German Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir presented the framework for a German animal welfare label on food packaging. This starts with the pork industry and is expanded in phases to other food types. Germany wants the mandatory logo to be tested by the European Union, where the introduction of mandatory uniform food labels has also been discussed for several years.
Exactly what the German state logo should look like is still open. It is already known that Özdemir wants to introduce five assessment criteria for the label. This should make it clear to the consumer how the animals were kept, varying from the living space used to feed or administered medicines or chemicals. An entirely new control system of authorities and inspectors must be set up to ensure the issuance and control of the labels.
The German supermarket chains have been using their own voluntary quality mark for meat for several years now, each with its own choices and criteria, much to the confusion for German shoppers.
At the beginning of this year, Özdemir's predecessor, Julia Klöckner (CDU) wanted to introduce a voluntary uniform logo with extra-legal standards, but that was stopped by the SPD. The new centre-left 'traffic light coalition' has made sustainable agriculture and livestock farming one of its spearheads.
Mandatory labeling will apply to all foods containing animal products, including processed products, such as frozen pepperoni pizzas or prepared salads with chicken strips. Packaged products in the supermarket and products at the food counter, online retail and in the supermarket must also be labelled.
In initial reactions, both agricultural organizations and environmental groups emphasize that labeling will have to be part of a broader concept for restructuring the entire livestock sector. DBV chairman Joachim Rukwied says that there should also be a plan (and subsidy!) for the modernization of stables. Özdemir also believes that arrangements should be made for the conversion to more animal-friendly stables in the longer term.
The latter could become difficult within the coalition. For example, the Liberal Democrats (FDP) recently spoke out against the proposal for an animal welfare tax on animal products, and the coalition has not yet agreed how such a thing should be paid.
Özdemir said this is only the first of four parts that the German government is preparing for the future of livestock farming. “Agricultural livestock farming can only be future-proof if it offers farmers a perspective that also allows them to earn a good income,” said the Greens minister.