(Pig) Tails from Down Under
In October, I had the exciting opportunity to take my work travel to the next level and spend two weeks in Australia. I was invited to attend the Australian Meat Industry Council’s Meat Processing and Export Conference and host a workshop on “Dealing with Detractors.” I spent some extra time on my trip visiting with industry groups, including Australian Pork and touring a few farms and processing plants across Australia’s east coast. The thing that struck me the most from conversations I had with farmers, processors, communications professionals and other industry leaders, was that even though we are working on opposite sides of the globe, we all share the same goals and values. Unfortunately, we are also faced with a lot of the same obstacles.
The Alliance works to monitor animal rights extremist groups that want to eliminate animal agriculture and consumer choice. One of the most extreme groups we monitor is Direct Action Everywhere (DXE). They have received a lot of media attention this past year concerning their recent actions, including several “Right to Rescue” trials and “undercover investigations.”
In October of 2022, Raven Deerbrook, an “investigator” for DXE, was able to break in and gain access to a pork processing plant in California. While inside and dressed as a plant worker, Deerbrook allegedly installed several hidden pinhole cameras, including in the stunning chamber. Footage allegedly acquired from the cameras was shared on DXE’s Twitter in January 2023.
In the shared videos and on social media, Deerbrook claimed that the USDA was not supervising the processing of pigs using the “gas chamber” because it’s “illegal according to legal experts and veterinarians.” She further argued that the “gas chambers” kill pigs slowly by asphyxiation, which is in violation of state and federal law. This led to the creation of a DXE-driven website that includes an interactive map of plants with “gas chambers” across the country and encourages visitors to “submit a tip” if they “know of a facility hiding a gas chamber.”
Coincidentally, Australia is facing extremely similar pressure from a group called Farm Transparency Project. They have utilized a lot of the same tactics such as breaking into farms and other facilities, creating a map of these locations, and urging other extremists to take action. Their pressure has been so great that it has sparked a governmental inquiry into pig welfare in Australia. We know that activist groups often “admire” the work of others and work together replicate their efforts. Though it is not proven to be linked, it is interesting to see the correlations between our attack in California happening very close together with a nearly identical incident in Australia.
It’s crucial to remember that all of us within the agriculture community have the same common goal – to provide a safe, nutritious, affordable product to consumers – and that extends outside of the U.S. as well. There are roughly 2.4 million pigs being raised for consumption in Australia. Australian farmers are working hard every day, just like U.S. farmers, and they are facing some of the same issues we are facing here at home. It’s important to sometimes get out of our bubble and see what is happening not just next door, but in neighboring countries and regions. It will take all of us to help safeguard the future of animal agriculture.
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