US Retailers Concerned Over Australia's Delay in Ending Mulesing

Ugh. Such an awful practice. But, as is typical with many large industries, there is a resistance to change unless there is a clear and immediate profit windfall. Why change for welfare purposes if there is no clear economic benefit? I think it's just another example of short-term vs. long-term thinking, to which all humans are victim.

From the Sydney Morning Herald...

Macy's, Gap and Liz Claiborne Inc are among the big names to warn of their ''growing alarm'' and frustration over the backdown by the marketing and research body Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) from its promise in 2005 to replace mulesing with a commercially viable alternative by the end of this year.

Mulesing, in which woolgrowers surgically remove parts of merino lambs' rears to prevent potentially fatal flystrike, has sparked demonstrations and litigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

The American retailers are worried that Australia's ditching of its own 2010 deadline to end the practice may reignite protest: ''We are concerned about what future action PETA may decide to launch if the issue remains unresolved,'' the vice-president and international trade counsel of the National Retail Federation, Erik Autor told the Herald.