Response to consultation on livestock provisions in the National Standard

In 2023, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry (DAFF) established a working group to review the livestock standards and associated appendices and definitions in the National Standard Edition 3.8.

Feedback was submitted via online survey due by 5pm AEDT Tuesday 12 November 2024.

Mandating the use of prohibited substances creates conflicts within the standard.

Animal Welfare is important within the standard. The assumption that the absence of adoption of modern veterinary treatments amounts to a lack of care is false. As is evident in the standard, animal welfare is delivered by holistic, homeopathic and systemic solutions as compared to allopathic solutions alone. Further, it is evident that the allopathic approach does not reflect a healthy system, but potentially an unhealthy system in need of medical intervention. We welcome the inclusion of allopathic animal welfare noting their use is predicated on the avoidance suffering or distress for the animal.

We draw attention to commercial value of export markets in relation to the proposed changes to the standard. Specifically, the adoption of changes to the standard where such changes would render conflict between the National Standard Edition 3.8 and important foreign standards.

Submission link