Have you seen rabbit on your local menu lately? The new ‘it’ meat is becoming more prominent on menus Australia wide and rabbit farmers can not keep up with demand. The peak body for rabbit producers, Farmed Rabbit Industries of Australia Ltd (FRIA) is holding its annual national field day for rabbit producers to meet and discuss future trends within the industry.

FRIA was established in 2004 aims to increase the supply of farmed rabbit meat to meet customer needs and currently has 50 members. In 2007, 400 tonnes of rabbit were produced and there is currently demand for 2000 tonnes.

The 2008 FRIA National Gourmet Rabbit and Red Wine Day will be held on October 25th at the Kempsy Showground. FRIA President, Chris Bushell of Bushmin Farmed Rabbits from Long Plains in South Australia said “the annual field days are of vital importance to the industry as we are geographically spread across Australia and the field day is an opportunity to come together and share our successes. Last years successful field day was held in Bendigo and was attended by 150 people.”

The day is not only for current rabbit farmers, but also for potential rabbit farmers to gain a greater understanding about what is involved with rabbit farming. Bushmin Farmed Rabbits grow rabbits and has a purpose built rabbit slaughterhouse in South Australia and can not keep up with demand for rabbit meat Australia wide. Chris Bushell said “If we had more growers we could process and sell five times more rabbits each week. We have restaurants and retailers crying out for more rabbits”.

The field day will feature guest speakers presenting about how new growers can get into the rabbit industry, rabbit health and well-being, a chefs perspective of rabbit meat, rabbit meat value adding and Dr Sandy Eady from Crusader Rabbits CSIRO providing an updated on the farmed rabbit industry in Australia.

The day will run from 8.30am-3.30pm and cost $30 for non FRIA members or $15 for FRIA members. To RSVP contact Margaret James on (02) 6561 7233 or macleayvalleyrabbits@bigpond.com by October 10th.

More information about the field day is available here.

Media Contact:

Chris Bushell

0418 840 618

 President of Farmed Rabbits Industries of Australia.

On 2nd September 2005 FRIA Ltd Board Members in conjunction with Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) launched the new website at the Annual General Meeting held at the Holiday Inn Sydney Airport.

I would like to thank all who worked with me to develop this website: Leanne Leihn (webmaster@fria.com.au), Kathleen Bowerman, Daniel Brown, Chris Bushell, Margaret James, Ray McIntosh, Glenn McNeill, Chris Sellens, and Dorothy Vickery, to name a few.  

I would encourage all members to utilise the resource that has kindly been made available through funding from RIRDC, to talk to the board members, provide input in the forums and to take the opportunity to network with other members.

NEWS

Macleay Valley baby rabbit, a signature dish of Bécasse (a French style restaurant in Clarence St Sydney) features in Australian Gourmet Traveller July 2006 issue, on page 54.

Bécasse, owned and run by Justin and Georgia North, offers its customers “something they can’t do at home, however Justin doesn’t let technique reign for techniques sake”. Justin also has a passion for sourcing local product that can be traced from paddock to plate and promotes the source accordingly. 

He gave the Macleay Valley baby rabbit a thorough workout. From top right (clockwise): Roast Crown,  Seared Liver, Confit Leg Farci, Ballottine of Shoulder with Foie Gras Mousse, and Pumpkin Dauphinoise. “The take-home impression is of the rabbit, sweet, slightly gamy and a pleasure in all its textures”.

BROADCAST: 12/03/2006
Farmed rabbit sales have boomed across Australia in recent years. Within the next two years, this fledgling industry expects to produce about 500 tonnes a year.
[FULL STORY]

I have spent a few months working with Peter Evans from Ausmeat and Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) to develop specifications to standardise the various carcass sizes, different cuts of meat and value adding of the meat product. I am proud to say this outcome was a direct result of an objective identified in the creation of the FRIA Strategic Plan by the Board Members. I would like to thank RIRDC for providing the funding to make this project a success.

This brochure will be used to market the rabbit meat and products to the wholesale and retail industry on behalf of FRIA members.

The brochure is only available to members.

(The brochure is available from within the Members Area - Publications page)

2010 Field Day

The FRIA National Field Day and AGM will held at Rutherglen in Tasmania on the 17th and 18th September 2010. Both the AGM and field day will be held at The Rutherglen Holiday Village, Hadspen (map below) and includes a great range of speakers from throughout the industry.

The cost of the day will be $55.00 per person this will include morning and afternoon tea, a Gourmet lunch and guest speakers from within the industry speaking on industry relavent topics. A 50% discount will be given to members and all new members are welcome. It promises to be a very informative day and a great meal. For further information please contact Doug on 03 6437 5263.

The program includes;

   Rabbit production figures

   Rabbit health issues

   Value adding

   Farmers markets

   Setting up a breeding program

   and much more....

The Location of The Rutherglen Holiday Village Hadspen can be seen below:

2009 Field Day

The FRIA National Field Day, was held on Saturday 29th August 2009 at Tanunda in South Australia. It was a very informative day at a great location. For more information phone Chris Bushell, Bushmin Farmed Rabbits (08) 8527 2049 or bushmin@bigpond.com.

For FRIA member the presentation from the field day can be obtained by logging into the members only area.

2008 Field Day

The FRIA National Field Day ~ Gourmet Rabbit & Red Wine Day, was held on Saturday 25th October 2008 at Kempsey Showground. I great day was had by all. For more information phone Margaret James, Macleay Valley Rabbits (02) 6561 7233 or macleayvalleyrabbits@bigpond.com.

The official invitation and program can be viewed here..

For FRIA member the presentation from the field day can be obtained by logging into the members only area.

2007 Field Day

The FRIA National Field Day was held on Saturday 8th September 2007 at Bendigo Exhibition Centre, Holmes Road, Bendigo Victoria.  Contacts are Robert Stout (P/F:(03) 5281 2203. M: 0400 647 771, E: rdstout@aapt.net.au) and Michael Cowie (P: 03 9376 8188, M: 0412 505 641, E: mcowie@wangaragame.com.au).

There was an additional question and answer session with the overseas speakers for members only on Sunday 9th September, 8.00am – 12.00pm at the McIvor Motor Inn 45 McIvor Road, Bendigo Victoria.

2006 Field Day

The 2006 National Field Day was held at Long Plain via Mallala South Australia (60 Kms North of Adelaide). For more information contact Chris Bushell  (P: (08) 8527 2049  M: 0418 840 618  E: bushmin@bigpond.com).

FRIA Presentation - 2006 Field Day
(Adobe Acrobat PDF file = 498 Kb)

Photos - 2006 Field Day at Long Plain via Mallala, South Australia, held on 22 April 2006.
 

2005 Field Day
Photos - some exhibitors stands at Breadbo, New South Wales, held on 23 April 2005.
 

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