Efficiency1st responds to PETA

[Charlie]

Efficiency1st response to PETA

Efficiency1st meat lovers unite campaign spokesman Mr Charlie McCowen has called on PETA to address the issue of increased carbon emissions that will certainly be a result of a reduction in mulesing in the Australian sheep flock. Efficiency1st has claimed that at least an extra 50 tons of carbon will be emitted annually if mulesing is stopped in 2010. In a recent interview with ABC radio presenter Caitlin Furlong “Matt Prescott of PETA had simply trotted out the same old tired and misleading rhetoric and avoided the real issue of increased carbon emissions”, Mr McCowen said.

In a world struggling with the duel crises of a shortage of energy and a shortage of food and fibre it was most irresponsible to call on farmers to lower production levels and increase carbon emissions and chemical use. “PETA need to move their thinking into the 21st century and take account of the issues facing humanity in the future” Mr McCowen said.

“It will take at least 25 years for farmers to breed efficient bare breeched sheep that do not cause a reduction in wool yields. Most other alternatives are unacceptable to producers due to the damage caused to the environment through increased carbon emissions and increased chemical use,” Mr McCowen said.
Until that happens woolgrowers must continue to mules so that wool supplies, which are critical for the survival of a large part of the world’s population, are not reduced. The 2010 deadline is not a reality for most producers, or for the sheep, as they will be exposed to increased suffering resulting from flystrike if this deadline is implemented.

Mr McCowen re-emphasised that mulesing is not cruel, it is carried out with the utmost care and precision and does not result in increased losses of sheep that have had the procedure; in fact sheep losses are reduced by mulesing.

Mr McCowen said the interview with Matt Prescott confirmed the belief of Efficiency1st that PETA are not really interested in animal welfare, saying “they are simply using the mulesing issue as a Trojan horse – its part of their social engineering campaign to force veganism on the wider populace”.

Australian wool is the world’s most sustainable fibre. It is a great product for consumers and beneficial for the environment. Mr McCowen urged all woolgrowers and consumers to join the meat lovers unite campaign at http://www.efficiency1st.org. The campaign is a positive campaign urging the companies Adidas and Hugo Boss to use more Australian wool. “In particular people who enjoy eating meat should take a stance against PETA by joining the campaign” Mr McCowen said.