The news outlet penned a feature on how a slew of companies are aiming to ‘tap into’ the Chinese market – but warned it could be ‘challenging’ due to the cost of plant-based meat.
The article follows an announcement from Beyond Meat who says it has ‘pushed forward’ plans to set up production in China – whilst Impossible Foods says it’s awaiting regulatory approval to enter the Chinese market.
Recently, Swiss conglomerate Nestlé also announced plans to build a plant-based food facility in Tianjin as part of a $103.58 million investment
COVID-19
Whilst China still consumes more meat than any other country, it has seen a spiked interest in plant-based alternatives triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.
This follows wet markets – where live animals are freshly slaughtered and kept in close proximity to humans and dead animals – being identified as a possible source of the virus spread.
Founder of Bits x Bites, China’s first food tech venture capital group, Matilda Ho told Fox Business: “Although people are now returning back to the normal routine after Covid-19, consumers are concerned about the potential link between meat products and the virus. Some are reducing their meat intake as a result.”
More plant-based meat
As China’s lockdown started to ease and restaurants began opening, more plant-based meat popped up on menus, the BBC reported.
Eateries offering vegan options are KFC, Starbucks, and Pizza Hut – all of which partnered with Beyond Meat to offer meat-free options.
PETITION TARGET: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Aurelia Skipwith
As the world’s most trafficked mammal, pangolins suffer immensely as poachers chop down and burn their treetop homes, throw the defenseless animals into bags, and transport them on nightmarish journeys before beating them to near-death and boiling the pangolins alive for “medicine.” This repulsive trade impacts people, too; the new coronavirus may have been first transmitted to humans by a pangolin.
Sadly, the United States market is helping feed this ruthless trade — but there is new hope. Following a lawsuit from multiple activist groups, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must decide by June, 2021 whether all pangolins will be protected under the Endangered Species Act, which would fully ban the horrific trade in the United States.
From 2004 to 2013 in the U.S, authorities confiscated 26,000 imports of pangolin products, the Center for Biological Diversity reported. And pangolin parts have been found in “medicinal” products in the U.S., according to a 2015 Humane Society International report.
Despite an international ban on pangolin trafficking in 2017, this brutal practice hasn’t stopped.
We must defend these innocent creatures from the brutal violence they endure in the wildlife trade and help prevent future zoonotic disease outbreaks by banning pangolin trafficking completely.
Sign this petition urging U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Aurelia Skipwith to protect pangolins under the Endangered Species Act, ending a bloody, illegal trade that harms both animals and people.
Posted on September 12, 2020 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
People power stops new live export business in its tracks
A plan to begin exporting live animals from Namibia to Kuwait has been quashed thanks to a united, global effort drawing attention to the suffering caused by the trade.
The idea that when one door closes another opens, is mostly reassuring. But when it comes to the global live export trade, this universal truth is the reason we need to remain ever vigilant. You see, as countries have become clued-up to the cruelty inherent to live export — and widespread opposition to it — live exporters have found it harder to shore up business.
When Australia restricted sheep exports during the dangerous northern summer months, exporters knocked on Romania’s door. And Animals Australia was there. When Romania began questioning the trade, they went to South Africa. Again, we were already there. When South Africa’s NSPCA took the battle to stop the trade all the way to the High Court, it was abundantly clear: this global trade in animal cruelty is well and truly matched by a global effort to stop it.
From Australia to New Zealand to Brazil to South Africa and to dozens of countries throughout Europe — there is a powerful, international collaboration of groups and individuals working together to save animals from this ruthless industry.
And it’s a compassionate effort that has just paid off in Namibia, with new plans to begin live export from the Southern African nation put on hold indefinitely.
The business plan put forward by Tradeport Namibia proposed to import 70,000 live sheep, 50,000 goats and 5,000 cattle from South Africa and Botswana for live export from Namibia to Kuwait.
As exposé after exposé has revealed — it’s a sea journey fraught with risk for the animals who would be confined in cramped and stressful conditions for weeks before facing terrifying fully conscious slaughter upon arrival.
A rapid-fire public and media education campaign was launched in Namibia to highlight the reality of live export for the animals. In its submission objecting to the business plan, Namibia’s SPCA noted that the trade undermines Namibian laws and standards and that allowing live export would:
…effectively endorse an archaic trade that is struggling to maintain a social license to operate in this day and age.
Former live export vet and whistleblower, Dr Lynn Simpson detailed for the Namibian media the animal suffering and deaths witnessed during her 57 voyages from Australia, warning:
I would caution any country approached by exporters to avoid getting caught in this trade of unnecessary cruelty and death.
And the warnings have been heeded. In announcing that plans to export live animals would be ‘put on ice’, Tradeport Namibia noted the strong opposition, locally and internationally, to the export of live animals and that the company did not want to be involved in a business that will attract widespread outrage.
A united global front is turning the tide on live export. We don’t always win, but we are always there. And every action you take to support these efforts takes us another step towards shutting the door on this industry, for good.
Ending live export
For as long as this cruel trade in living beings exists — we remain as committed as ever to sparing animals from falling victim to it. Will you join us?
Please spare 1 minute now to lend your voice to the animals — and help create a world free from the horror of live export.
Posted on September 12, 2020 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Recent research by the Italian magazine “Repubblica” documents the animal suffering and environmental impact caused each year in Europe by illegal fishing.
The report, entitled “La Guerra del Tonno Rosso”,“The Bluefin Tuna War”, deals primarily with the problems that arise in connection with the commercial catch of a fish whose meat is internationally traded as a valuable commodity.
The market for bluefin tuna, also known as bluefin tuna, caught in the Mediterranean is worth billions of euros a year.
The high market value is decisively influenced by the demand from Japan, which, according to the Repubblica, consumes 90% of the tuna caught in the Mediterranean.
Animal Equality, has documented both the natural behavior of tunas underwater, and the plight of the bluefin tunas who are brutally killed. Bluefin tunas are able to feel pain and suffering like any other animal. This slaughter in Carloforteis a cruel practice that must stop immediately.
INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:
• Unnaturally high densities of tuna at the catching stage presented a significant stressor to individual animals.
• Fish were dragged from the ocean with giant sharp metal pick hooks and brought onboard ships.
• Extensive tissue damage was caused by the piercing, blunt hooks, and this is likely to have inflicted acute pain on the fish, who was still alive and conscious.
• The suspension of the tunas’ body weight caused the further tearing of tissues as a result of gravity working against the hook.
• The struggling, frantic movements of the tuna whilst suspended in the air indicated that the fish were in pain and stress.
• Fish were observed being repeatedly stabbed with knives in the thoracic (chest) region and major arteries, causing death via exsanguination.
• Animals were slaughtered in the presence of conspecifics which is likely to cause additional stress.
Every year, from late May to early June, hundreds of bluefin tuna are caught in traps called “tonnaras” as they migrate to their spawning areas.
“Tonnaras”is a complex system of nets in which the tuna are caught and then slaughtered.
Every year thousands of individuals suffer and die during the well-known “Tuna Slaughter of Carloforte” on the island of San Pietro.
In the Mediterranean, tuna are mainly caught in mobile traps.
However, fixed traps are still used during the slaughter of Carloforte off the southwestern coast of Sardinia.
On the migration to their spawning areas, the tuna are forced to swim through a system of fixed nets that lead into several enclosed areas.
After they have passed these “net tunnels”, they reach the “killing zone” where the animals are herded together and slaughtered.
And I mean… We fish the oceans empty, soon it will be fished out.
Whether in a can, in a salad, on a pizza, or raw for sushi, tuna is popular.
Almost every variation of tuna is in the supermarket.
In Germany, it ranks fourth among the most eaten edible fish.
It is precisely this uncontrolled greed for tuna that is fatal for the fish.
The tun stocks are already overfished. Despite the dramatic decline in stocks, the EU is still subsidizing tuna fishing.
Today six of the eight tuna species are already considered endangered. The southern bluefin tuna has even been classified as critically endangered by the IUCN, but it is still fished and fished at record prices in the markets.
But that’s not the only problem: If they want to catch tuna, they don’t just get tuna in the net. The bycatch of dolphins, whales, turtles, and sea birds such as albatrosses is shamelessly accepted.
And if unwanted animals have been caught, they are thrown back into the sea as “waste”, regardless of whether they are injured or even dead.
In addition, there are unfair fishing agreements: fishing nations such as Japan, Taiwan,Korea, China, and the European Union usually conclude socially unjust fishing agreements with poor coastal countries. In the end, only a fraction of the billion-dollar profits goes to developing countries.
With every new investigative work, everyone realizes that food is not everyone’s free choice.
Whoever eats meat – and that includes fish – cooperates with the fascist system of exploitation and slavery, operated by the meat mafia.
Posted on September 11, 2020 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
I detest ALL live animal exports.
It is simply immense animal cruelty under the guise of trade benefit and primarily, profit by those who do not care about much else other than what goes into their bank accounts and back pockets.
I personally hate and feel very sorry for the low life people that work in this business. Normally I do not hate; but in the live export case I make exceptions !
I have been directly involved with UK (English) live animal exports for 30 years, maybe more now. Philip (CEO at CIWF) and I became good friends in all the campaigning years at South East English ports where live animals were exported. We still communicate regularly.
Here is a picture of me from ?- lets just say many years gone by when we were at Dover harbour in Kent, England; campaigning against live calf exports; the issue of this post now. They were sad times for all the campaigners involved; witnessing the baby innocents being shipped to foreign lands for financial gain only.
As a campaigner against the trade at Dover; you always heard the calves way before you actually witnessed the transporters arriving with them at the docks. Why did we always hear first ? – because they are / were mere babies; deprived of their mothers milk; calling out for the mothers that they would never see again because of the ‘want’ by the human species to require some bovine milk for their cup of tea or coffee every morning.
All animals going for export suffer in the live trade. There is the silence of the (baby) lambs; the immense crying of the (baby) calves; and the pigs and the horses who make noises probably and simply because they are not happy in their situation.
You can read a lot more, with one link giving route to an undercover investigation for Irish calves going to Cherbourg in France; by clicking on the following:
The link, is to ‘Serbian Animals Voice’ (SAV, which is the sister site to this (WAV); and was founded by myself to help stray dogs and cats in the Balkans back in 2oo5.
Your contribution and actions:
Now I am asking for your help and support to aid Philip and the crew at CIWF (London), as putting massive pressure on UK governments is vital to getting this abhorrent trade stopped for once and all.
The following is largely copied directly from CIWF campaigning.. Action links are also provided; and this is the essential route where I personally ask for your support.
From CIWF: Dear Mark,
Together, we scored a big victory for calves last month: the courts REJECTED the Scottish Government’s request to INDEFINITELY DELAY our Judicial Review of live calf exports.
However, our legal battle rages on – and we must ramp up the pressure on decision makers who are still prepared to defend this vile trade in court.
The legal battle against British live calf exports rages on – and we must maintain momentum to deliver justice for calves.
As you may know, Compassion’s Judicial Review of the appalling trade in unweaned calves from Britain to the Continent is set to be heard in court in the autumn.
Thousands of compassionate people have already lobbied the Scottish Government to drop its opposition to the case.
Following those emails, it has indicated it may consider reviewing its live exports policy.
But the Scottish Government is still fighting us in court – and Defra, acting on behalf of the UK Government, is backing them.
Given that UK decision makers have repeatedly pledged to end live exports for fattening and slaughter, this is a bitter betrayal.
Please, help end this hypocrisy: urge the UK Government to drop its legal defence of cruel calf exports.
ACTION – tell the UK government to stop defending calf exports:
But it is still fighting CIWF in court – and Defra, acting on behalf of the UK Government, is still supporting them.
UK decision makers simply cannot get away with protecting a trade they claim to want to end. Do they really want to use taxpayers’ money to defend animal cruelty?
ACTION: Urge Defra to drop its opposition to the CIWF calf court case:
The case: journeys over eight hours for unweaned calves are not permitted unless, after nine hours of travel, they receive a one-hour break for rest, water and, “if necessary”, food. In practice, the calves can only be fed when unloaded at an appropriate facility. For calves exported from Scotland, the first time this happens is in Northern France – which means they can go up to 23 hours without food.
The aim: a court ruling that these journeys are unlawful, because the legal requirement for food during travel isn’t being met.
If we win: British live calf exports could not continue in their current form, which could spare thousands of animals every year from unnecessary suffering. Plus, since UK and EU legislation on live transport are identical, the case could trigger action across Europe.
Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) 