Farewell to Livestock Farming
By Jenny Moxham
An Animal Rights Poem from All-Creatures.org

Farewell to Livestock Farming
By Jenny Moxham

Australia's not a place for raising livestock,
And so livestock farmers simply must move on.
This country's way too hot and dry and drought prone,
And it's time that farmers saw they got it wrong.

The handouts from the government have been many,
To help them through their loss in times of drought,
But with water shortage now a dire matter,
It's time this situation turned about.

For livestock farming simply squanders water,
And our stocks are now already way too low.
It' rice and wheat and legumes fruit and vegies,
That we really need the farming folk to grow.

'Cos fifty to one hundred thousand litres,
Are required for just one kilogram of meat,
If used instead for growing grains and vegies,
We'd have one hundred times more food to eat.

So governments and citizens and farmers,
Who've grown accustomed to the ways of old,
And think this land's a place for raising livestock,
Now need to hold a vision new and bold.

It's time for all to nurture a new mindset,
'Cos our water problem won't just go away.
It's time to say farewell to livestock farming,
And seek new opportunity today.

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As of October 2006, Australia is facing the worst drought on record after hot, dry conditions and little or no rainfall. A government drought package is expected to top A$2 billion. The CSIRO tells us that producing meat requires 50,000 -100,000 litres of water per kilogram compared with 1,500 for our thirstiest crop, rice.