The New Movie “Milked” with its Star, Chris Huriwai
Mar 30, 2022
Watch Episode 171 with Chris Huriwai:
New Zealand, also known as Aotearoa, produces approximately 21 billion liters of milk every year, or about 3% of the world’s milk production (95% of which are exported to more than 130 countries worldwide). Isn’t that great? But wait until you see the impact of dairy farming on the environment.
Today we will talk about a fantastic film, produced and directed by Amy Taylor, and co-produced by a passionate Māori activist Chris Huriwai, co-founder of the animal rights project Aotearoa Liberation League. Chris is a vegan advocate and 3-time world champion for street unicycling. So, why should we care about Chris and this film?
MILKED is a documentary filmed by Producer & Director Amy Taylor, which features interviews with high-profile contributors like primatologist and anthropologist Dr. Jane Goodall, environmentalist Suzy Amis Cameron, and Cowspiracy co-director Keegan Kuhn. The film reveals the harsh reality behind the seemingly idyllic and green dairy farming tale in New Zealand, uncovering alarming information about the impacts of the industry on the environment and health of the dairy farming community. MILKED presents evidence that we are on the edge of probably the biggest disruption of food and agriculture in history. It points to what New Zealand and other countries can do to prevent the destruction of their environment and change their fate.
Listen to Episode 171 with Chris Huriwai:
[Tweet “You really have to come here and see the landscape to see what it used to be and what it’s now been changed into. This used to be a land covered in huge, tall, amazing mighty forest. It has all been removed and stripped for livestock animals.” – Chris Huriwai]
What we discuss in this episode:
First, let’s hear about Dotsie’s amazing work in partnership with Animal Wellness Action to change laws and policies for the animals. She also campaigned for improving the school lunch program to include soy milk in schools.
Chris talks about his life as a Maori child and how homeschooling shaped his view of the world.
How did his family react when he moved away from consuming animal products?
Chris shares what it’s like inside Fonterra, the largest NZ dairy farm, and how its dairy farming operation is impacting the water supply in the area.
What impetus led Chris to make a film, and why focus on Fonterra?
Did Chris think Fonterra would answer the questions and be open to discussing the issues at hand?
Is Chris expecting a backlash from Fonterra, and are there claims that the film is attacking the dairy farmers?
How do cows live in Aotearoa? It looks idyllic and green, but what is the real picture?
Fonterra exports 95% of its products, and the company is expanding its operations in Indonesia. But what is the true impact of this move?
Do small dairy farmers benefit from large capitalistic companies? How can they adjust to a different life with the agricultural destruction? What subsidies are available to them?
What would people walk away with after watching the film?
Today we are really thrilled to have with us a wonderful soul who truly exemplifies practicing what you preach. A staunch advocate of a plant-based diet and plant-based nutrition, Dr. Gemma Newman, aka The Plant Power Doctor, is a British medical doctor, author of the book The Plant Power Doctor, and host of The Wellness Edit podcast. She has contributed to articles for magazines including Glamour, Zest, and Healthy Magazine.
Born and raised in East Los Angeles and forged in the fires of adversity, cookbook author Chef Babette Davis burst onto the culinary scene with her renowned vegan restaurant, Stuff I Eat, in Inglewood, California, where the soul food platter is one of the many, many must-try dishes. An ageless paragon of fitness and vibrant health, Chef Babette has legions of social media followers who love seeing her posts of this incredibly fit 71-year-old working out or cooking or even in a bikini. If she’s not preparing delicious dishes in the kitchen of her restaurant, teaching cooking classes, or hosting the competition cooking show Peeled, you’ll find her running stairs all around Los Angeles.
Julie Piatt, a.k.a. “SriMati,” is a mystic, yogi, musician, artist, chef, author, and healer. She is also the mother of 4 children and finds the divine in all experiences in life, beautiful and challenging alike. Julie has created over 300 plant-based recipes for a series of bestselling cookbooks and is the author of the plant-based cheese bible, “This Cheese Is Nuts!” She also co-authored the internationally acclaimed books “The Plantpower Way” and “The Plantpower Way; Italia” with her husband, Rich Roll.
