and alarmist outcomes being supported.

The United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), Pre-Summit underway in Rome and online this week, is advocating a so-called UN-backed international dietary framework that ‘allows’ for the consumption of no more than 14g of red meat per day – equivalent to the size of three blueberries.

The NFF, on behalf of Australia’s livestock sector is working closely with the Global Meat Alliance, the Global Dairy Platform and other nations, who share our concerns, in responding to the UNFSS.

“The Summit seems dogged in its efforts to make livestock production the scapegoat for the globe’s climate change challenges and to drive a reduction in meat consumption,” NFF CEO Tony Mahar said.

“The NFF is bewildered as to why this forum has been created as the new home of international dialogue on food and climate matters, when up until now the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations had been the logical place. The Summit does not adhere to normal negotiations by sovereign nations under the banner of the UN.

“Unbelievably the Summit’s process has been largely informed by the extreme activist start-up EAT Lancet.

Mr Mahar said the NFF’s goal was to ensure the Federal Government did not endorse the outcomes of this questionable UN talkfest and to influence the debate to incorporate a balance of views.

“Accordingly, we call on the Government to make the important points to the Summit that 1) animal agriculture has an essential role to play in global sustainable healthy and nutritious diets and 2) animal agriculture is sustainable and continues to work to improve its environmental credentials.

“The Australian Government must promote and resource farm voices to counter extreme non-sensical positions peddled by fringe groups which have somehow managed to get a seat at this global decision-making table. The future of Australia’s agricultural exports relies on it,” Mr Mahar said.

Red Meat Advisory Council chair John McKillop said a global network of anti-livestock and anti-meat activists had hijacked the United Nations forum.

“It is a disgrace that the UN has chosen to provide a platform for extremists proposals to end livestock production and prevent consumers from eating meat.

“Australia’s red meat and livestock industry has done more to reduce emissions and foster environmental stewardship than any other sector in the nation.

“Instead of attacking our hardworking graziers and meat workers, the UN should be promoting our industry’s world-leading practices.

“Proposals for taxes on steaks and for people to eat algae instead of meat are not only absurd, they are a danger to consumers’ health.

“Red meat is one of the safest and most nutrient-dense foods available, providing a critical source of sustenance to millions of Australian families.”

 

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Comments

  1. Patrick, 17/04/2022

    Red meat is essential

  2. Davis Blamey, 18/08/2021

    Australia needs to remove its association with the UN and we need to stand with farmers against this nonsense.

  3. Daphne Morgan, 04/08/2021

    Does this surprise you. When our Government has approved beef to be imported from countries with a history of BSE and Foot and Mouth disease can we trust them on this. Thank God Barnaby is back.

  4. Roger Crook, 28/07/2021

    I gave up long ago paying any attention to anything that comes out of that United Nations building. Their very name is an oxymoron.
    Just get on with life, the world will continue to want Australian beef, even if we poor pensioners can no longer afford it in our regular diet.
    I am in my eighties and I now take iron pills just to make sure.

  5. Michelle Finger, 28/07/2021

    🤔🤷‍♀️
    I’m really not sure why they are surprised or how they can kid themselves that any branch of the UN has been a “logical” place for literally decades.?
    That’s some pretty incredible denialism – the UN have been openly anti-livestock & pro-plant diets for many many years now.
    So I am quite confused. Perhaps NNF & RMAC simply have not been reading the material coming out of the UN in past years.
    It seems hard to believe.

    Though better late than never.
    I am very pleased to see that ag industry leaders may finally be waking up. I hope this heralds a much over-due trend of ag industry groups & leaders acknowledging how great & detrimental the UN influence on Australian & in particular QLD agriculture has been, & the start of genuine push-back.
    Thankyou Tony Mahar & John MacKillop 🙌.

  6. Peter Dunn, 27/07/2021

    Most people understand the saying that “if you want to have your say, you have to stay in the tent”, but the UN is seriously testing the patience of many in the western world. As a peacekeeper it is a toothless tiger dying quietly in a corner far away from armed conflict, as an arbiter of global environmental challenges it has sold out to a ‘developing’ Asian nation, and as a global health leader it capitulated to the pressure and propaganda of a ‘developing’ Asian nation. The question is begged, which nation/woke activist group has it now caved in to? Are we getting value for money by staying in the UN tent? Australia has signed UN conventions which are no longer working for us. For example, the media constantly beat us up with the Refugee Convention (sic), despite competent, just and pragmatic Government decisions. Now we have to defend ourselves against an attack at a UN Food Systems Summit. It brings to mind the UN predecessor, the League of Nations, which experienced it’s demise when it lost sight of it’s purpose.

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