As the leading local voices for veganism and animal activism Veggy Malta and Animal Liberation Malta have teamed up to issue some points during an election campaign that has completely forgotten the voiceless; animals.
Veggy Malta Co-ordinator and vegan activist Darryl Grima stated that “ we have come up with a list of ethical recommendations for political parties based on the four ethical pillars of veganism: social justice, environmental justice and animal justice and human health. By achieving all we can ensure a better society for all; people, animals and all biodiversity.”
Animal Liberation Malta activist Haroon Ali added that “as vegans and also animal right activists our recommendations aim to ensure that animals and their needs are put on the political agenda.”
Here are the list of recommendations:
Food
- The introduction for a meat and dairy tax that should aim to help cover the real health and environmental costs (climate) from using animals as food. Just as cigarettes have an excise duty on them so should meat and dairy. Additionally the same type of health warning that is found on cigarettes should be placed on red and processed meat and dairy. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has designated red and processed meat as a carcinogen. Additionally we all know that and dairy is know to be a key trigger to cholesterol.
- All plant based milks should be at zero VAT, just as animal based milks.
- State owned public places like hospitals, aged care and disability services, prisons, schools, the defence forces and government funded events should ensure that they offer proper plant based options. Additional catering establishments set in state owned premises like the hospital that treat problems resulting from cholesterol should also offer plant based milk alternatives.
Agriculture
- A stop to new animal factory farms and additionally farmers should be supported in transitioning out of animal agriculture into new sustainable plant based agriculture. The same farms that currently house maltreated animals can be developed into hydroponic farms that can help increase our food security.
- The state should set up a fund to help new start-ups invest in research & development of cultivated meat and plant based meat alternatives.
- Malta should join a number of other EU countries that have banned fur farming.
Food
- No new zoo licences are to be issued. For a small island like Malta there are already too many zoos. Additional they should be as ban on the sales and trade of exotic animals.
- The phasing out of the old and antiquated practice of horse carriages within a 5 year period.
- Every individual that wishes to keep an animal would require to apply for a licence per animal. The licence would require an examination on knowledge of how to care for the animal.
- Rigorous research should be made when animal testing is applied for to exhaust all possibilities for an alternative option and demand transparency in all that is going on.
- Designating 50% of our territorial waters as a fishing free creating safe zones for marine life. Furthermore all fishing nets should be microchipped making them identifiable and easy to locate when they are lost thus reducing the number of ghost nets that are indiscriminately killing marine life on the ocean bed.
Education
- All health professionals should be given training on nutrition and the benefits of a plant based diet.
- Public awareness campaigns regarding the importance from a health and environmental perspective of increasing vegetables and fruits in one’s diet in reducing the risks of diabetes and cholesterol.
