Updated June 26, 2020, 6:01 p.m.
Federal Minister Julia Klöckner does not want to accept the situation in German slaughterhouses any more than her cabinet colleague Hubertus Heil. After the meat summit with representatives from the meat industry, it promises fundamental changes.
The meat industry should be cleaned up. From the living conditions of the animals to be slaughtered to the living conditions of those who have to cut them up to the price that the end user has to pay for the goods, everything should be put to the test.
Federal Minister of Agriculture Julia Klöckner met with representatives of the industry to discuss fundamental changes that have been inevitable since the corona crisis.
Klöckner urges measures to stop the constant price war and problematic conditions. “There will be no second chance for the entire industry,” said Klöckner. The Coronakrise with the large outbreak of infection at meat producer Tönnies is like a burning glass for the situation. “What we dealt with today was not a Tönnies question, but a system question.”
The price of good meat is expected to rise
Julia Klöckner plans:
- The minister announced that Stricter laws on pricing and food advertising with enticing prices to consider.
- She wants the party and faction leaders to think about one possible one Animal welfare tax as a premium for consumers speak. “If 17 cents are asked for 100 grams of chicken, then there can be no animal welfare and then there can be no human welfare.”
- Klöckner also advertised again voluntary animal welfare logo for meat from better husbandry.
Klöckner, her North Rhine-Westphalian colleague Ursula Heinen-Esser and Lower Saxony’s head of department Barbara Otte-Kinast had invited to the meeting. Representatives of animal keepers, the slaughter industry, trade, animal and consumer protection groups took part.
Did it take the corona shock to finally tackle the well-known grievances in the industry? Klöckner vehemently denies this.
Attention should be paid to the topic – but she had set up a commission of experts long before and declared that she wanted to fight for more animal welfare. However, there is always a lot of verbal approval for animal welfare, but then there is often a lack of willingness to compromise.
Even before the largest German corona outbreak in the slaughterhouse Tonies, namely at the end of May, the cabinet had already decided on cornerstones for new regulations to prevent problematic working conditions in slaughterhouses.
The system of work contracts should disappear
The core is a far-reaching ban on work contracts from January 1, 2021 – that is, the complete execution of work is purchased from subcontractors. Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil wants to present a bill in the summer.
Initially, the proposal had caused criticism, but now even the entrepreneurs gave up their resistance: The Association of the Meat Industry announced on Friday to support the federal government’s proposed law.
Initial implementations by member companies showed the seriousness with which the industry is striving to reverse previous practice and to end the system of work contracts in slaughtering and cutting. Klöckner, who was also added to the quarantine, had agreed to support him, Klöckner said.
Closure of Tönnies plants puts pig farmers under pressure
With regard to the closure of the Tönnies plant due to the Corona outbreak, Heinen-Esser said that such a situation should be compensated for by pig farmers for a period of about 14 days. If it takes longer or if there are renewed problems in slaughterhouses due to the corona crisis, flexibility is necessary.
“The meat industry must now exhaust all capacities to be able to bring slaughtered animals to slaughter,” said the President of the German Farmers’ Association, Joachim Rukwied.
Animal rights activists and the opposition criticized the announcements of the meeting as being not very specific, not extensive enough and are skeptical as to whether the words will be followed by deeds.
The Federal Association of the German Food Trade opposed criticism that aimed “one-sided and blanket” at price advertising. The industry is aware of its responsibility for sustainable consumption.
The union criticizes the meat summit as a “show”
The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) had previously declared the summit a “show event”. It remains to be seen how quickly actions will follow.
After all, the majority of the population seems to want consequences: According to the current ZDF Politbarometer, 92 percent of citizens would be in favor of stricter laws for the meat industry – even if that meant rising prices. (dpa / hau)
The corona virus was able to spread unnoticed for a long time in a slaughterhouse of the meat producer Tönnies in the district of Gütersloh. Could Tönnies be asked to checkout now?
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