(ed:..as an animal-welfare vegan i welcome the plant-based meats -for obvious reasons – but i also acknowledge the economic-disruption/chaos this is going to cause the animal-based industries..worldwide..but really..there is s.f.a. o’connor or the industry can do about it..
the environmentally-destructive/animal-welfare-free ‘meat’-industries – are sunset industries..
and o’connor would be wise to focus on aiding ‘farmers’ to transition to growing real/plant-based foods – and not just breeding/fattening animals..)
(excerpt..)
O’Connor – who is also the Labour electorate MP for West Coast-Tasman – said his big push for the first term of the new Government was for the development of strategic visions and plans for every sector of the primary industries.
‘We’ve got better at working faster – producing more – but we’re not quite sure which direction we’re heading’ he said.
Some ‘big challenges’ facing the industries included ‘alternative proteins’ and the use of genetically engineered (GE) plants.
In the US there was ‘huge investment’ in plant-based meat and alternative milk products involving companies such as Coca-Cola – O’Connor said.
A company called Impossible Foods was marketing its plant-based patties as more environmentally friendly than traditional meat alternatives for hamburgers.
‘Because we use 0 per cent cows the Impossible Burger uses a fraction of the earth’s natural resources’ – Impossible Foods says on its website.
O’Connor said he took seriously the threat from those alternative meat and milk products.
‘This is real.
It’s either a threat or an opportunity depending on how we react to it’ he said.
“The big question for us as food producers: Will future discerning consumers – who are prepared to pay more for their food – want a more environmentally friendly product or a more natural-based product’.
(ed: or will they eschew animal-sourced ‘meats’ altogether..?..i’m picking ‘c’..eh..?..)
(cont..)
Source: New Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor warns of threat to primary industries | Stuff.co.nz
My view is humans who want to eat meat or plant based alternatives need only have a small portion 2 or 3 times a month.
Both industries suck in my book, as they encourage their product to be consumed at every meal. I doubt processed plant based options promote glutathione levels like real meats do.
I tried meat alternatives @vegan society meeting and the salt, flavoring, glutemates and processed oils like canola made them a poor choice and probably less healthy than the real thing.
Grains should be sprouted or soaked at the very least, and used sparingly. Making them taste meaty is lowering their potential.
A fresh vegetable and fruit based diet with healthy plant oils and sprouted nuts seeds and pulses is best. Very small amounts of meat and diary are okay for those who want them. 2 to 3 times a month should be recommended.
ed:..i agree there are vegan junk-food diets..(nutrigrain for breakfast – w.t.f..!)..and as for healthy fake-meat alternatives..the coming plant-based ones seem to tick those boxes..and they are what will drive the real changes..the fast-food chains will be the first to use them..followed by the rest of society..and we don’t need to eat meat/dairy – even once or twice a month..the environmental/animal-welfare costs are too high..
Feral goats, pigs and deer?
Left to run amok NZ will look like a rocky wasteland, bird habitat decimated by grazers and predators.
I believe the zero tolerance approach to meat eating is unrealistic for most people, and better animal welfare results can be achieved by a 2-3 times a month mantra. Bit like the prohibitionists and wowsers message of zero tolerance.
As strange as that may seem to a dyed in the wool vegan, my empathy for animals brings me assert this point.
ed: i don’t buy into yr 2-3 times a month mantra…robocock (great moniker b.t.w..)..i guess if you are only vegan for your personal health reasons it makes sense…but not if you factor in the main reason i am that way..namely animal-welfare…’cos even if only 2-3 tiimes a month..it is still animal-flesh..from an animal killed for just that purpose..so y’know..!
Name calling and promoting fundamentalist error, good one Ed
ed: um..!..where is the name-calling..?..and where is the ‘fundamentalist error’..?
Early European settlers to NZ marveled at having a chance to eat meat once a week which was only a rich mans fare in Europe and Britain. The rich had the usual maladies of meat eaters whereas the poor had a different range of sicknesses related to sanitation and crowded living conditions and starvation. Now we are encouraged to eat animal protein and dairy products many times a week to make the producers wealthy or at least meet their financial hurdles imposed by high land prices and banks mortgages. If O’Connor wants to do anything useful then he should look at the chain of debt and banker activity destroying farmers and society in general.
The environment damage is the unpaid debt left by farmer activity. This has to stop. O;Connor is a blind fool even talking as he has. An ignorant mouthpiece attempting to get West Coast farmer backing. No knowledge, no principle , no future prospect, no intelligent solution and deserves no credit whatsoever for his silly rant. Things have to change and his foolishness is backing himself into a corner with no escape. The West Coast now has little extraction of mineral and relies on Tourism.
ed:..i guess o’connor deserves some brownie points for at least issuing the warning to farmers..his tory predecessor just whinnyed nervously..and said there is no no problem for nz animal-farmers/the economy..(and gets a special head-in-sand-award for those efforts..)
..
Agreed Phil. There is usually more than one side to see. If progress is to be made then gradual change can be an effective path but some aspects such as pollution and consumption of Non Renewable Natural Resources both need urgent attention and drastic action to curb the losses we are now experiencing. While cleaning up any part of the pollution is extremely expensive, the damage to native habitat causes loss of native species and may well be coupled with out of control invasion of exotic pests
The economic drivers are being largely ignored and loss of healthy native habitat and other environment disorders, are pretty much ignored by business NZ. Fonterra is a prime example of a business doing what is bad for NZ.
Economic management in NZ ignored the massive drain of dividends and assets to off shore investors.
The NZ State can counter this and generate local investment to include more resilient locally owned, state supported and guided agencies to supply Kiwis with their needs both short and long term.