More animal welfare also becomes more expensive!
The Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, Julia Klöckner, is promoting the conversion of livestock farming in Germany. Towards greater animal welfare throughout the animals' entire lifespan, greater social acceptance and reliable, long-term financing for farmers.
The Federal Minister emphasizes: “Our society wants more animal welfare. Our farmers want more animal welfare. But more animal welfare in the barn and on the meadow does not come for free! And that's why we have to reorganize the system of animal husbandry in Germany - I'm bringing this forward: so that farmers can meet the expectations placed on them and also make a living from them. Efficiency must go hand in hand with more animal welfare in our country. Because otherwise we will export these questions abroad and import the old problems with the products.”
Federal Minister Julia Klöckner therefore set up the competence network for livestock husbandry, the so-called "Borchert Commission". The Commission has presented a concept for the further development of animal husbandry with various financing options. To assess the legal conformity of these options, the Federal Ministry commissioned a feasibility study from the law firm Redeker, Sellner, Dahs. The German Bundestag, the agricultural ministers of the federal states and the Borchert Commission itself have also supported this mandate in their resolutions. The results of this study are now available.
Key results of the feasibility study
- The study shows which options for action are legally possible when it comes to financing and promoting the conversion of livestock farming in Germany and Europe - and which are ruled out for legal or other reasons.
- The study confirms that the farmers have to be compensated for the costs of converting the stables to animal welfare and the higher running costs. The total costs to be expected are specifically quantified:
- 2,9 billion euros in 2025,
- 4,3 billion euros in 2030,
- 4,0 billion euros in 2040.
- The study shows that there are no fundamental objections to the various recommendations of the competence network.
Julia Klöckner: "Only if the farmers are compensated for additional costs and the financing is contractually secured will we get a boost for more animal welfare. There are now several legally tested proposals on the table as to how we can restructure and finance animal husbandry in Germany. It's not about 'if' - it's about 'how'. The political demand for more animal welfare has been formulated from many sides. I invite you to constructive discussions about the best way to achieve this goal.”
