Lilydale Farms Abusing Its Workers

See, this is the kind of crap that makes it hard to do the right thing! Last night Lateline reported that Baiada, Lilydale's parent company, is under investigation for mistreating its workers. And apparently this isn't the first time. A video and a transcript of the report are available on the ABC website. That really gives me the shits. Here I am, sitting here waiting for my grocery delivery from Coles, and part of that order will include Lilydale free-range chickens. But that's the last order that will. I'll be writing Baiada a letter to let them know why I'm pissed off with them, and why I won't be buying their chickens any more. If they're treating their chickens ethically that's great. That's exactly what I'm looking for when deciding who I'm buying chickens from. But surely it isn't too much to ask that they also treat PEOPLE ethically as well.

This is one of the problems with cheap food. There are important reasons why companies like Baiada and Inghams can sell chickens for $10, and people like Melinda Corbett sell hers for $20.

According to the report, Baiada underpaying workers, threatening and abusing them, and deliberately hiring migrants (most likely including illegal migrants) who are more vulnerable to abuse. The National Union of Workers, Fairwork Australia, and the FairWork Ombudsman are onto it, and if the previous incident in Melbourne is any indication, then it's likely that the Australian Federal Police, the Tax Office, Customs & Immigration, and Centrelink are on it as well. If so, that's great, but in addition to union and government action, I think it's important that consumers do their part, too.

So fuck Lilydale, and fuck Baiada. I'm done with them. I'm checking their website now to see what products I'm no longer buying. Since as far as I know, I've never eaten a Baiada "heat and serve chicken product", that's an easy one. But they also own Steggles, which provides chicken to McDonalds, KFC, Red Rooster, Oporto, and a lot of restaurants. So no more ordering chicken when we're out, unless they've got a different supplier.

A bit of good news is that in the time it's taken me to write this, my grocery order has arrived and apparently I forgot to order chicken. I don't need it until Sunday, so either I can go to Coles and buy the Inglewood Farms chicken instead (organic, free range, and twice the price of Lilydale) or go to the Farmers Market tomorrow and buy from Melinda. I'd feel better buying from Melinda, but if I'm honest, I have to admit that I'll probably go for the Inglewood Farms. This time. But Melinda will be back at the Farmers Market in two weeks, and I'd much rather buy my chicken from her.