tag:theconversation.com,2011:/africa/topics/halal-9464/articleshalal – The Conversation2023-07-05T05:13:28Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2058312023-07-05T05:13:28Z2023-07-05T05:13:28ZWhy Australia banning live sheep exports may be a net loss for animal welfare<p>Australia’s government wants to end live sheep exports. A panel of four experts has been appointed and given a $5.6 million budget to come up with a plan to phase out the trade, worth $92 million a year. </p>
<p>Chaired by the former head of the Murray Darling Basin Authority, Phillip Glyde, the panel is expected to report by the end of September. What it proposes remains to be seen. The only thing that’s certain is that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised the ban won’t happen in his first term, and that a lot more funding will be needed if no one involved in the trade is to be left worse off. </p>
<p>The thornier question is whether the ban – something animal welfare activists have campaigned for decades – will be a net gain for global animal welfare. It’s likely to mean more animals being shipped from nations with lower standards.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/veganism-why-we-should-see-it-as-a-political-movement-rather-than-a-dietary-choice-197318">Veganism: why we should see it as a political movement rather than a dietary choice</a>
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<h2>Scandals, bans and reforms</h2>
<p>Australia is the world’s seventh-biggest exporter of live animals by value. In 2022 it accounted for about 4.7% of the global trade, mostly shipping cattle to Asia and <a href="https://oec.world/en/profile/hs/sheep-live#:%7E:text=Overview%20This%20page%20contains%20the,0.0077%25%20of%20total%20world%20trade">sheep</a> to the Middle East. These markets either lack reliable refrigeration and cold-chain facilities for processed meat or <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/animal/welfare/export-trade">have a cultural preference</a> for freshly slaughtered meat adhering to specific practices, like halal.</p>
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<p>Currently there is a ban on sheep being shipped to the <a href="https://oia.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/posts/2020/04/final_ris_-_live_sheep_exports_to_the_middle_east_-_northern_hemisphere.docx">northern hemisphere in summer</a>, after 2,400 sheep died on a journey to the Middle East in 2017. There have also been temporary suspensions to individual countries over the past two decades. </p>
<p>Exports to Indonesia were suspended for six weeks in 2012, following an <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-08/a-bloody-business---2011/2841918">ABC Four Corners expose</a> of cruelty to cattle in abattoirs. </p>
<p>Trade to Egypt was suspended in 2013 and 2006, again over cruelty to cattle in abattoirs. Shipments to Saudi Arabia were suspended between 2003 and 2005, after <a href="https://lawaspect.com/background-to-the-cormo-express-incident/">58,000 sheep were stranded at sea for three months</a> after Saudi authorities refused to let them disembark due to an outbreak of the viral disease <a href="https://farmerhealth.org.au/2014/03/21/scabby-mouth-orf">scabby mouth</a>.</p>
<p>These scandals, however, have led to significant reforms in the industry, with the federal government imposing stringent obligations on exporters for trade to resume. </p>
<p>As a result, Australia can boast that it <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/animal/welfare/export-trade">leads the world</a> in animal welfare practices. </p>
<p>It is only country that requires exporters to safeguard the welfare of animals from the paddock to the point of slaughter in abattoirs in other countries. This is a rare example of the principle of extended producer responsibility being practised. The World Organisation for Animal Health recommends this but does not require it. </p>
<h2>Regulating treatment in importing nations</h2>
<p>Two sets of Australian regulations oversee the treatment of animals being shipped for slaughter overseas. From the farmgate to the ship is covered by the <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/export/controlled-goods/live-animals/livestock/australian-standards-livestock">Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock</a>. These were introduced in 2021.</p>
<p>Treatment in importing countries is covered by the <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/export/controlled-goods/live-animals/livestock/exporters/escas">Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System</a> (ESCAS). These rules were instituted in 2011, following the expose of mistreatment in Indonesian abattoirs. </p>
<p>They require exporters to ensure all handlers and facilities (ports, transport vehicle, feedlots and abbatoirs) in importing countries to comply with both local and Australian welfare guidelines.</p>
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<img alt="Sheep aboard the live export ship Al Messilah before it leaves Fremantle for the Middle East, April 6 2023." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535703/original/file-20230705-27-2e46zt.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535703/original/file-20230705-27-2e46zt.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=371&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535703/original/file-20230705-27-2e46zt.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=371&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535703/original/file-20230705-27-2e46zt.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=371&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535703/original/file-20230705-27-2e46zt.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535703/original/file-20230705-27-2e46zt.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535703/original/file-20230705-27-2e46zt.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Sheep aboard the live export ship Al Messilah before it leaves Fremantle for the Middle East, April 6 2023.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Elizabeth Jackson</span></span>
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<p>To gain an export licence from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, exporters must demonstrate they have control over <a href="https://www.iglae.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-11/escas-report-22.pdf">every link in the supply chain</a> from when animals leave the ship to the point at which they are slaughtered. </p>
<p>Animals must be inspected before, during and after their journey by accredited animal health professionals. Facilities and animal-handling techniques <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/export/controlled-goods/live-animals/livestock/exporters/escas#independent-auditing">are audited</a> at least once a year. Auditors are appointed by the exporter but have to be independent, have no conflict of interest and be appropriately qualified.</p>
<h2>Imperfect but ‘unique and innovative’</h2>
<p>The system is not perfect. A <a href="https://www.iglae.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-11/escas-report-22.pdf">2021 review</a> of ESCAS by the federal Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports identified a number of regulatory gaps and ways to make the system more efficient. In particular it noted that loss of control and traceability, sometimes with poor animal welfare outcomes, still occurs at low but chronic levels.</p>
<p>Nonetheless it still described the system as “a unique and innovative regulatory practice solution” that had largely achieved its broad objectives, and made eight recommendations to fix problems (the department agreed to four of these, and “agreed in principle” to the other four.)</p>
<h2>Reporting non-compliance</h2>
<p>One measure of how well the system is working is the number of reports of Australian livestock being mistreated or being in non-accredited facilities.
Anyone can make these reports, which <a href="https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20211213143841/https:/www.awe.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/export/controlled-goods/live-animals/livestock/regulatory-framework/compliance-investigations/investigations-regulatory-compliance">are publicly available</a>, along with the investigations arising.</p>
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<p>For example, in 2021 the animal rights group Animals Australia reported non-compliant slaughter of sheep in Jordan. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/escas-regulatory-performance-report-jul-21-jun-2022.pdf">agreed</a>, and that the control arrangements of the exporter, Livestock Shipping Services, had failed. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-the-high-court-decision-on-filming-animals-in-farms-and-abattoirs-really-means-177146">What the High Court decision on filming animals in farms and abattoirs really means</a>
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<p>The federal minister for Agriculture, Murray Watt, described the live export industry in June 2020 (when he was shadow minister for Northern Australia) as “<a href="https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?id=2020-06-12.91.1">a world leader with regard to animal welfare</a>”.</p>
<p>Nothing has changed since.</p>
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<p><em>Correction: this article originally stated the Australian government wants to ban live animal exports. The proposed ban is for live sheep exports. The article has been amended accordingly.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205831/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Elizabeth Jackson is a member-elected non-executive director of Sheep Producers Australia and is on the WAFarmers' Livestock Council but does not derive any income from the agricultural industry. She currently receives research funding from the Food Agility CRC and the Fight Food Waste CRC. </span></em></p>Australia can boast that it leads the world in animal welfare practices. A ban on live exports will more animals being shipped from nations with lower standards.Elizabeth (Liz) Jackson, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management & Logistics, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1007152018-07-31T10:39:37Z2018-07-31T10:39:37ZFor many Muslim grocery shoppers, a shifting definition of ‘halal' <figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/229849/original/file-20180730-106530-1d7mnzw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">For many non-Muslims, the fast food carts that line the streets of New York City and San Francisco are their primary point of contact with halal foods.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/instantvantage/7219533694/">Guian Bolisay</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For Muslims, halal food follows certain rules proscribed by Islamic law. It usually pertains to ritual slaughter and abstention from certain items like pork, blood and alcohol. </p>
<p>But the interpretation of Islamic food traditions has often varied by time and place. In fact, food that was once prohibited, like caviar for Shiite Muslims, <a href="https://gastronomica.org/2007/05/14/how-caviar-turned-out-to-be-halal/">has since become accepted</a> as halal. </p>
<p>While conducting research for our book, “<a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/halal-food-9780190269050?cc=us&lang=en&">Halal Food: A History</a>,” we found that more and more Muslims are looking at ethical and health considerations while determining whether something is halal. Of course, ethical and healthy eating now occupies a significant niche within Western food culture, and many of these Muslims are based in North America and Europe. But increasingly – <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/07/us/exploring-christian-perspectives-on-animal-rights.html">and like some Christians and Jews</a> – they’re pointing to religious texts to support their choices.</p>
<h2>Should ‘halal’ also mean healthy?</h2>
<p>The word “halal” means permissible. It refers to the actions, behaviors and foods that are allowed according to the traditional Muslim juristic interpretations of the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad’s sayings and deeds.</p>
<p>Many of these interpretations also define halal as “tayyib.” They are inspired by Quranic verses such as 2:172, which instructs believers to “eat from tayyib (foods) which We have provided for you.”</p>
<p>According to religious traditions, tayyib is a word that can have a range of meanings, from tasty to fragrant to pleasant. In food matters, it is often translated as “wholesome” or “good.” </p>
<p>But for some Muslims today, tayyib carries a specific connotation: It refers to halal food that is nutritious, healthy, clean and ethically sourced. Regarding fruits and vegetables, it could indicate organic, pesticide-free or non-GMO.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-halal-foods-95696">What are halal foods?</a>
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<p>The “tayyib-halal” ethos is also relevant for meat. Like many shoppers around the world, Muslims are taking into account the origins of the meat they’re buying. Did it come from a factory farm? How were the animals treated? What were they fed? Were they given hormones and antibiotics?</p>
<h2>The market responds</h2>
<p>In the United States, Muslims can buy their halal meat from supermarkets or specialized grocers and butchers, depending on its availability and various definitions of halal. The halal meat sector in large part <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0309174016301164">relies on industrially produced, non-free range meat</a>. For this reason, some Muslims <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5332932/">are calling for</a> a tayyib-halal approach to meat sourcing – one that not only adheres to the details of ritual slaughter but also relies on animals that are healthy and haven’t been mistreated, caged or abused.</p>
<p>For example, Norwich Meadows in upstate New York objects to industrial farming practices. It’s also one of the major suppliers to a boutique halal butcher in downtown Manhattan called <a href="https://money.cnn.com/2014/05/30/smallbusiness/halal-honest-chops-butcher/index.html">Honest Chops</a>, which sells organic, free-range, antibiotic-free halal meat to New York customers.</p>
<p>At least one American food manufacturer has adapted to the evolving expectations of Muslim consumers. <a href="https://saffronroad.com/why-choose-saffron-road/">Saffron Road</a> makes frozen foods that are low in fat and high in protein and fiber. It also uses hormone- and antibiotic-free beef and lamb, wild-caught fish and humanely raised chicken. And all of its packaging includes multiple labels proudly announcing that the food is halal and an explanation of the company’s halal ethics on the back of the box.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/229686/original/file-20180728-106508-258igd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/229686/original/file-20180728-106508-258igd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/229686/original/file-20180728-106508-258igd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/229686/original/file-20180728-106508-258igd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/229686/original/file-20180728-106508-258igd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/229686/original/file-20180728-106508-258igd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/229686/original/file-20180728-106508-258igd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/229686/original/file-20180728-106508-258igd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">On its packaging, Saffron Road proudly promotes that its food is halal.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Febe Armanios</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>The concern for animal welfare has also influenced certification practices in the halal meat industry. In many Western countries, Muslim organizations – often for a fee – will inspect foods, production facilities and packaging techniques, before certifying products as halal-compliant.</p>
<p>One of United States’ major halal certifiers, the Chicago-based Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America, <a href="http://ifanca.org/presskit/presskit07112015.html">has developed a flexible certification system</a>. On the one hand, there is meat that satisfies “basic criteria for halal slaughter.” But it also has a separate certification for meat that was harvested in slaughterhouses compliant with animal welfare guidelines – and is therefore more consistent with a tayyib-halal ethos.</p>
<p>For proponents of the tayyib-halal approach, the halal status of meat sourced from animals not treated humanely, in life or death, is <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/live-sheep-exports-may-breach-islamic-law-us-expert-says-20180521-p4zgip.html">suspect</a>.</p>
<h2>An air of exclusivity?</h2>
<p>Then there are the small number of Muslim activists who support the principles of PETA and other animal rights movements. To them, tayyib means a vegan lifestyle.</p>
<p>They argue that for a believing Muslim, the ultimate good and humane approach to animals means abstaining from subjugating, exploiting and killing them. </p>
<p>Islamic teachings, <a href="https://almadinainstitute.org/blog/vegan-sunnah/">these vegan Muslims maintain</a>, show deep concern for animal well-being. Thus – the logic follows – the interpretation of animal welfare in Islam should be to avoid killing them.</p>
<p>Some Muslims, however, are resisting the tayyib-halal ethos. </p>
<p>They argue that meat was among the Prophet Muhammad’s <a href="https://www.al-islam.org/printpdf/book/export/html/43492">most preferred foods</a> and the Quranic command to “eat from the good things” certainly encompasses animal protein. <a href="http://www.icrjournal.org/icr/index.php/icr/article/view/228">For others</a>, the emphasis on environmentally friendly, ethically raised and expensively produced foodstuffs will make it more costly to purchase halal foods.</p>
<p>They’ll point out that the tayyib-halal approach is too complicated, burdensome and exclusive – and goes against the religion’s core egalitarian teachings. It also adds too many demands on the generally well-understood and agreed upon halal legal principles, which – in the broadest interpretations – simply call for the abstention of a limited number of food items.</p>
<p>To these Muslims, the simpler, more traditional approach to food is the better one. Whether or not to take into account the food’s nutritional value and how it was grown or raised is a personal decision, not a religious question.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/100715/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Febe Armanios received funding from the Islamic Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Boğaç Ergene received funding from the Islamic Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School.</span></em></p>The halal food sector largely relies on industrially produced meats and produce. But more and more Muslims are using the Quran to interpret halal to mean food that’s wholesome and humanely raised.Febe Armanios, Associate Professor of History, MiddleburyBoğaç Ergene, Professor of History, University of VermontLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/962132018-05-09T02:17:41Z2018-05-09T02:17:41ZCan meat exports be made humane? Here are three key strategies<p>Horrific footage of animals dying in <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/boiled-alive-new-footage-shows-full-scale-of-live-exports-horror-20180503-p4zd9q.html">extreme heat</a> aboard ships has raised fresh questions over the future of Australia’s live export industry.</p>
<p>Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has announced a <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/foreign-affairs/littleproud-blasts-shortens-call-for-live-sheep-export-ban/news-story/b405ab26bd75d4f7c8c3b0f78b19824b">review of the sheep trade</a> to the Middle East, while the federal Labor party has promised to <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2018-05-08/how-new-zealand-banned-live-export-trading/9733146">ban the trade</a> if it wins the next election. Farmers’ groups argue that the industry is <a href="http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/farmers-argue-against-banning-live-exports/news-story/981d4578cde8b0987d689f5d745bf02c">too important</a> to halt. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-alp-promises-to-phase-out-live-sheep-export-96049">The ALP promises to phase out live sheep export</a>
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<p>So what do we need to do to humanely sell Australia’s meat to the world? Can the meat be processed on our shores? And with many of Australia’s livestock destined for the Middle East or Indonesia, can religious slaughter requirements be met while avoiding unnecessary animal suffering?</p>
<p>We asked three experts: an agricultural specialist, a veterinarian and a religious scholar.</p>
<h2>Increase regional Australian meat processing</h2>
<p><strong>Andrew Butt, Associate Professor in Sustainability and Urban Planning, RMIT University</strong></p>
<p>Meat exports, particularly beef, have increased considerably in recent decades, overtaking wheat to become Australia’s <a href="http://data.daff.gov.au/data/warehouse/agcstd9abcc002/agcstd9abcc0022017_IugZg/ACS_2017_v1.1.0_lr.pdf">largest agricultural export by value</a>. </p>
<p>However, only about <a href="http://data.daff.gov.au/data/warehouse/9aal/2017/aaim17_20171121/AusAgIndMap2017_v.1.1.0.pdf">20% of beef exports by carcass weight</a> are live, mostly to Indonesia. For sheep meat (lamb and mutton), the proportions are similar, with about 20% by carcass weight comprising live exports going almost exclusively to Middle East markets. Lamb exports have increased fivefold over the past two decades, while domestic consumption has remained flat. </p>
<p>The national figures nevertheless conceal considerable regional variation. In some places, most or all of the production happens within the same local areas. </p>
<p>The regions of New England and of Toowoomba and Darling Downs, for example, have relatively high levels of employment in both agriculture and meat processing. Conversely, 10% of outback Queensland’s workforce is in beef cattle farming – the highest in Australia – but local processing employment is virtually non-existent. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-alp-promises-to-phase-out-live-sheep-export-96049">The ALP promises to phase out live sheep export</a>
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<p>In many regions, the abattoir and meat-processing industries are seeing changes common to other industries: rationalisation and <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2017-08-22/nolan-meats-expands-fully-automated-cold-storage-facility/8829772here">automation</a>.</p>
<p>We have an opportunity to improve the way we handle meat processing in Australia. Orthodox regional development policy would seek to retain as many stages of production as possible in the local region – in this case growing, feed production, transport, slaughtering and packing of meat products. By increasing meat processing in areas with large farming communities, we can strengthen these chains.</p>
<p>Live sheep and cattle exports are contingent on the cultural preferences <em>and</em> supply-chain limitations of key overseas markets. That is, some countries may not have the reliable refrigeration needed to keep processed meat fresh.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/can-live-animal-export-ever-be-humane-19804">Can live animal export ever be humane?</a>
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<p>It may be possible to seamlessly substitute this trade for domestically slaughtered and processed meat, but this should be considered in the context of a highly differentiated industry with pronounced regional differences.</p>
<h2>Improve shipping conditions</h2>
<p><strong>Andrew Fisher, Professor of Cattle and Sheep Production Medicine, University of Melbourne</strong></p>
<p>The welfare challenges for sheep during the current live export process are centred around five issues: </p>
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<li>failing to eat during the voyage </li>
<li>salmonella infection of the gastrointestinal tract (often linked to failure to eat) </li>
<li>heat stress </li>
<li>other onboard conditions related to lying space, lying conditions and ease of access to food and water </li>
<li>handling and conditions in the receiving country, including treatment at slaughter.</li>
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<p>Heat stress was the primary cause of the recently revealed sheep deaths on board the Awassi Express in August 2017. </p>
<p>Sheep exported from Australia during the southern winter are at greater risk of heat stress. This is because the animals are adapted to cooler conditions before being exposed to the climate of the Equator and the Middle East, which is hottest at that time of the year.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/stop-the-sheep-trade-in-the-northern-summer-veterinarians-say-96227">Stop the sheep trade in the northern summer, veterinarians say</a>
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<p>The risk of heat stress causing suffering and death can be reduced to some extent by reducing the stocking density of the sheep on a voyage. This enhances airflow around the animals and reduces the build-up of humidity and ammonia from the accumulating manure. The actual space available to each sheep would vary with the weight of the sheep and the ventilation design of the ship.</p>
<p>Eliminating almost all risk of heat stress would probably mean having much lower stocking densities all the time, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/stop-the-sheep-trade-in-the-northern-summer-veterinarians-say-96227">avoiding shipments entirely during the Australian winter</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-history-of-live-exports-is-more-than-two-centuries-old-94730">Australia's history of live exports is more than two centuries old</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The use of very low stocking densities or even air-conditioned ships may be technically feasible (just as it is for human passengers). In practice, however, the economics of this may prompt a shift away from the mass live export of sheep for slaughter.</p>
<h2>Engage with religious leaders</h2>
<p><strong>Shakira Hussein, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, National Centre for Excellence in Islamic Studies, University of Melbourne</strong></p>
<p>A large portion of Australia’s live exports go to Muslim-majority Middle Eastern countries and Indonesia. (As previously noted, one major reason is limited refrigeration facilities outside major cities.)</p>
<p>Another factor is the need for meat to be slaughtered according to religious rules, making the meat either halal or kosher.</p>
<p>Halal and kosher slaughter is supposed to provide the animal with a quick and humane death. But there is some dispute over the exact details, so not all of the “halal-certified” meat processed in Australia is regarded as acceptable by all Muslim communities. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-halal-and-how-does-certification-work-36300">Explainer: what is halal, and how does certification work?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Broadly speaking, for both halal and kosher meat, the animal’s throat must be cut and the blood drained (as the consumption of blood is prohibited). Animals should be slaughtered individually so they are not subjected to the sight of other animals being killed.</p>
<p>The major issue is that Australian regulations require that animals be stunned before being killed. Some Islamic scholars argue that this is not halal, on the grounds that it may kill the animal before the blood has been fully drained. </p>
<p>However, all halal chicken and the vast majority of halal livestock slaughtered in Australia are pre-stunned. This includes meat for both the export and domestic markets.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-the-ethics-of-ritual-slaughter-2101">Explainer: the ethics of ritual slaughter</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>A small number of Australian slaughterhouses have been granted exemptions from the requirement to pre-stun animals, to provide for halal and in particular kosher slaughter. Kosher slaughter does not accommodate pre-stunning. In these cases, cattle are stunned after the throat is cut, while sheep must be stunned if the animal does not quickly lose consciousness.</p>
<p>Refrigerated meat cannot entirely substitute for live exports because freshly slaughtered meat is regarded as being higher quality. The festival of <em>Eid al Adha</em> also involves the slaughter of livestock as part of the ritual. </p>
<p>If Australia were to end live exports, it would be important to reduce the negative impact on societies such as Indonesia by supporting the development of the local livestock industry and of refrigeration facilities in regional areas. </p>
<p>Local Muslim community organisations and leaders can also play a crucial role by emphasising that the compassionate treatment of animals is a core element of Islam and that unnecessary cruelty is not halal.</p>
<p><br></p>
<hr>
<p><em><strong>Correction:</strong> This article was updated at 4:47pm on May 9. A previous version of the article omitted the qualifier “by carcass weight” when stating the percentage of live meat exported from Australia. This error was introduced during the editing process.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/96213/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Fisher received funding in 2008 from Meat and Livestock Australia in relation to reviewing their live export heat stress risk model. He has provided unpaid professional advice on expert panels to Government on live export and associated animal welfare issues.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Butt and Shakira Hussein do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>In the face of shocking footage of animals dying on ships, it seems impossible that our live export trade will remain as it is. Here are three areas to address.Andrew Butt, Associate Professor in Sustainability and Urban Planning, RMIT UniversityAndrew Fisher, Professor of Cattle & Sheep Production Medicine, The University of MelbourneShakira Hussein, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow; Writer and researcher, National Centre for Excellence in Islamic Studies, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/382222015-05-14T03:14:40Z2015-05-14T03:14:40ZIs Australia a secular country? It depends what you mean<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/79507/original/image-20150427-18138-1fxykjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Ultimately, whether or not you consider Australia to be secular depends on the definition of secularism used.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australia is often described as a <a href="https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/opinions/are-we-really-secular-nation-we-think-we-are-2009">secular</a> country. But is it? What does it mean to be secular? Is permitting <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-halal-and-how-does-certification-work-36300">halal certification</a>, the wearing of <a href="https://theconversation.com/banning-the-burqa-is-not-the-answer-to-fears-about-public-safety-31628">Islamic headscarves</a>, religious <a href="https://theconversation.com/so-whats-the-problem-with-government-funded-chaplains-in-state-schools-28211">chaplains</a> in state schools or political lobbying by religious organisations inconsistent with a secular Australia? </p>
<p>Ultimately, the answer comes down to what you mean by “secular” and
“secularism”.</p>
<h2>Three forms of secularism</h2>
<p>In his book <a href="http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674026766">A Secular Age</a>, Canadian philosopher <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/philosophy/people/faculty/taylor">Charles Taylor</a> identified three different forms of secularism. </p>
<p>First, secularism can mean the complete removal of God and religion from the public sphere. France has this version of secularism. Children attending government-funded schools in France are prohibited from wearing <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3619988.stm">overt religious symbols</a> – as are public officials.</p>
<p>This version of secularism is sometimes described as a strict separation of church and state, or in France as <a href="http://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/essays/france-the-third-republic-and-the-1905-law-of-em-laicite-em">laïcité</a>. This form of secularism does not necessarily mean a decrease in religious belief by the population. Instead, religion is simply removed to the private sphere. The state can be secular while its population is religious. </p>
<p>Taylor’s second form of secularism concerns the level of religiosity of the population. In this version, there is a measurable reduction in religious belief and practice. This may occur even where the state still supports religion. </p>
<p>Taylor argues this has already taken place in much of Western Europe. For example, in the <a href="http://www.vexen.co.uk/uk/religion.html">United Kingdom</a> a significant proportion of the population identify with having no religion, despite the Church of England still being the established church. In this version the people are atheist while the state may be religious. </p>
<p>In Taylor’s third version of secularism, religious belief is just one option for both the state and its people. Religion is not removed from the public sphere; rather it is just once voice among many, include those with no religion.</p>
<p>As a result, a state may have a relatively high level of interaction with religion and still be considered secular so long as the state does not endorse one religion to the exclusion of other points of view. Countries that conform with this form of secularism may also be described as <a href="http://www.pluralism.org/pluralism/what_is_pluralism">religiously plural</a>. </p>
<h2>What about Australia?</h2>
<p>Ultimately, whether or not you consider Australia to be secular will depend on the definition of secularism you use. The best fit for Australia is arguably Taylor’s third form of secularism. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/coaca430/s116.html">Section 116</a> of the Australian Constitution provides that: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>As a result, the federal government cannot establish a state church. However, the state does interact with religion. For example, the federal government funds schools run by religious organisations and recognises marriages conducted by religious celebrants. This rules out Taylor’s first form of secularism.</p>
<p>Australia’s population is still predominantly religious, although the number of people identifying as having no religion is growing. In the <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/lookup/2071.0main+features902012-2013">2011 Census</a>, 68.3% of the population had a religion and 61.1% of Australians identified as Christian. This rules out Taylor’s second form of secularism – at least <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features30Nov+2013">for now</a>.</p>
<p>Australia is a secular country. But it is not one where the majority of the population has turned their backs on religion, even if the numbers doing so are increasing with each census. Nor is Australia a country where the state has no interaction with religion. </p>
<p>Secularism in Australia means no state church. It means giving people a choice between belief and un-belief. It means religious leaders may lobby for their point of view but so too may leaders of atheist, humanist and rationalist organisations. </p>
<p>Under Taylor’s third form of secularism, accommodating Islamic or Christian (or any other religion’s) practices, or permitting chaplains to operate in state schools, does not transform Australia into a Muslim or Christian country. Australia is still secular, but it has a form of secularism where religion is allowed in the public sphere. As long as religion remains one voice among many and one option among many Australia will remain a secular country. </p>
<p>For those who advocate a strict separation of church and state, as in Taylor’s first form of secularism, this is likely to be an uncomfortable conclusion. For those who support this position the only way in which a country can truly live up to the ideals of secularism is if religion is completely separated from the state and as a consequence removed almost completely from the public sphere. Those who take this position are not wrong; this is one possible meaning of secularism. However, it is not the only meaning. </p>
<p>The definition of secularism you choose will ultimately determine your answer to the question: Is Australia a secular country?</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/38222/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Renae Barker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Australia has a form of secularism where religion is allowed in the public sphere. As long as religion remains one voice and one option among many, the nation will still be secular.Renae Barker, Lecturer in Law , The University of Western AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/363002015-02-11T19:28:17Z2015-02-11T19:28:17ZExplainer: what is halal, and how does certification work?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70448/original/image-20150129-22305-1q3hape.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">With so much uncertainty in halal labelling it can be hard for Muslim consumers to know they're getting what they've asked for.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Todd Lappin</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Halal food certification in Australia has become a contentious issue. Recently, a Western Australian cafe <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-20/cafes-halal-facebook-post-prompts-online-campaign/6028720">received hateful and anti-Islamic messages</a> after its owners tried to explain halal on Facebook. A South Australian company <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-09/company-drops-halal-certification-due-to-social-media-pressure/5877584">stopped certifying its yoghurt</a> in November 2014 after it was targeted by a social media campaign.</p>
<p>And on Tuesday, independent senator Jacqui Lambie <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/halal-money-funds-terrorism-jacqui-lambie-20150210-13b868.html">threatened</a> to introduce a private senator’s bill to close what she claims are “legal loopholes” that:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>… could allow financing of terrorists and Australia’s enemies through halal money.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Lambie is not the first to raise the issue in federal parliament. WA Liberal MP Luke Simpkins <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/12032577/halal-meat-converting-aussies-mp/">claimed</a> that halal is converting unwitting consumers to Islam. LNP MP George Christensen linked halal certification to <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/george-christensen-uses-vegemite-to-suggest-halal-products-are-funding-terrorism-and-sharia-20141120-11q2lq.html">religious extremism</a>.</p>
<p>Activist groups are telling consumers to <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-20/campaign-to-boycott-halal-food-gains-momentum-in-australia/5907844">boycott halal products</a>. They also claim that certification funds extremist groups and is part of a campaign to introduce sharia law. </p>
<p>Halal food certifiers and others in the Australian Muslim community have rejected these claims, and those who make them are yet to produce any evidence. But a lack of transparency from certifiers, along with a fragmented marketplace and confusion over what the halal certification process involves, creates a climate of uncertainty for anti-halal campaigners and Muslim consumers alike.</p>
<h2>What is halal food?</h2>
<p>Muslims choose to eat halal food because it meets requirements that they believe make it suitable for consumption. Halal originates from rules set out in the Qur’an and the Hadith (the Prophet Muhammad’s example), which have been followed throughout generations of Islamic practice.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70440/original/image-20150129-22288-t77y1l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70440/original/image-20150129-22288-t77y1l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70440/original/image-20150129-22288-t77y1l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=837&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70440/original/image-20150129-22288-t77y1l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=837&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70440/original/image-20150129-22288-t77y1l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=837&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70440/original/image-20150129-22288-t77y1l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1052&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70440/original/image-20150129-22288-t77y1l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1052&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70440/original/image-20150129-22288-t77y1l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1052&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">For Muslim consumers, knowing how the food was produced is an important consideration.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/raqib/8422554183/in/photolist-9H7AD-cgUqaA-dkbohW-knTwPi-6PKBD6-5RfEbD-9HisS-fK7iwc-c426PN-KTapi-99XusM-gYnVVk-aDTC4D-65rq7c-7wXjc6-7zAAY-dQgMVr-GdT3n-5r6qAu-76kGtH-nNHsvJ-qba8VP-7wXj2P-cdnieY-9bJw31-GwKzT-fM71UQ-dGcBKE-o2eD1i-h8CBo6-7yAhcT-7wXiRT-7C4tSo-844rPJ-415QS6-fKniqK-2mMj8x-qujr9n-kHHGSg-7wM3r1-mRBbfa-4qfjig-fHCXnX-5KHi6C-7xt1YL-dKLaZR-a1Fg3X-fJjZca-7yopQC-nDhj1">Raqib Chowdhury</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As a concept, halal does not only pertain to food. Halal means “permissible” and can refer to any aspect of life covered by the teachings of Islam.</p>
<p>Halal is a part of sharia as a system of morals to guide Muslims’ actions and behaviour, but this should not be confused with halal as part of a codified system of sharia law. Halal prescriptions might be considered by observant Muslims to be religious obligations, but Australia is a secular country and halal forms no part of any Australian law. </p>
<p>As with many aspects of Islamic practice, the definition of halal food is a contested issue. For example, there is disagreement within the Muslim community about whether <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/may/08/what-does-halal-method-animal-slaughter-involve">stunning animals</a> before slaughter produces halal meat. Both sides draw on Islamic teachings and traditions to support their positions. Disputes such as this highlight why halal certification is important for Muslim consumers. </p>
<h2>How does halal certification work?</h2>
<p>There are three different types of halal certification in Australia. </p>
<p>Individual products can be certified, meaning the production process and ingredients in that particular product are halal. So a consumer could buy halal yoghurt, for example, from a store that also sold non-halal yoghurt. </p>
<p>Production facilities can be certified, so that any products produced according to the certification standards can claim to be halal. For example, in an abattoir that is certified to produce halal meat, the meat will be halal no matter what cuts or final shape the meat takes. However, it may not even get labelled as halal when it reaches the market.</p>
<p>Retail premises can also be certified so that all food prepared and sold from that business is halal.</p>
<p>The halal certification process varies depending on who is performing the service. This is where uncertainty creeps in. Muslim consumers are largely unable to find out exactly what process has been followed in the certification process and what standards have been set by the certification provider.</p>
<h2>Why is halal certification needed?</h2>
<p>Halal certification is needed in Australia for two key reasons. </p>
<p>Firstly, certification helps local Muslims decide which products to buy. Modern food processing and globalised markets make it hard for Muslims in Australia to know how their food was produced and where it has come from. To get around this uncertainty, consumers who want to buy halal food need a system that checks whether products meet the requirements of being halal.</p>
<p>In this sense, halal certification is similar to any type of food certification and audit system. Whether it be halal, kosher, gluten-free or organic, food certification services help consumers to make informed decisions about the food they eat. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70444/original/image-20150129-22299-ru9fic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70444/original/image-20150129-22299-ru9fic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70444/original/image-20150129-22299-ru9fic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70444/original/image-20150129-22299-ru9fic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70444/original/image-20150129-22299-ru9fic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70444/original/image-20150129-22299-ru9fic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70444/original/image-20150129-22299-ru9fic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70444/original/image-20150129-22299-ru9fic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Companies around the world are embracing halal to compete in the large Muslim market.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/laughinglizard/3357609140/in/photostream/">Mark Ghosh/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The second reason has to do with trade. With the global halal food trade <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0309174013001484">estimated at A$1.75 trillion annually</a>, Muslim markets provide a lucrative opportunity for Australian companies. If companies want to export their products to those markets, they need to have halal certification. </p>
<h2>Who certifies halal food?</h2>
<p>Certified halal products in Australia can come from two sources: domestic products that are produced locally and certified by local businesses, or imported products that have been certified overseas.</p>
<p>Numerous halal certifiers operate in Australia. The Department of Agriculture maintains a <a href="http://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity/export/meat/elmer-3/list-islamic-halal-certiefication">list</a> of Islamic organisations that have an “Approved Arrangement” to certify halal meat for export. There are 21 such organisations operating in Australia as of November 2014. </p>
<p>However, Australian government regulation applies only to providers that certify meat for export. While much of this meat may end up in the domestic market, certification providers that service only the Australian market do not come under any government regulation. </p>
<p>While some halal certification providers are associated with, or part of, larger Australian Islamic organisations, such as the <a href="http://muslimsaustralia.com.au/">Australian Federation of Islamic Councils</a>, others are stand-alone businesses that provide local certification services. </p>
<p>With so much uncertainty about what constitutes halal, how products are certified and who is doing the certification, consumers who wish to buy halal food can find that a difficult task. </p>
<p>For non-Muslim Australian consumers, however, halal food is little different to any other food available. It only matters whether or not food is halal if a person has the religious conviction and desire to eat only halal food. Although improvements could be made, halal certification is one way Muslims are able to do this.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/36300/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Halal food certification in Australia has become a contentious issue. Recently, a Western Australian cafe received hateful and anti-Islamic messages after its owners tried to explain halal on Facebook…James Wong, Masters Student, Monash UniversityJulian Millie, Senior Lecturer and Future Fellow, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/341082014-11-21T10:25:06Z2014-11-21T10:25:06ZRegulating the sacred: why the US halal food industry needs better oversight<p>For many Muslims, adherence to Islamic dietary laws, known as halal, is an intrinsic part of their everyday lives. Even those who are relatively lax with other rituals of the faith tend to adhere to halal. But a spate of scandals involving halal meat – first in Europe and now in the US – threatens the reliability of the industry and highlights the need for improved oversight. </p>
<p>There are 1.6 billion Muslims around the world who collectively support a market for halal foods that is currently valued at <a href="http://www.zawya.com/files/islamic-reports/tr-state-of-islamic-economy-2013.pdf">more than US$1 trillion</a>. The demand for halal products from countries like the US is certain to grow because a large number of Muslim-majority countries do not have enough agriculture and livestock resources to feed their booming populations. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the other Gulf Cooperation Council countries, for example, are expected to import <a href="http://www.arabnews.com/economy/news/657091">US$53 billion</a> of halal food by 2020. </p>
<p>The superior quality of its products has made the US a leader in the global market for food prepared by Islamic standards. But increasingly it is facing stiff competition from both established and emerging players like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Brazil and Uruguay. In order to maintain its competitive edge, the US needs to bolster its halal-assurance mechanisms. This is necessary not only for the export market but also to instill confidence among the millions of domestic halal consumers in America.</p>
<h2>The Midamar controversy</h2>
<p>Last month, Bill Aossey Jr, founder of Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Midamar Corp, was <a href="http://www.exportlawblog.com/docs/us_v_aossey.pdf">indicted</a> on 19 felony counts for allegedly shipping mis-branded meat to Indonesia and Malaysia from 2007 to 2010. He is accused of making false statements on export certificates and committing wire and money fraud. Indonesia and Malaysia have strict halal import regulations that require that the meat be processed only at their approved slaughterhouses. Aossey Jr has been accused of shipping beef from a Minnesota plant that had no such approval from the two importing countries. </p>
<p>Midamar insists that it was a minor labeling issue and that the meat it shipped was halal. Its lawyer criticized the government for initially accusing the company of not being compliant with halal rules but later retracting that allegation. He also accused the government of <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/10/24/founder-of-us-halal-food-_n_6045014.html">‘improperly trying to define halal standards’</a>. Defining what is halal or not should be left to the Muslim faithful without governmental interference, he appears to be saying. </p>
<p>The controversy surrounding Midamar is emblematic of the issues plaguing the industry. Unlike the Kosher food sector, there is no widely accepted golden halal standard in the US or even internationally. Despite some initiatives taken by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a universal standard has yet to emerge. While all Muslims agree on the fundamentals of Islamic dietary laws, as mentioned in the Quran, there are significant disagreements when it comes to the details. </p>
<h2>Mechanical versus manual slaughter</h2>
<p>Some of the contentious issues include: the permissibility of stunning an animal, mechanical versus manual slaughter, vertical versus horizontal cut, permissibility of minute quantities of alcohol as processing agents, and the list goes on. Adding a further dimension of complexity is the growing awareness among Muslims that the food they consume should not only be halal but also ethical. Proponents of this movement highlight issues such as the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/04/organic-halal-meat_n_5924144.html">humane treatment of animals and the use of genetically modified organisms</a>. </p>
<p>As a result of this lack of consensus, the definition of halal can be as expansive or as restrictive as one wants it to be. This obviously poses a problem for food manufacturers frustrated by the diversity of opinion and unable to adhere to a set standard. But despite the disagreements, the average Muslim consumer has come to expect some basic standards. At a minimum, halal signifies that the permissible animal or bird has been slaughtered by a Muslim; that it is alive at the time of the slaughter; that a ritual blessing is invoked; and that the blood is completely drained out. </p>
<p>But this diversity of definitions creates a large loophole for fraud. Businesses and individuals have charged premium fees for generic meats they incorrectly labeled halal. Several private halal certifiers do provide some oversight of the industry but that has proven to be inadequate. The fact that there are no regulations governing the certifiers means that anyone can claim to be one. This has led to the mushrooming of scores of “certifiers” with little or no religious or technical expertise. A related problem is that of self-certification by the companies. This essentially makes the whole exercise redundant as then there is no <a href="http://thegazette.com/2012/12/09/little-regulation-of-halal-causes-confusion-over-certification/">third-party oversight.</a> </p>
<h2>Fragmented and haphazard</h2>
<p>The US government’s regulation of what constitutes halal works in a fragmented and haphazard manner. The Department of Agriculture oversees federally regulated plants and also inspects exporters to ensure that they meet the importing country requirements. Since 2000, eight states have also enacted their own halal consumer protection legislation similar to the ones that were designed for kosher consumers. But the scope of these laws is often vague and poorly implemented. Cutbacks in the public sector has led to an acute shortage of inspectors, making them effectively toothless. But there have been rare cases when the authorities did crack down on those indulging in fraud. The Orange County District Attorney, for instance, obtained a US$527,000 settlement in 2011 from a business which was <a href="http://orangecountyda.org/civica/press/display.asp?layout=2&Entry=2671">fraudulently selling selling generic meat as halal</a>.</p>
<p>In order to protect both the consumers and the reputation of the industry, it is vital that a holistic approach be adopted involving all stakeholders. There are obvious limitations to governmental involvement due to the separation of church and state principle. But it can certainly improve transparency and consumer information by mandating that anyone selling a product as halal should back up that claim. The disclosure requirements of <a href="http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/Halalsite/halals.html">New York’s Halal Food Act of 2005 </a> if strictly implemented, which they are currently not, could serve as a good model. The government can also regulate the certifiers by imposing a minimum set of standards including qualifications and avoidance of conflict of interest. </p>
<p>Bureaucratization and professionalization of the halal certifiers at a minimum will greatly improve reliability – as it has in the kosher industry – if not completely eliminate fraud. A transparent and reliable American halal industry is good not only for consumers but also for businesses.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/34108/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mohammed Khan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>For many Muslims, adherence to Islamic dietary laws, known as halal, is an intrinsic part of their everyday lives. Even those who are relatively lax with other rituals of the faith tend to adhere to halal…Mohammed Khan, PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science, McMaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/242962014-03-18T06:07:59Z2014-03-18T06:07:59ZWe don’t care about how farm animals live, so why do we care how they die?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/44119/original/8bjwykmn-1395077151.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Meat production, halal style</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/8143138282/sizes/k/">epSos.de</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>John Blackwell, the new head of the British Veterinary Association, recently waded into the ritual slaughter debate by <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2574456/Stop-slashing-animals-throats-ritual-slaughters-halal-kosher-meat-says-new-leader-Britains-vets.html">calling for</a> kosher and halal meat preparation to be banned. </p>
<p>With vets at European level making similar demands, 10 years after the then Labour Government <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/government-backs-down-on-religious-slaughter-ban-6171607.html">decided not to</a> ban the practice, Jewish and Muslim leaders have united in rejecting the basic assumption that the animals suffer greatly in the process. They have suggested that the objections are motivated by incipient anti-Semitism and Islamaphobia. </p>
<p>As an aside, the vets’ demands made a change from critics focusing solely on halal, which in view of the close similarities between the two practices always suggests it is socially easier to criticise Muslim rather than Jewish traditions. But that doesn’t mean the general point is correct either. </p>
<p>In either case, the objection is that a trained individual uses an extremely sharp implement to slit the animal’s throat in a single cut so that it bleeds to death within minutes. In other words, the problem is the animal being “conscious” at the final moment prior to slaughter. </p>
<h2>Narrow definition</h2>
<p>This raises a number of interesting issues. There is seemingly no interest in the other aspects of the slaughter process. Kosher and halal slaughterhouses are usually very small and non-industrial; most other abattoirs are highly industrialised. In the latter, the animals are carried off their feet from narrow pens to a point where a man uses a large nail gun to fire a pencil-sized bolt into their brains. Once stunned in this way, each animal is hoisted up and its throat is slit to bleed out. </p>
<p>Industrial slaughterhouses can process more than 300 animals an hour. Critics of kosher or halal practices rarely consider the distress animals might experience in the half hour before they die during industrial slaughter. So long as there is a “humane” death at the end, society and its veterinary associations are relatively relaxed about the overall system of industrial meat production. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/44120/original/ydjknmnz-1395077540.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/44120/original/ydjknmnz-1395077540.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/44120/original/ydjknmnz-1395077540.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/44120/original/ydjknmnz-1395077540.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/44120/original/ydjknmnz-1395077540.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/44120/original/ydjknmnz-1395077540.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=512&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/44120/original/ydjknmnz-1395077540.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=512&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/44120/original/ydjknmnz-1395077540.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=512&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Down on the regular farm.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/farmsanctuary1/2162852505/sizes/o/">Farm Sanctuary</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It might be harsh to suggest this is subtly disguised anti-Semitism or Islamaphobia, but it does point to a societal disquiet about non-standard production practices in this era where people are very removed from the physical production of food, especially meat. Industrialisation might add a level of distance and comfort, but learn a bit more about the meat production methods and you might also conclude that society’s squeamishness about animal killing does not extend to how the animal is reared, transported, penned and processed beforehand. </p>
<h2>Speaking from experience</h2>
<p>Anyone who has grown up on a farm will recognise a level of hypocrisy here. I grew up in rural parts of the US, catching, killing and cleaning fish. Shooting and cleaning deer was a part of life. A calf was taken each year to the small local abattoir for slaughter and we knew the name of the animal when we ate part of it. </p>
<p>My mother grew up in a world where they slaughtered hogs and steers on site by hand, with local families moving from farm to farm to help. At no point were they (or we) intentionally inhumane and we would all have been horrified by the assembly line and callous processing of animals in modern industrial slaughterhouses.</p>
<p>Likewise, there was no particular glory or superiority in the hands-on aspect of slaughter. Meat was an essential food and animals, which were known and cared for from birth, had been raised for that purpose. Slaughter was a very unpleasant and extremely difficult part of that process. </p>
<p>Kosher and halal rituals are very much rooted in religious practices embedded in that same type of rural culture. The killing is grubby and bloody; and uncomfortable for modern people used to meat in nice packages. </p>
<p>But it is problematic to focus on the distress of an animal at the moment of its death in a very small-scale, hands-on environment while turning a jaded and largely blind eye to slaughterhouses sucking in animals and spitting out meat parcels by their thousands every hour. If those who claim to care about animal rights want to focus on one thing, it should be that. </p>
<hr>
<p>Related coverage:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://theconversation.com/we-already-have-the-answers-to-humane-religious-slaughter-24258">We already have the answers to humane religious slaughter</a></li>
<li><a href="http://theconversation.com/humane-and-human-dont-mean-the-same-thing-when-it-comes-to-killing-animals-24514">Humane and human don’t mean the same thing when it comes to killing animals</a></li>
</ul><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/24296/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>William Naphy does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>John Blackwell, the new head of the British Veterinary Association, recently waded into the ritual slaughter debate by calling for kosher and halal meat preparation to be banned. With vets at European…William Naphy, Professor, School of Divinity, History and Philosophy , University of AberdeenLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.