The halal rort on Australians: paying an Islamic religious food tax without knowing

[Smart_Guy]

It seems some people are doing that as a scam to gain the Muslim market. I'm almost scared to buy food stamped halal as it probably isn't
I do not trust the halal stamp and rely upon the ingredients label and the integrity of the producer.
When you see bottled water with halal certification it makes you wonder.

This is bad. The law must see to this.

This subject worries me as I plan to go abroad sometime, but what really helps is that I can manage with vegetarianism and seafood (seafood would be the main reason I go abroad actually). I don't like cattle, and I can manage without chicken for a while, but if I want too, I can just try my best and search for halal. Even if I find it and it turns to be a scam halal, I say it is okay. Islam is tolerant in such things if we do our best and the intention is pure.

 

[Woodrow LI]

This is bad. The law must see to this.

This subject worries me as I plan to go abroad sometime, but what really helps is that I can manage with vegetarianism and seafood (seafood would be the main reason I go abroad actually). I don't like cattle, and I can manage without chicken for a while, but if I want too, I can just try my best and search for halal. Even if I find it and it turns to be a scan halal, I say it is okay. Islam is tolerant in such things if we do our best and the intention is pure.

True
We are to be trusting and if we are deceived the sin is upon the deceiver. We need only do a reasonable verification that food is halal and trust the word of those selling or giving it to us.

 

[Treks]

Often meat is not halal even if it was slaughtered halal, It might be it was not raised properly, or it came in contact with non-halal meat after being slaughtered, etc
There are several factors that could render halal meat haram. quite proabaly meat that is not labelled halal is not halal even if it was slaughtered in the zabiah manner.

Accreditation

Halal

• 

Our role in Halal Manufacturing
Australia today is a multiracial and multicultural country, where different types of customs, traditions and food are abundant within society.

Halal food does not taste any different from any other non-Halal products. For something to be described as Halal, it basically means that it must conform to the Islamic dietary laws and be produced in accordance with important Halal preparation guidelines.

Baiada is one of the largest Halal certified poultry producers in Australia. Our Halal range incorporates a variety of standard Baiada fresh and frozen poultry, including whole chickens, chicken pieces, and breast and thigh fillet. We also produce an extensive range of halal further processed products.

Baiada is accredited by Australian Federation of Islamic Councils. For more information on AFIC, click here.

I emailed AFIC some years ago and got a detailed response regarding their slaughter methods.

 

[jeager106]

I had bacon with eggs today. Hold the bullets.
I killed no one in the name of religion.

 

[dgirl1986]

We have a lot of businesses that show halal signs and I generally don't buy meat products from those companies as I do not agree with the method. There is no way to know though. Everything is freaking taxed up the hoo ha.

 

[Smart_Guy]

I had bacon with eggs today. Hold the bullets.
I killed no one in the name of religion.

Lol, why would you kill anyone for eating bacon

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Have you looked in the supermarket? Everyday items such as all cadbury lines and most yoghurts and cheeses to name but a few, are paying for halal certification and at least bothering to label food as such

And there are labels for gluten free, for vegan approved, for Kosher foods, you'd really be surprised at just how many foods are actually prepared and labeled for specific groups.

 

[Smart_Guy]

Hey guys, if I ship guaranteed halal food to you from Saudi Arabia, would it be cheaper for you than buying locally with that halal brand tax?

That's sarcasm of course. Why would the halal brand add extra expenses!

 

[Bunyip]

Hey guys, if I ship guaranteed halal food to you from Saudi Arabia, would it be cheaper than buying locally with that halal brand tax?

That's sarcasm of course. Why would the halal brand add extra expenses!

It doesn't. What it does do is mean that you can get goat here, which before the Moslem migrants was really rare. And kofta.......mmmmmmmm.

 

[Woodrow LI]

Hey guys, if I ship guaranteed halal food to you from Saudi Arabia, would it be cheaper for you than buying locally with that halal brand tax?

That's sarcasm of course. Why would the halal brand add extra expenses!

That is a very common misconception.
I think it comes about because Halal meat, when raised properly, costs more to produce and therefore costs more in the stores. No different then the reason "orgamically" grown food cost more.
It is not because there is a "Tax" added on and some mysterious Islamic organization is being funded by a "Halal Tax"

 

[Treks]

However, companies do need to pay for the endorsement. The halal stamp isn't free.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

It doesn't. What it does do is mean that you can get goat here, which before the Moslem migrants was really rare. And kofta.......mmmmmmmm.

I have a butcher right round the corner that has all sorts of more exotic meats. Goat, camel, croc, emu, etc.
Personally, I prefer goat cheese to goat meat, but eating crocs seems pretty fair play, given their intentions towards us when given the chance...lol

 

[lewisnotmiller]

However, companies do need to pay for the endorsement. The halal stamp isn't free.

Just like the Heart Foundation tick of approval...

 

[Treks]

Correct.

And croc tastes great, a bit like pork really.

 

[Woodrow LI]

However, companies do need to pay for the endorsement. The halal stamp isn't free.

The halal stamp is not needed if the truth in advertising laws can be enforced.
If a producer simply labels his product halal
حلالا
. It is halal unless a Muslim can prove it is not.

while most if not all of the Halal certification agencies, that are popping up. have their stamp copyrighted, the word Halal
حلالا
is not. If a producer is producing halal meat their is no reason he can not simply state that on his label. Then if it turns out it is not he can be held liable under the truth in advertising laws.
there is no real need for halal certification agencies if the producers are truthful.

Even if a product is certified halal there is no guarantee it still is by the time it reaches the consumer.

Even when a producer is exporting meat to Saudi. The seller need only attest it is halal, no certification agency is used/

In October 2014,
Saudi Arabia notified a new procedure on accreditation of countries that wish to
export meat products to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
As a result the inspection fees have been eliminated

.
The elimination of the inspection fees and the facilitated accreditation
procedure will bring possibilities to widen the export of meat products from the EU to Saudi
Arabia.

http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2014/november/tradoc_152902.pdf

 

[Smart_Guy]

... the word Halal
حلالا

You added an extra أ in the end. Stand alone words in Arabic are always nominative, therefore ٌحلال. If it is accusative in some context, it would be حلالاً.

 

[Woodrow LI]

You added an extra أ in the end. Stand alone words in Arabic are always nominative, therefore ٌحلال. If it is accusative in some context, it would be حلالاً.

I am talented I can spell words wrong in both English and Arabic.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

there is no real need for halal certification agencies if the producers are truthful.

Unfortunately, many producers of anything have proven to be untrustable. Take fats, for example. A product can be labeled as fat-free, even if it does factually have fat content (even up to putting a 0 on the nutritional label), so long as the fat content is below .5 grams per serving.

 

[Woodrow LI]

Unfortunately, many producers of anything have proven to be untrustable. Take fats, for example. A product can be labeled as fat-free, even if it does factually have fat content (even up to putting a 0 on the nutritional label), so long as the fat content is below .5 grams per serving.

True
The bottom line is it all relies on the integrity of the producer and seller
Since most meat producers that sell halal also sell non-halal, you have to have faith the producer is only putting the halal label on the halal products.
The stamp of a halal certification agency is of no more value than the producer's word.
The store that I buy my halal meat from, carries only local meat. He personally knows the farmer that raised and slaughtered the animal. I trust his word more than I will ever trust a stamp on the label.

If a mass producer simply printed halal on the label I would trust it just as much as I trust the "Official" stamp of a certification agency, In either case it is still my responsiblity to make a reasonable effort to verify it is halal

 

[dgirl1986]

Did someone say crocodile tastes great? *horror* DONT EAT THE WILDLIFE!