Farmers tell their side of story
A ‘ CAN DO’ attitude has launched Charters Towers woman Kylie Stretton into the limelight as a fierce advocate for the grazing community.
When live shipments to Indonesia were temporarily suspended in 2011 after footage of brutal slaughtering methods and mistreatment at Indonesian abattoirs went viral, Kylie and her husband Shane, a livestock agent, felt the immediate effects.
“It was a devastating time for the industry. It was heartbreaking to see graziers unable to sell.
“The media and groups with anti- farming, anti- meat agendas were relentless in portraying the industry as having no regard for animal welfare. It went on and on.
“I got really mad. It was time to counter the mistruths. It was time to fight smart.”
In 2012 Kylie founded Ask an Aussie Farmer, an online blog, to educate Australians about the agriculture community.
A group of eight beef producers, including Kylie, voluntarily administer the site.
It is a space for farmers to tell their stories and for everyday Aussies to ask farmers questions about the industry.
Since the launch of Ask An Aussie Farmer, Kylie has been invited to speak at schools throughout the state about the agricultural sector, something she relishes because she sees it as bridging the gap.