Report says Australia’s kangaroo meat trade failed food safety checks

A new investigation from the Center for a Humane Economy says Australia’s commercial kangaroo industry exported meat that failed food safety testing and then sold downgraded product at home, raising risks for people and pets. The report also links the trade to greyhound racing and urges regulators in the U.S., EU and Canada to ban kangaroo meat sales.

Why it matters: - The report says Australia’s kangaroo bushmeat trade is moving meat through markets despite failed safety tests, creating a risk for human consumers and pet food buyers. - The findings also connect two controversial industries: kangaroo slaughter and greyhound racing. - The report argues that shrinking exports do not mean the trade is harmless, because contaminated meat and unsafe processing practices can still reach consumers.

What happened: - The Center for a Humane Economy released a new investigation on October 15, 2026. - The investigation says Australia’s commercial kangaroo meat industry exported meat that failed the country’s food safety testing for both human consumption and pet food. - Government records obtained under Australia’s Freedom of Information Act show that in 2025 samples from an EU-approved export facility reached 340,000 colony-forming units per square centimeter, or 10 times the European Union’s unacceptable bacterial contamination threshold. - No corrective action was taken after the failed results, and the meat was released to export markets anyway. - Meat that failed retesting was not destroyed and was instead downgraded and sold in Australia, including for pet food.

The details: - The investigation says Australia’s kangaroo meat exports have fallen 86% in volume since their early-2000s peak. - Skin prices have dropped 98%, from $18.50 per skin in 2010 to less than $0.25 today. - Major athletic brands including Adidas, Nike, Puma and New Balance have stopped sourcing kangaroo skins. - The report says an estimated 50% of kangaroo carcasses harbor Salmonella. - The industry relies on lead ammunition that fragments and cannot be removed from carcasses sold commercially. - The report estimates about 1.4 metric tonnes of spent lead ammunition are dispersed across Australia’s rangelands. - The report says that pollution is poisoning other wildlife. - The investigation says up to 40% of kangaroos are not killed with a single shot to the head, as required. - The report says dependent joeys are killed by blunt force trauma or decapitation, or left to starve after their mothers are shot. - Belgium accounts for more than half of European Union kangaroo meat imports and more than 82% of the pet food export market. - The report says European demand is the main force keeping the industry alive. - Industry representatives have cited a $150 million to $200 million valuation, but Australian government data put total meat export value at $10.9 million AUD in 2025.

Between the lines: - The report portrays a sector under economic pressure, with collapsing skins demand and smaller export volumes, but still tied to global food and pet food supply chains. - The investigation also frames greyhound racing as a back-end customer for cheap kangaroo meat, suggesting the two industries reinforce each other. - Wayne Pacelle said Australia’s government is subsidizing the trade and is showing complete disregard for food-safety standards. - Christine Dorchak said the link between kangaroo shooters and dog racers reflects a broader pattern of cutting corners for profit. - Georgie Purcell said the industry is harming wildlife and putting humans and pets at risk.

What's next: - The report calls on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and regulators in the European Union and Canada to declare kangaroo meat unfit for sale, whether for human consumption or as a pet food ingredient. - The report also urges countries that import kangaroo meat to cancel their deals with the Australian government. - Further scrutiny of export facilities, pet food channels and the greyhound feed market is likely as the investigation circulates among regulators and animal welfare groups.

The bottom line: - The investigation says Australia’s kangaroo trade is no longer just an animal welfare issue. It is also a food safety and public health issue with international spillover.