Initiative Tierwohl publishes details on the 2018-2020 program

Submitted by Fleischportal.de am July 25, 2017, Published in Production & Animal Health

Bonn, July 25.07.2017, 2018 – The new program phase 2020 - 26 of the Animal Welfare Initiative (ITW) will start in January. Interested pet owners can register with their coordinators for the next phase of the program until September 2017, XNUMX. On the website of the Animal Welfare Initiative (https://initiative-tierwohl.de/downloads-2018) the new program manuals and the documents for participation are available. Interested companies will be informed about participation in the ITW in mid-October 2017. Auditing of pig farms will start in January 2018, auditing of poultry farms in October 2017.

Standardization of the criteria
The catalog of criteria for pigs and poultry has changed: in addition to the existing basic requirements, the criteria "10% more space" and "additional organic activity material" must be implemented by all animal keepers in the pig sector. In addition, other criteria can be selected voluntarily. For poultry farms, the new program includes an annual drinking water check and a barn climate check. This standardizes the requirements for livestock farmers, while also taking into account the feasibility for a large number of companies.

"With the start of the new program 2018 - 2020, we are continuing on the path we have taken with the Animal Welfare Initiative. Our aim is to enable many farmers to gradually develop towards more animal welfare. The previous great willingness of animal owners to participate in the animal welfare initiative illustrates the will to further development. That's why I'm trusting that the new term will also be very popular with farmers," says Dr. Alexander Hinrichs, Managing Director of the Animal Welfare Initiative.

Trading is confident and provides more funds
From 2018, the ITW will be able to support significantly more agricultural businesses than before. While there are currently around 3.400 farms with around 14 million pigs and 232 million chickens and turkeys per year, almost twice as many farms will be able to take part in the future. This is made possible by the participating retail companies making around 130 million euros available annually in the future. This corresponds to an increase in funding of more than 50 percent.

"The significantly larger financial resources of the Animal Welfare Initiative show how important the
Animal welfare initiative for the companies involved. All partners are united by the common desire for constant, gradual and cooperative change in animal husbandry,” says
Alexander Hinrichs.

The animal welfare initiative currently includes around 12 percent of the pigs kept in Germany and around 35 percent of the poultry. The aim is to increase the share in pigs to 2018 percent and in poultry to up to 20 percent from 60.

Timetable for companies to participate in the contract period 2018 – 2020

Registration via the coordinators by September 26, 2017
Selection process and feedback to farmers by mid-October 2017
First audits from October 2017 (poultry) and January 2018 (pig)

Funding from the participating grocery store

Increase by more than 50% to approx. 130 million euros per year

Number of supported companies

Mathematically over 6.000 (instead of around 3.400 previously)

Additional mandatory requirements for all pet owners from 2018

Pig: 10 percent more space and additional organic crafting material
Poultry: annual check of barn climate and drinking water

About the Initiative animal welfare

The animal welfare initiative, those in charge of agriculture, meat industry and food retailing confess along the value chain for pigs and poultry to their shared responsibility for animal husbandry, animal health and animal welfare in livestock. Their common goal is to put an animal fairer meat production into the center of action of all those involved. The animal welfare initiative will be continuously developed. Is it aligned initially defined on the implementation and remuneration animal probably fairer measures will in future bring to the fore the results of joint efforts by more animal welfare.

The partners of the initiative are: