Protest at Adelaide Federal Community Cabinet to demand action to save the Murray-Darling

In 2006/07, Australians consumed an average of 104 litres of milk and 12 kilograms of cheese each. With the increasing demand for dairy products, and increasing prices, the public should consider the alternatives. Cows have to give birth to a calf every year in order to produce milk. Mother cows are known to have highly developed maternal instincts and can bellow for days for their stolen babies! We kill over one million new-born calves each year. The dairy industry is a high water consumer, and must take a lot of responsibility for the demise of the Murray-Darling food basin! We are also heavy exporters of dairy products. According to ABS, in 2005-06, the agricultural commodities that used the most water in the Murray Darling Basin (MDB) were dairy farming - 1,287 GL or 17% and pasture for other livestock. The dairy industry accounted for 39% of the total irrigated area of pasture in the MDB. About 45% of Australian milk is exported (2007/2008), mainly as milk powders, cheese and butter. The growing middle-classes in China and India are aspiring to our high red-meat and dairy and lifestyle in general, and Australian industries are constantly pushing for growth in these exports. European style dairy products can be replaced by more humane and sustainable plant-based ones such as soy, rice and oat milks. Dairy products have naturally high levels of saturated fat which raises blood cholesterol and will increase vascular disease risk in many people. The traditional cuisines of many countries are dairy-free. Recently, the largest ongoing European study found that just 35 g per day of dairy protein increased the risk of prostate cancer by 32%. (N E. Allen, T J. Key, P N. Appleby, 2008) Other scientists point to high levels of animal protein which increase the acid load on our body which is fought by pulling calcium out of our bones. ( T. Colin Campbell. The China Study 2005) The reality is that we don't need dairy products! The amount of water used to make a litre of milk is between 320 and 1000 litres. Soymilk requires about half the amount water of dairy milk. Soymilk is high in protein without the water consumption, the environmental impact of livestock, without the deaths of calves and cruelty to cows, and is healthier! www.rspca.org.au/campaign/dairyindustry.asp www.dairycruelty.com.au