The website for the Australian Chicken Meat Federation (ACMF) http://www.chicken.org.au The Australian Chicken Meat Federation said today that while the finding of a low pathogenic strain of Avian Influenza (LPAI) on a duck farm at two locations in north-west suburban Melbourne was not of concern to human health, industry and government are working quickly to eliminate the disease. The virus was detected during routine testing. No chicken farms are affected. Executive Director Andreas Dubs said that while the strain involved poses a potential risk to chickens, it is not a public health or food safety risk. "This is not the strain of avian influenza that has caused human infections overseas" Dr Dubs said. Cooked chicken and chicken meat products remain safe to eat. Dr Dubs said “I am confident the outbreak will be controlled quickly," "The Australian government, working with industry, has successfully eradicated five outbreaks of avian influenza in the past," Dr Dubs said. "As well, Government has tested, reviewed and refined their procedures, and we are very confident in their ability and determination to work with industry to contain and eradicate the outbreak." Dr Dubs said that, to that end, under the supervision of the Victorian Department of Primary Industries, ducks on the affected farm would be slaughtered and disposed of safely and humanely. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=44 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=44 Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +1000 A new report published by the Australian Chicken Meat Federation, titled The Australian Chicken Meat Industry: An Industry in Profile is to be launched at the Agriculture Roundtable Conference 2011 hosted by the Australian Farm Institute.  The Report is the first of its kind, bringing together the most pertinent data in a single dossier. According to Dr Andreas Dubs, Executive Director of the Australian Chicken Meat Federation, “The Report provides an up-to-date description of an industry that had its commercial beginnings in the early 1960s and has now grown to be the most important source of meat protein for Australians.  The facts and figures contained in the report provide the historical backdrop and the outlook that will allow policy makers to give the industry a fair hearing.  It is important that this broader context is readily available to all stakeholders to ensure that decisions are not taken in isolation.  The Report also provides interesting information for the general public.” The Executive Director of the Australian Farm Institute, Mick Keogh agrees, stating that the foundation of all good policy is a solid information base and a good understanding of the way the sector works.  He says, “This report makes a valuable contribution to this process.” Unlike many other livestock industries, the chicken meat industry (including the processors) remains almost exclusively family owned.  The Report conservatively estimates that Australian consumers currently spend approximately .6 billion per annum on chicken meat. Based on the most recent ABS statistics on meat production, the ACMF estimates consumption of chicken meat in 2010-2011 to have reached 43.9kg per person, easily outstripping beef consumption. A lesser known fact is that the chicken meat industry is one of the largest customers of the Australian grains industry, purchasing over 5 per cent of all grains produced in Australia. “With global food markets experiencing rapid change, and a heightened sense of importance surrounding foodsecurity, Australians should be reassured to know that the chicken meat industry is well placed to deal with associated environmental and economic challenges to keep chicken, an Australian staple, on the table,” says Dr Dubs. Visit www.chicken.org.au/industryprofile to download a free copy of the report. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=43 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=43 Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +1000   Latest ABS Statistics Show Average Per-Person Chicken Consumption Reaching 43.9kg in 2010-11   The latest figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics[1] (ABS) regarding chicken meat production suggest that Australians’ consumption of chicken has grown to a staggering 43.9kg per capita in 2010-11. This figure is well ahead of its nearest rival (beef) and only marginally short of total red meat forecast consumption.   Dr Andreas Dubs, Executive Director of the Australian Chicken Meat Federation (ACMF) comments, “The chicken meat industry is going from strength to strength.  We have experienced substantial growth for the past five decades and the latest statistics show a continuing increase in consumption. On the basis of these most recent statistics, we forecast chicken meat consumption to increase to 46kg by 2015-16 and easily exceed total red meat per capita consumption before 2020.”   Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is a healthy option for the whole family, including those watching their weight. Skinless chicken is not only low in fat; it also provides us with many essential vitamins and minerals, including niacin and selenium.   Dr Andreas Dubs says, “Chicken ticks all the boxes for today’s health conscious consumer who also looks for great quality, taste and excellent value. The fact that chicken continues to remain a versatile family favourite must also be a contributing factor to the latest consumption statistics”.  [1]Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Livestock Products June Quarter 2011 (cat. no. 7215.0)   http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=42 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=42 Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +1000   The chicken meat industry finances 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 results released in February 2011 by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and covering 2009-10 again give the poultry industry a clean bill of health.  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 (2009-10) for poultry are available from this website by clicking here. The relevant poultry pages from previous annual reports are available here: 2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 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=19 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=14&issue=19 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +1000 A BALANCED DIET RICH IN PROTEIN IS KEY TO LONG-TERM WEIGHT LOSS Every year attempting to lose weight is one of the top New Year Resolutions made by Australians, but a new survey today reveals that only 7 percent of those who embark on a diet actually lose their desired amount of weight. A further 14 percent lost most of it. The new Australian Chicken Meat Federation survey reveals that we are simply not shedding the kilos long term. With 8 out of 10 adults wanting to lose weight and almost half (43 percent) of all Australian women ideally looking to lose 8 kgs or more, Baker IDI’s obesity and health expert and CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet co-author, Dr Peter Clifton, advises that a high protein, moderate carbohydrate diet, rich in lean chicken, is a good place to start. “While most Australians recognise skinless chicken breast as a good dietary choice, the majority are not aware of the role chicken can play in long-term weight loss,” said Dr Clifton. “Skinless chicken is low in fat, provides a wealth of essential vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin B6, niacin and selenium and should be encouraged as an important component of a healthy eating plan whether for weight loss or weight maintenance,” concluded Dr Clifton.   http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=41 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=41 Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +1000   A Balanced Diet Rich in Protein is Key to a Long-Term Weight Loss Christmas is fast approaching and that means parties, food and drink galore!  So, with 7 in 10 adults having attempted to lose weight over the last 2 years, and 3 out of 4 of those failing to get to or near their goal weight, what chance do we have of stopping the festive season waistline expansion? Australians like to eat healthily, with 44 percent rating ‘healthy eating’ as the primary motivation for their attitude to food according to the latest survey from the Australian Chicken Meat Federation.  With 8 out of 10 adults wanting to lose weight and almost half (43 percent) of all Australian women ideally looking to lose 8 kgs or more, Baker IDI’s obesity and health expert and CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet co-author, Dr Peter Clifton, advises that a high protein, moderate carbohydrate diet, rich in lean chicken, is a good place to start. “While most Australians recognise skinless chicken breast as a good dietary choice, the majority are not aware of the role lean chicken can play in a healthy diet and for long-term weight loss,” said Dr Clifton.  “Skinless chicken is low in fat, provides a wealth of essential vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin B6, niacin and selenium and should be encouraged as an important component of a healthy eating plan whether for weight loss or weight maintenance.” concluded Dr Clifton. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=40 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=40 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +1000 Baiada Poultry, owner of iconic Australian chicken brand, Steggles, has won the International Poultry Council’s inaugural brand marketing award for its campaign aimed at dispelling the myths that hormones are given to chickens. The Steggles marketing campaign focused on addressing consumer misconceptions about how chicken meat is raised in Australia, along with highlighting the company’s commitment to producing high-quality products. The campaign consisted of television and print ads from March to November 2010, and was created by M&CSaatchi. Steggles winning campaign was judged against an international field of submissions and was presented in Chile. Dr Vivien Kite, Deputy Executive Director of ACMF and member of the Executive of the International Poultry Council, presented the campaign on behalf of Baiada at the Council's most recent meeting in Santiago, Chile. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=39 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=39 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +1000 A new survey reveals the majority of Australians (78.6 percent) wrongly believe that meat chickens are fed hormones or steroids. Only 8.8 percent of people surveyed correctly believe that the chicken meat industry does not use such chemicals. “The simple fact is that meat chickens reared in Australia are not given any hormones or steroids”, said Dr Andreas Dubs, Executive Director of the Australian Chicken Meat Federation (ACMF).  No added hormones or steroids have been used in chicken meat production in this country for almost half a century. The practice is banned in Australia and is strictly enforced. ”Australian chickens do grow faster and bigger than they did 50 years ago, but most of this is due to conventional selective breeding. Improvements in growth are also a result of improved chicken nutrition. Thus, in the words of one of our main processors, the short answer is: 'better bred, better fed'. " “The precise profile of nutrients that a chicken needs at each stage of its development has been studied extensively. Feeds can therefore be formulated to match the chicken’s precise nutritional requirements throughout its lifecycle, therefore optimising growth.” “Other gains made in the performance and productivity of chicken flocks are due to better husbandry techniques and health management,” Dr Dubs added.  “Consumers can be absolutely confident that all chicken, whether sold in the supermarket, the butcher, the delicatessen, the take-away shop, the quick service restaurant or the high end restaurant, is produced to the highest standard in Australia,” Dr Dubs concluded. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=38 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=38 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +1000 Chicken is by far the most affordable meat protein.  The price has been kept low by passing on to consumers the benefits of substantial efficiency gains in all areas of chicken meat production.  In fact, in real terms, the price has fallen by 75% since 1960.  In other words, if the price of chicken had kept up with inflation over the past half a century, we would now pay 40 dollars for a whole fresh chicken rather than 10 dollars . “Now, a point has been reached where prices will have to increase for the industry to remain profitable and able to meet the increased demands for its products”, says Dr Andreas Dubs, Executive Director of the Australian Chicken Meat Federation.  The World Bank reports that “since mid-June, global grain prices have been rising with a 56% rise in global wheat prices and knock-on impacts on other commodities such as rice, maize, and sorghum”.  Australia is by no means immune to these increases.  READ MORE ... IN THE MEDIA RELEASE http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=36 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=36 Thu, 30 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +1000 The chicken meat industry, through its Chicken Meat R&D Program administered by the Rural Industries R&D Corporation, commissioned Colmar Brunton to undertake a survey of consumers.  This is a follow-up study on a similar survey undertaken 10 years ago.  To view the published summary report, click here. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=14&issue=18 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=14&issue=18 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +1000 It is the industry's conclusion from the scientific evidence available that the serious human health issues resulting from infections with resistant bacteria, at times reported in some hospital environments, are not caused, as is sometimes claimed, by the use of antimicrobial agents by the Australian chicken meat industry. The industry advocates the prudent use of antimicrobials to ensure the good health of our birds. The use of antimicrobial agents always brings with it the possibility of resistance building up in the microbes being targeted.  The chicken meat industry is very aware of this issue and is determined to use the available antimicrobials in a prudent manner to maximise the positive impact on the birds' health while minimising the possibility of resistance in foodborne bacteria developing. For further details regarding the industry's position on antimicrobial resistance, please click here. Further information about the industry's responsible use of antibiotics is also available by clicking here. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=14&issue=17 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=14&issue=17 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +1000 The Australian Chicken Meat Federation (ACMF) and the Australian Egg Corporation (AECL) are teaming up to help educate consumers on the two separate industries, the vital role they both play in the Australian economy and busting widely popular myths. Located at the Food Farm in the White Pavilion, ACMF are showcasing the difference between meat chickens (broilers) and egg chickens (layers) as a reminder to consumers that these are two very different breeds of chickens bred for two very different purposes. The chicken we eat comes from specially bred meat chickens that have been selectively bred over the past 60 years to be highly efficient at converting feed into meat. Modern egg chickens (layers) are bred for their capacity to produce a large number of high quality eggs, where as meat chickens grow at a faster rate than layers. Visitors to the stand can see same-age meat chickens and egg chickens side by side. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=34 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=34 Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +1000 Australian Research Demonstrates that Consumption of Chicken Reduces the Likelihood of late Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)An article published in February in the American Journal of Epidemiology Advanced Access by researchers from the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH) and the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) reports a decreased risk of late Age-related Macular Degeneration AMD for people who ate more than three and a half serves of chicken a week....“Chicken represents a complete nutritional package at a very affordable price. Chicken represents a healthy choice and is perfect for the family dinner”, Dr Dubs concludes. http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=33 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=33 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +1000 ABARE released an informative report on the economic issues for producers and consumers related to the use of GM feed ingredients in stockfeed in Australia.The three major Australian processors have adopted a policy of best endeavour to source soy meal in particular from non-GM crops.  As the ABARE report concludes, it will become more and more difficult to source non-GM grain. At the same time, acceptance of GM ingredients in stockfeed seems to gain more consumer acceptance.  To download the report, clicke here (PDF; 399kb). http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=14&issue=15 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=14&issue=15 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +1000 ACMF welcomes the release today of a study regarding antibiotic resistance of bacteria of food origin. The study was undertaken on behalf of the Australian Department of Health and the Ageing and tested chicken, beef, pork and lettuce at retail level.Dr Andreas Dubs, Executive Director of ACMF, noted that the study provides reassurance to health professionals as well as to consumers that food in Australia is of a high safety standard by international standards and is an unlikely source of antibiotic resistant bacteria.Resistance to those antibiotics used to treat disease in humans is even more unlikely. “This in essence means that there is little likelihood of antibiotic resistant microbes of food origin resulting in disease in humans that would not respond readily to common antibiotics used in human medicine”, Dr Dubs explained.This is good news for our industry and for consumers. The survey supports Australia’s rigorous approach to controlling the amounts and types of antibiotics used in our food animal industries, which is an important factor that helps prevent the development and spread of resistant bacteria.Dr Dubs emphasised that the survey shows that Australian livestock industries, including the chicken meat industry, are achieving good outcomes through the responsible use of antibiotics combined with a range of other animal husbandry measures. The chicken meat industry continues to explore all avenues to reduce the use of antibiotics and to minimize the level of microbial contamination during farming as well as during processing.ACMF is also actively promoting good food handling and preparation in the home since the final control over food safety remains with the cook. If food is handled and cooked properly, any bacteria whether antibiotic resistant or not will be destroyed and rendered harmless.The report and associated background material can be accessed at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/foodsecretariat-standing-priority-list (scroll down to Monitoring and Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance in Food). http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=32 http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=17&item=32 Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +1000