First things first. Let us pause to salute the salty goodness of crispy rashers a-fryin’ in the pan. As my naughty Jewish friends no doubt say before hoeing into their bacon and eggs, “Mmmm… sacrilicious.”
Second point of order. Let’s recognise Australian Bacon Week, and in particular the push by Australian Pork Limited for us all to consume more of the Aussie stuff. Did you know that 80 per cent of our bacon is imported? Or that some iconic Aussie bacon brands have that sneaky “made from imported and local ingredients” label on the side which MP Amanda Rishworth wrote about so eloquently on The Punch last week?
The answer, according to APL, is to make sure you buy pork products with their somewhat unimaginative pink square logo. This will ensure you are not buying imported pork, most of which comes from the EU, and most of which is Danish. APL say that the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service does not test imported pork for chemical residues and other nasties. The EU also has some pretty dodgy pig farms. And while it is is one of several worldwide jurisdictions phasing out inhumane treatment of farmed pigs, conditions at many Danish farms are still far from pleasant, as this disturbing video shows. The question is: are things much different in Australia?
Australian Pork Limited decided at its November 2010 AGM to phase out sow stalls by 2017. Sow stalls are tiny metal compartments so small that a pregnant pig cannot turn around. The RSPCA claims that most of Australia’s 300 thousand odd breeding pigs are kept in these stalls for the duration of their 16 week pregnancy.
If the issue had come down to pure science, APL, like the stalled sows themselves, would likely not have budged an inch. That’s because science doesn’t necessarily tell you the porkers are unhappy – the way science might not tell you the bleedingly obvious fact that your dog is miserable out in the rain.
But in an age where consumers want to eat chooks who had a bit of a peck around the yard before they became Oporto burgers, we now apparently want the other half of our bacon and egg rolls equally uncompromised. So consumer pressure appears to be making a difference.
Animal rights advocacy group Voiceless welcomes APL’s phase-out. However, since APL is not legally obliged to carry it through, Voiceless worries that industry compliance is no sure bet unless the Commonwealth Government acts to revise the Model Code of Practice for Pig Welfare.
Meanwhile, back in the supermarket aisles, the battle to buy Australian is not the only dilemma for bacon lovers. Decoding labels is an issue too. As you can see from this admittedly poor quality phone camera pic, the KR Castlemaine bacon in my fridge says, in large letters, “Bred Free Range.”
KR has a helpful section on their website to explain what that actually means, but in layman’s terms, it means the mother of the pig you’re eating was allowed to wander around outside when pregnant. As for how the pig you’re eating lived its life, well now. That depends, doesn’t it.
KR’s blurb says “Pigs are weaned at 21 – 28 days of age and moved into deep bedding systems such as eco shelters.” We contacted a KR spokesperson to help translate that jargon. She further explained that the pigs are kept in “group housing” and that they do have some room to run around, albeit indoors.
Here’s what a Voiceless spokesperson told The Punch, on the issue of what “Bred Free Range” actually means.
“Sows that are ‘bred free-range’ generally spend their pregnancy outdoors in a natural environment, instead of being kept in metal sow stalls indoors. In ‘bred free-range’ farming systems, piglets are born outdoors. They may be prematurely weaned and may in some instances also be painfully mutilated without pain relief, ie., have their teeth clipped and tails cut off.
“After they have been weaned, ‘bred free-range’ pigs are generally raised in roofed shelters with straw bedding. This means that they are unable to forage or spend time outdoors for most of their lives. Some piglets that are bred free range are sent to conventional (factory farming) facilities after they are weaned.”
The big issue now is whether Australia has enough land for free range pig farming. APL and Voiceless agree on the boffins’ estimate that only 3 to 5 per cent of Australian land is suitable for pig farming, primarily because pigs like to dig around and our soil is easily washed away. But where APL sees problems, Voiceless sees opportunities. Three per cent of the Australian landmass is a lot of land for the size of our sow herd, they say.
As you can see folks, it’s bacon wars out there. And you thought the biggest issue was whether to cook it in the thick-cut, lightly-cooked English style where it’s served pink, or the American style, where the bacon is thin, dark and crispy.
Personally, I prefer the American style. Preferably with fried eggs, because everyone knows that people who eat poached eggs are the new latte wankers.
Anyway, morning tea is fast approaching, and it’s (purportedly) free range bacon sandwiches all round at The Punch today. Free range farming might bump the price up, but an extra dollar or two is well worth spending to feel good about your favourite salty cholesterol hit, don’t you think?
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@karalee_ yeah, have concluded same after cursory look at a few. Scary that some brands might actually use them
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