VDF: Martin Müller succeeds Heinrich Manten
At its annual meeting in Hamburg, the Association of the Meat Industry (VDF) elected Martin Müller from Birkenfeld in Baden-Württemberg as its new CEO. The managing partner of Müller Fleisch will take up his new position as successor to Heiner Manten at the beginning of 2024. The current chairman, Heiner Manten, will leave his company, Heinrich Manten Qualitätsfleisch vom Niederrhein GmbH & Co. KG, at the end of the year and will also resign from his honorary position. At Martin Müller's side, Steffen Reiter will take over the management of the association from Dr. Take over Heike Harstick. dr Harstick will be leaving the VDF at the end of this year after 25 years as chief executive of the VDF. "I can take this step with a clear conscience because my successor in Steffen Reiter is ideally filled," said Dr. Harstick on her decision to retire. There will therefore be no break, but a seamless transition that has already been initiated. Reiter is currently spokesman for the industry initiative Focus Meat and managing director of the export organization German Meat.
At the end of the VDF association conference, Martin Müller called on the federal government to pass laws on animal husbandry that actually promote animal welfare and do not have the opposite effect. "Federal Minister Cem Özdemir sells his concept as a big step into the future, but it's just small steps. It would have required an integrated surcharge to take a real step forward and to realign livestock farming in the transformation to the requirements of animal welfare, sustainability and climate protection," said Müller. The funding amounts that are to be used to fund the conversion in the next few years are far too small. Müller: "This is pure clientele politics and ignores the economic realities of animal husbandry in Germany."
The future VDF CEO criticized the policy of the federal government, which, with its inadequate funding policy, is endangering food production in Germany and an industry with more than 150.000 jobs.
Müller: "If I compare that with the billions that flow into state subsidies for a single steelworks in Duisburg with 2.000 jobs for the transformation from coking coal to green hydrogen, then I really ask myself whether people should be fed a healthy diet with nutrient-rich foods doesn't matter to the rulers? You can't eat a piece of steel."
Müller's board colleague Dr. Gereon Schulze Althoff criticized the federal government's nutrition strategy. "A nutrition strategy pursued by the federal government would have to be limited to recommendations and should not aim to steer the eating behavior of the population with state measures." It is questionable whether, especially in times of crisis, the nutrient requirements can be met with a mainly plant-based diet and seasonal, regional foods can be covered. Especially since the supply of the German population with fruit, vegetables, nuts and legumes comes mainly from imports. "In addition, the eating habits of more than 90% of the population include meat and other animal products," said Dr. Schulz Althoff.
In Germany, no pig is raised for export, emphasized VDF board member Hubert Kelliger in his statement at the end of the conference. “It is true that in Germany we recycle almost 100 percent of an animal. Nationally, however, only a limited part is consumed, the so-called noble pieces. The other part z. B. a pig is considered a delicacy in other parts of the world. By exporting German meat to these countries, we are ensuring that an important foodstuff is used in its entirety.” On the other hand, the domestic supply of premium parts is not even sufficient for domestic demand. For years, 25 to 28% of domestic consumption has been regularly imported.
Kelliger demanded that Chancellor Scholz and Federal Minister Özdemir open the door to China. “China is willing to negotiate with Germany on regulations such as regionalization. We have clear indications that China is trying, especially in the tense global political situation between the blocs, to maintain economic contact with Germany. They don't want to be decoupled from Europe. It is now time for the federal government to use the forthcoming discussion formats and advance an agreement with Beijing that will make meat deliveries from Germany to China possible again.”
