Dozens of leading organizations and individuals from the international academic and agricultural sectors have called for support of animal agriculture and the meat industry.
In an open letter, governments and institutions are asked to actively refute claims that the current coronavirus crisis is the result of livestock farming. The letter, published worldwide last Friday, emphasizes the value of animal husbandry and its role in food supply.
More than 65 organizations and individuals from producer, veterinary, research, and academic sectors state, ‘During this pandemic, livestock farms tirelessly ensure we have safe and affordable food. It is vital that society supports these efforts,’ according to the letter.
The call is partly a response to recent closures of slaughterhouses and pig and calf farms due to COVID-19 infections among employees, notably in the United States and Germany. Critics argued that the rapid spread of the virus likely had something to do with the practices and conditions in that sector.
The appeal is signed, among others, by Dr. Dirk-Jan de Koning (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences), Karsten Maier (European Livestock and Meat Trades Union), Pekka Pesonen (Secretary-General Copa-Cogeca), and Dr. Stefan de Smet (University of Ghent), as well as top executives from the livestock and dairy industries in Canada, the United States, and New Zealand. The appeal is addressed to the European Union and international organizations.
In particular, the letter urges refuting claims that animal agriculture was in any way responsible for the COVID-19 crisis, stating that “the precise origin of COVID-19 is still under investigation, but ongoing research continues to confirm that domestic livestock farming is safe and has played no role in the spread of COVID-19.”
Roxane Feller, Secretary-General of AnimalhealthEurope, said it was “important to participate in this call for greater recognition of the value of livestock, particularly regarding European animal farming and the many misinformed opinions about it.”
The exact origin of COVID-19 is still being investigated. Current evidence points to a transmission from wild animals to humans, which aligns with prior research showing that most zoonotic diseases originate in wildlife.
Karsten Maier, Secretary-General of the European Livestock and Meat Trades Union, told EURACTIV that “attempts to link the COVID-19 outbreak to modern agriculture are disingenuous and are not supported by scientific evidence, which does indicate the virus originated from wild animals,” he emphasized.