Changing the culture of how
peopleeatisdifficult,butitcan
happen – in the US until the mid-
1800s, lobster was considered only
fitforslavesandprisoners.However,
any change is dependent on shifting
paradigmsatnationalandlocallevels.
“ThishasbeenasituationI’vebeen
tryingtonutoutfor30-oddyears,”
says Borda. “If you look at other
countries, they embrace and pay more
forwildgamebecauseit’spartoftheir
heritage.InAustralia,theonlypeople
itwastraditionalforareourAboriginal
people.Whitemanbroughthisown
animals, and ‘free-living meat’ – as I like
tocallit–becameapestbecause it
competedfor pasture.”
Borda,whowrotetheguidelinesfor
thekangarooharvestinglegislationin
the’80s,iscampaigningfortheSouth
Australian Government to work with
landowners to change this perception.
He wants cattle farmers to see the roo
anddeerontheirpropertiesaspartof
their herd, and to be trained to humanely
harvest them according to animal welfare
andfoodhealthandsafetystandards.
This would have the double benefit of
creatinganadditionalrevenuestream
–“highlyimportantinthistimeof
drought” – while putting a dint in
populations.Ifitsoundslikealong
stretch, it’s not. Borda has changed our
attitude towards kangaroo: Paroo started
out as a pet-food supplier because there
wasnomarket(orwaytomarket)forthe
world-class meat, but now Borda says
his biggest market is Australia and his
busiesttimeistherunuptoAustraliaDay
when demand for his ‘kanga bangers’
and‘rooburgers’soars.
LaBrooy,who makes a mean venison
chorizo, 600 of which he gave away atLaBrooy carries the
spoils of his hunt
back to camp
before preparing
it for dressing.