The website for the Australian Chicken Meat Federation (ACMF) http://www.chicken.org.au The Australian chicken meat industry does not doubt the honourable intentions that drive Jamie Oliver and we agree with him that it is desirable for the public to understand where our food comes from and how it is produced. “Where we disagree is in the methods used to shock consumers, demonstrating practices that have little relevance to what happens in our industry”, says Dr Andreas Dubs, Executive Director of the Australian Chicken Meat Federation. “We advocate a clear and rational process, not a show that is aimed to entertain and shock rather than provide factual and clear information.”Dr Dubs says “It is by no means true that what is clearly a show that is focused on the UK industry can easily and directly be applied to the Australian scene.” All chicken sold in Australia is produced in Australia. All meat chickens are farmed and processed in accordance with Australian animal welfare codes of practice developed jointly by governments, animal welfare organisations and the chicken meat industry.All farming methods used to produce meat chickens in Australia respect the animal welfare codes of practice. No meat chicken is ever raised in a cage. Variations from conventional farming methods are reflected in different specific labels with the main ones being free-range and organic. The different farming systems offer a choice to consumers to select the type of chicken that best meets their requirements and expectations. Jamie Oliver is calling for transparency: we already have transparency, with clear labeling of chicken as free-range or organic where this applies.Dr Dubs emphasises: “The industry is keen to ensure that consumers are fully informed and our website and our information hotline are specifically aimed at providing consumers with information about how chicken is produced.” http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=26 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=26 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +1000 The hungry in the world are going to get hungrier. There are 800 million people who are living in absolute poverty already and their numbers are going to increase. The answer according to an Australian Professor of Nutrition and the Investment Bank Morgan Stanley lies with the humble chook.The global trade in chicken meat will accelerate as beef and pork costs rise proportionally and consumers turn to this affordable, more economically and environmentally sustainable alternative.In a paper to be presented at the World Poultry Congress in Brisbane in July, University of Queensland Professor David Farrell warns that current demographic and farming trends are leading to the emergence of a global food crisis.THIS MEDIA RELEASE WAS ISSUED ON THE OCCASION OF THE 2008 WOLRD POULTRY CONGRESS HELD IN BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=25 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=25 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +1000 A new report: “Food, Health and Nutrition: Where Does Chicken Fit’ by the University of Wollongong’s Smart Foods Centre1 shows in an up-to-date comparison that chicken is not only one of the leanest proteins and has a favourable ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids, but also delivers more essential vitamins and minerals than generally recognised. With 71 per cent of GPs discussing nutrition with patients several times a day and with Medicare reporting a staggering 638 per cent increased use of dieticians in Australia over the last three years, the report aims to broaden the understanding of where chicken fits in the Australian diet, how it is produced in this country and how it contributes to the health of Australians. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=24 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=24 Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 +1000 POULTRY MEAT THE CLEAR WINNER IN ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT STUDYA major carbon footprint study in the UK comparing environmental burdens and resource use in production of beef, sheep meat, poultry meat, eggs and milk, has declared poultry meat the clear winner. The Cranfield University study found that poultry production, in particular conventionally produced chicken (which in Australia represents the overwhelming majority of chicken sold), is the most environmentally efficient meat, followed by pork and at some considerable distance sheep meat and beef. Chicken’s efficiency in converting its feed into meat plays a big part. This efficiency has been achieved through traditional breeding over dozens of generations and through better matching of feed to the birds’ dietary needs at each stage of their development.  Access the full Media Release in  PDF format by clicking in the file name below. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=23 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=23 Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 +1000 land transport standards open for public comment Proposed new standards and guidelines for the land transport of livestock in have been released for public comment. The draft standards, coordinated by Animal Health Australia[1], cover the transport of sheep, cattle, pigs, poultry and horses. They also cover goats, buffalo, camels, deer, alpacas, emus and ostriches. The Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for the Land Transport of Livestock are based on current national Model Codes of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Land Transport. A 60-day public consultation period for the draft standards and guidelines, and the associated Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS), runs until 27 May 2008. Animal Health is seeking comments from anyone who may be affected by the Land Transport Standards, as well as interested members of the public. In particular, Animal Health seeks comments on how well people believe: ·         the draft Land Transport Standards specify requirements for protecting the welfare of the species it covers during land transport ·         the associated RIS demonstrates the need for the Land Transport Standards and the associated costs and benefits. Interested parties can write their own submissions or complete a survey that seeks their views of different sections of the draft Land Transport Standards and RIS. Submissions can be made via the internet, email or post. Hard copies of the consultation package are available upon request. Submissions must be received by COB Tuesday 27 May 2008. Information about the draft Land Transport Standards, including details of the standards and guidelines, the RIS and the online survey, is available at: www.animalwelfarestandards.net.au.   [1] Animal Health Australia (AHA) is a not-for-profit public company established by the Australian Government, state and territory governments and major national livestock industry organisations. The company manages national animal health programs on behalf of its members. ACMF is the member of AHA representing the chicken meat industry.   http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=22 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=22 Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +1000 The chicken meat industry supports an annual survey undertaken through the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) to check on the level of hormonal and antibiotics residues in chicken meat.  The results consistently prove that chicken meat does not have such residues and that the industry complies with the Australian Standard 100%.The latest results (covering 2006-07) were released by DAFF in early December 2007.  Again, the chicken meat industry shows 100% compliance.  Just to remind everybody, no hormones of any kind are added to feed or otherwise administered to meat chickens.The most recent results for poultry meat for 2006-07 are available as a 2 page PDF from this website (the previous report is also available: results for poultry meat for 2005-06 ). The complete National Residue Survey Results are available on the DAFF website (click here). http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=14&issue=13 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=14&issue=13 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +1000 Over the past six months, the continuing global grain shortage has led to unprecedented prices for feed grains. Until now, the Australian chicken meat industry has strongly resisted the imperative to raise prices of chicken meat despite the substantial increase in production costs. Unfortunately, a price increase for chicken meat has now become inevitable.Chicken is a nutritious and staple element of the Australian family diet and has enjoyed low prices for many years, despite the rising cost of major inputs such as feed grains (due to the drought), petrol prices for transport and deliveries and electricity prices which have been worn by the industry. This situation is no longer sustainable. The price of chicken meat will have to rise from mid November.The price of a tonne of wheat, the industry’s single biggest input cost, has more than doubled in a year and hit a new high this month of $492. Grain represents the major part of chicken feed, for which there is no substitute. Feed in turn makes up more than 60% of the cost of producing a meat chicken and the recent increase in feed costs alone translates into cost increases in excess of 20-30%.Dr Andreas Dubs, Executive Director of the Chicken Meat Federation, said “The two predominant grains in chicken feed, wheat and sorghum, account for approximately 70% of the feed, with other grains, protein meals, fats, vitamins and minerals making up the balance. With the unprecedented rise in the cost of grain, chicken producers are finally being forced to pass on these costs to the consumer.”Coupled with this, fuel costs have continued to rise from an average 115c per litre in November 2006 to 125c per litre in July 2007 and electricity costs have almost doubled.Consumers are likely to be paying an average of 20-30% more for chicken meat, from whole chickens right through to further processed products.Even following this price increase, chicken meat remains very affordable. Unlike other meats, the price of chicken when adjusted for inflation has remained constant for over a decade. The industry’s substantial efficiency gains (achieved through improved breeding and nutrition) have continually been passed on to consumers as reflected by chicken meat now selling for about half as much as it did in 1970.The industry continues to be committed to finding new ways to improve efficiencies and pass on cost savings to consumers in years to come. However as Dr Dubs states, “The facts speak for themselves: with such substantial and sustained increases in the cost of grains and other inputs, the forthcoming price increase is simply inevitable.” http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=21 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=21 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +1000 Every primary and secondary school around Australia has just received a free copy of a new educational DVD, From Hatchery to Home, with comprehensive supporting materials and lesson plans that provides an insight into the Australian chicken meat industry, whilst covering specific curriculum topics including agriculture, food technology and animal health and welfare.Dr Vivien Kite, Deputy Executive Director, Australian Chicken Meat Federation (ACMF) and Research and Development Manager, co-ordinated production of the video and support materials. “Australian chicken is a popular food choice with over 30 per cent of us eating chicken at least three times a week. We have provided this educational resource to help school students understand what is involved in producing this popular food; to bring kids back in touch with where their food comes from”, said Dr Kite.“The program also busts popular myths, for example showing that chickens are not fed hormones and that meat chickens are not raised in cages," said Dr Kite.To celebrate the launch of From Hatchery to Home, ACMF is running a competition whereby students can enter into a draw to win a mouth-watering chicken delivery, worth up to $1,000 each, for their school plus individual vouchers from Dymocks for the winning entry. To enter, students just have to create a poster highlighting what they have learned from the DVD. Entries are due by 28 September 2007, see www.chicken.org.au/DVD for more details. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=20 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=20 Thu, 16 Aug 2007 00:00:00 +1000 An experiment conducted by students from James Ruse Agricultural High School in Carlingford, NSW has busted a commonly-held belief about Australian chickens. The Year 10 school students compared the growth of chickens bred to lay eggs with chickens bred for meat and found that over six weeks the meat chickens grew four times bigger than the egg chickens. The research debunks the commonly held misconception that the larger size and better growth rates of the chickens we eat today is due to the use of hormones. Last year, research released by the Australian Chicken Meat Federation (ACMF) revealed that almost 80% of Australians believe that something, for example growth hormones, is added to Australian chickens to make them grow artificially larger , despite the fact that hormones have not been used in the production of meat chickens in Australia for over 40 years“It’s not hormones, antibiotics or genetic modification making chickens larger but best practice in traditional breeding. The truth is far less dramatic as was proven by this recent school project,” said Dr Andreas Dubs, Executive Director of the Australian Chicken Meat Federation.The full media release and backgrounder are available through the links below.  An earlier media release on "Chicken Myths Keep Fattening the Australian Chook ..." and revealing what people believe makes chickens grow meatier these days may also be of interest.  It can be accessed here. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=19 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=19 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +1000 The Australian Chicken Meat Federation’s Executive Director Dr Andreas Dubs is pleased that ACMF’s complaint has been vindicated regarding the main concerns raised in its complaint lodged with ACMA following the segment on A Current Affair featuring “green and glowing” chicken meat on 17 July 2006.The finding that A Current Affair did not fairly represent ACMF’s viewpoint and did not accurately present factual material is the second such finding within 12 months relating to chicken meat segments broadcast by A Current Affair, as noted with some concern by the ACMA in its media release issued today.ACMA’s media release and the full report are available from their website www.acma.gov.au . A copy of the ACMA media release and the report are also available from the ACMF website by selecting the appropriate file below.The information posted on our website following the ACA 17 July 2006 segment can be viewed here. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=18 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=18 Thu, 05 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +1000 The operations and documentation involved in producing chicken meat and further processed products must be such that at any point in time, at any point along the production chain, and for any product, it is possible to know where the product came from and where it is going next. This is essential so that any potentially unsafe food product can be recalled. Standard 3.2.2 – Food Safety Practices and General Requirements within the Food Standards Code, requires wholesale suppliers, manufacturers and importers to have a recall system that will ensure the recall of unsafe food. It also helps in rectifying any problems in production and processing that may be the source of a failure to meet acceptable quality and/or safety standards.To access the industry statement in full, please click here. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=14&issue=14 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=14&issue=14 Mon, 21 May 2007 00:00:00 +1000 The operations and documentation involved in producing chicken meat and further processed products must be such that at any point in time, at any point along the production chain, and for any product, it is possible to know where the product came from and where it is going next. This is essential so that any potentially unsafe food product can be recalled. Standard 3.2.2 – Food Safety Practices and General Requirements within the Food Standards Code, requires wholesale suppliers, manufacturers and importers to have a recall system that will ensure the recall of unsafe food. It also helps in rectifying any problems in production and processing that may be the source of a failure to meet acceptable quality and/or safety standards. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=19&item=10 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=19&item=10 Mon, 21 May 2007 00:00:00 +1000 The chicken meat industry takes the threat of avian influenza and other emergency animal diseases very seriously. Animal Health Australia is the company set up by livestock industries, States und Federal governments to manage emergency animal disease prevention and to set up and maintain processes to ensure that any outbreak of such diseases are controlled effectively and efficiently in a collaborative effort between the public and the private sector. Details on Animal Health Australia’s activities, reports and manuals (including AUSVETPLAN) are available from its website. The chicken meat industry developed information papers for customers as well as its employees about issues regarding avian influenza and how it may affect these groups. These papers are available as PDF files for download. A four page brochure aimed at the chicken grower and discussing AI preparedness is also available for download. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=19&item=1 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=19&item=1 Fri, 16 Feb 2007 00:00:00 +1000 ACMF developed a statement taylored to the needs of the industry's employees which addresses some of the more frequently asked questions about avian influenza. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=169&item=3 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=169&item=3 Sat, 10 Feb 2007 00:00:00 +1000 ACMF developed an industry statement which clarifies the main questions that consumers may have about avian influenza. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=169&item=2 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=169&item=2 Sat, 10 Feb 2007 00:00:00 +1000