Farmers for Fair Dinkum Food

In a strange twist of fate, McDonalds have created interest in the local food debate. Earlier this month a convoy of 200 tractors arrived in Australia's national capital, some having driven about 2,400 km (1,500 miles) from the island state of Tasmania. They were in town to protest the estimated sales loss of $50 million AUD in potatoes, that McDonalds Australia have now decided to source from New Zealand. Seemingly the head of ‘Maccas’ down under, is meeting with the Premier of Tasmania to discuss the issue. The concern extended into a broader campaign, under the banner of ‘Fair Dinkum Food’, whereby farmers are seeking “a change to Australia's food labeling laws to require country-of-origin labels on unpackaged fruit, vegetables, seafood and nuts.” Fair Dinkum is Australian idiom for notions like genuine, truthful, honest or real. Odd then, that it was 43,000 tonnes of deep fried french fries that ignited the outrage. But all journeys have to begin somewhere. Read more here: National Farmers Federation, ABC News Online and International Herald Tribune, amongst many others.