California's kangaroo product market in limbo as moratorium on ban comes to end

A ban on the sale and import of kangaroo products is set to be reimposed in California on January 1, despite controversial efforts by the Australian Government to have the restriction permanently lifted.

It has been illegal to import kangaroo products to California since 1971, but in 2007 a moratorium was placed on that ban, largely due to the lobbying efforts of sportswear companies that wanted to sell football shoes made from kangaroo hides.

The moratorium is due to end on January 1, 2016 and violators could face fines or prison sentences.

Animal rights groups in California have said the ban should never have been suspended.

"These iconic species in Australia really should not be killed in such staggering numbers for something as frivolous as shoes and pet food," Humane Society of the United States lobbyist Jennifer Fearing said.

Supporters of kangaroo harvesting say the practice is science-based and environmentally sustainable while critics say it is a threat to the animals' survival.

abc.net.au

What could possibly be the issue these animal rights activists have with importing Kangaroo meat into California? They say it threatens the species, lol... Do they have any idea how much kangaroo's there actually are here? The species is far from threatened.

I mean, its not like we have cruel farming practices when it comes to kangaroo's either, since its actually illegal to farm kangaroo's... So they all live happy free lives out in the wild and then are humanely hunted, by professional hunters... It's far more humane than most other meat industries.

It can't be an intelligence thing either... because seriously, just to be honest, Kangaroo's are extremely stupid... A cow is far more intelligent than any kangaroo.

These animal activists really need to learn some facts about the species and learn how kangaroo meat (or hide) is actually obtained by the industry, before they go on some irrational animal rights protest about it.

At the end of the day, its only the Californian economy that will suffer from the loss of a 200 million dollar industry. The Australian kangaroo industry will find somewhere else to fill the gap. Its not like anyone can get kangaroo meat or hide from anyone else but them anyway, its kind of a monopoly, lol.

I didn't even know there was a kangaroo industry in California.

a reply to: Enochstask

I didn't even personally know there was a large kangaroo industry in the US as a whole, until I read this article.

But apparently there is and its worth 200 million, just in California alone.

I've never heard of it either. Is it just the hides or can you eat kangaroo meat?

There are that many lol
I worked next to a dog food business
They would go out for the night
Every night
and every morning
Their ute would pull up with about 20 roos

It's OK to eat
No fat all meat
There are a few different roos
In Australia
The big red roos stand taller then a human
With a six pack like Arnold Schwarzenegger

Just stay clear of the drop bears
Lol

originally posted by: piney
There are that many lol
I worked next to a dog food business
They would go out for the night
Every night
and every morning
Their ute would pull up with about 20 roos

It's OK to eat
No fat all meat
There are a few different roos
In Australia
The big red roos stand taller then a human
With a six pack like Arnold Schwarzenegger

Just stay clear of the drop bears
Lol

That thing looks like it would rip yer face off. Runs always screaming

a reply to: Subaeruginosa

I think we eat and wear enough animals without adding kangaroos.

This will go into my WTF? file for today.

I hope they don't ban this!
Geez! I am now addicted to kangarobacon.

That stuff is so good and actually better for you than regular bacon.

I better buy another freezer and stock up.

a reply to: reldra

Yeah, but your opinion obviously comes from them being some exotic animal to you.

From my point of view, if they weren't culling them at the current rate that they are, then it would just be more of them quite literally aiming for the front end of my car, when driving on some rural highway.

I'd love to try Kangaroo!

Why anyone would discount such an abundant food source is beyond me. Not minding the 'endangered' thing. A short chat with any Aussie shows this to be a non issue.

Just cook it and put it in my face. Make a nice change from Iguana-on-a-stick!

a reply to: Subaeruginosa

Stupid god damned tree hugging hippies with no clue!

Kangaroos are a plague over here in OZ. They actually have to cull them to keep the population sustainable.

If they don't, the population will get so large it will strip the food chain bare and there will be a mass starvation die off.

So kangaroo products are a result of sustainable land management.

We have to keep them culled.

Due to management, numbers rarely reach plague proportions. In the past, they would die in huge numbers, not a nice thing to see when animals die of thirst or lack of food.

P

originally posted by: Subaeruginosa

A ban on the sale and import of kangaroo products is set to be reimposed in California on January 1, despite controversial efforts by the Australian Government to have the restriction permanently lifted.

It has been illegal to import kangaroo products to California since 1971, but in 2007 a moratorium was placed on that ban, largely due to the lobbying efforts of sportswear companies that wanted to sell football shoes made from kangaroo hides.

The moratorium is due to end on January 1, 2016 and violators could face fines or prison sentences.

Animal rights groups in California have said the ban should never have been suspended.

"These iconic species in Australia really should not be killed in such staggering numbers for something as frivolous as shoes and pet food," Humane Society of the United States lobbyist Jennifer Fearing said.


At the end of the day, its only the Californian economy that will suffer from the loss of a 200 million dollar industry. The Australian kangaroo industry will find somewhere else to fill the gap. Its not like anyone can get kangaroo meat or hide from anyone else but them anyway, its kind of a monopoly, lol.

For what its worth roo meat is one of the healthiest meats there is to east due to its very low fat content. its a bit to strong a taste for me.

no comment on the wrongs n rights of roo farming and export.