Why live export needs to be banned
New Plymouth district councillor and member of the Taranaki Animal Rights Group
With the arrival of the livestock ship Ocean Ute back in Port Taranaki, and the news from Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor that a decision will be made in the next month or two regarding the future of live exports, now more than ever is the time to talk about why this unkind and barbaric trade needs to end.
In 2003, the New Zealand Government banned the live export of sheep for slaughter when 57,000 sheep on board the Cormo Express were turned away from Saudi Arabia. After two months at sea, unable to find a port, 6000 sheep died. Four years later the ban was extended to include cattle.
The late Jim Anderton, who extended the ban to include cattle when he was agriculture minister, stated in 2011 that he was not prepared to risk New Zealand’s economy for such a small industry by playing ‘‘hard and fast’’ with animal welfare.
Since then, a loophole has facilitated New Zealand allowing the export of live cattle for breeding purposes. This loophole has been taken advantage of by many.
So, despite a previous agriculture minister labelling such a trade as playing ‘‘hard and fast’’ with animal welfare, we now continue to perpetuate the hideous act of sending thousands of our cattle overseas.
Currently, most cattle are destined for China, which has no welfare protection for cattle. Therefore, they are not protected from cruelty, neglect or harm. They are pregnant year in, year out. They have their calves removed from them after birth.
The final insult comes only after they have been breeding for many years and become too old to be serviceable. Then they are slaughtered, potentially by means deemed too cruel to be legal in New Zealand.
Cattle in New Zealand are generally kept in open spaces with green grass. To get the cattle to China they have to spend approximately 20 days on board a ship, in all weathers and seas, which is as far from their natural habitat as one could imagine.
Conditions on board these live export vessels are rarely publicised. There is no transparency in any part of this industry.
The images and stories from people who have worked in the industry talk of cattle unable to lie down, cows laying in their own excrement, cattle suffering from heat stress and suffering broken bones in rough seas.
This does not paint a pretty picture. This does not fit the image of clean, green dairy cows New Zealand portrays when selling its dairy produce overseas.
If the above is not correct, then the industry should show the New Zealand public what it is like; have it verified by an independent party, and let’s see footage of the conditions on these ships, the farms overseas and how these animals are handled.
We saw in September 2020 that 5867 cattle drowned and 41 crew members lost their lives when the Gulf Livestock 1 capsized in a storm off the coast of Japan. This ship loaded and left Napier Port. Why did it sail through a storm? Was it under time pressure? Were they going to run out of feed? Did they take uncalculated risks? We do not really know what happened with this ship, but we do know that much of the world was surprised and shocked to see the catastrophic end result, with all eyes on New Zealand and its reputation.
Comments repeated to me by some local farmers and people working in the animal agriculture industry say that they do not understand why we are selling our best cattle to a country we are in competition with and helping China grow their dairy industry. What business sells its best product to another business they are in direct competition with?
In 2020 alone, 109,921 cattle were sent to China with 5995 cattle dying on the journey. This is small profit now for massive losses in the future when China pushes New Zealand out of the market. Haven’t we learnt anything from the kiwifruit industry?
I think we are better than this form of export.
Taranaki is full of innovative, intelligent, forward-thinking people who, I am sure, can find another lane to swim in that will not ruin reputations or contribute to animal suffering, but will bring in much-needed money to our economy.
Let’s help and encourage our farmers to start to diversify, to tap into a billion-dollar overseas plant-based market – the research around the world is very, very encouraging.
Come on Jacinda Ardern, our Labour government and New Zealand. Let’s show that kindness to all beings and find another form of export.
Please write to your MPs and help stop this practice now.