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In 2003, however, slightly less turkey meat was produced
According to the now complete figures from the Federal Statistical Office, the total amount of poultry meat slaughtered last year rose by 8,5 percent to 927.840 tons. That was the highest production in Germany since reporting began.
Chicken production in particular increased significantly, by 17 percent to around 493.240 tons. Chickens accounted for a good 53 percent of the poultry produced in this country. The increase in the broiler sector was partly due to the fact that exports of ready-to-slaughter broilers to the Netherlands had at times completely collapsed in connection with the avian influenza and then did not return to the previous level.
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Referring to the announcement of the Federal Association of Food Inspectors, which complained about too few inspection staff and stated that on average only 59 percent of the food establishments are inspected annually, the Minister for Food, Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Dr. Till Backhaus (SPD) states that the controls in food companies in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania cover more than 80 percent of the registered companies every year.
Controls would be carried out depending on the particular risk that an establishment poses to the consumer; On average, this is two controls per control object and year. In 2002, an average of 82,6 percent of all farms were inspected at least once. "This means that not only the generally binding control specifications are adhered to. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is one of the top three in terms of control intensity compared to the rest of Germany," summed up Minister Backhaus.
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quality of controls is crucial
The spokesman for the Ministry for the Environment and Forestry, Wolfgang Raber, described the statements made by the chairman of the Federal Association of Food Inspectors as "unhelpful". "A purely statistical comparison of the companies visited says nothing about the actual status of the food controls."
The number and type of companies examined differs from state to state. In Rhineland-Palatinate, for example, the competent authorities of the municipal administrations are obliged to regularly inspect the companies in all sectors that are affected by the Food and Consumer Goods Act. These businesses include not only stationary but also mobile facilities such as sales vehicles or sales stands that are only operated temporarily, snack and drink stands or similar facilities at major events, fairs, weekly markets and other public events.
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Following confirmation of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in British Columbia, Canada, the European Commission has adopted Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne's proposal to restrict imports of live poultry, poultry meat and products, eggs and pet birds from Canada into to suspend the European Union from now until April 6th. Avian influenza is a highly contagious disease in poultry that causes serious economic damage to the poultry industry and, in exceptional cases, can also be transmitted to humans.
On March 9, Canadian authorities confirmed an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a poultry herd in British Columbia (Frazer Valley). The virus strain discovered is not identical to the virus strain currently causing the avian influenza epidemic in Asia and is likely to pose less of a public health threat than the Asian virus strain.
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Representatives of numerous member companies of the VDF (Verband der Fleischwirtschaft eV) used the opportunity last week to receive information about the current status of veterinary negotiations with various third countries from the German chief veterinarian Dr. Karin Schwabenbauer to learn first-hand and to make suggestions in which countries efforts to open up meat from Germany are desirable and promising.
First, the chief veterinarian reported on the current status of the negotiations between the EU and the Russian Federation for EU-standard veterinary certificates. Miss Dr. Schwabenbauer, who is herself a member of the European negotiating group, expressed little hope that a Russian import ban on all animal products from the EU as of May 1, 2004 could still be prevented. Rather, one has to be prepared for the fact that the export of meat, among other things, to the Russian Federation will be stopped for several months.
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The lead environmental committee of the European Parliament approved - as far as is known - the proposal of the EU Council of Ministers for a new veterinary fee law without changes. This means that the vote in the plenary session of the European Parliament should only be a matter of form. There will then be no second reading by Parliament. In terms of content, the new law is as we reported to you under point 2 in e-mail no. 47 of February 27, 2004. Before the vote of the Environment Committee of the European Parliament, the agricultural attachés made another change to the fees for the slaughter of sheep: For the slaughter of sheep weighing less than twelve kilograms, €0,15 per animal should be paid, for sheep in the Weight of twelve kilograms or heavier €0,25 per animal.
As soon as the new veterinary fee law has finally been passed, we will continue to report. First of all, it can be said that the new law on fees will hardly serve the interest of equal competition, given the great lack of clarity, but will also open up clear opportunities for those companies that can assert their interests with their responsible regional authority. In contrast to the previous law with its flat fees, there will be minimum fees, which, however, may be undercut on an operational basis, which, at least in the opinion of our authorities in Germany, has not been possible with regard to flat fees.
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On March 3.3.2004rd, XNUMX, ORGAINVENT held a conference on the subject of beef labeling in Cologne. The main speakers were Jean-François Roche, the EU Commission official responsible for beef labeling, and Sabine Klein, representative of the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice centre. Furthermore, representatives from Ireland, France and Italy presented experiences, problems and possible solutions. Representatives from Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia reported on the status of preparations in their countries on this topic.
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Result above previous year
According to preliminary figures, the Moksel Group was able to increase its net income in the 2003 financial year despite the difficult economic market environment. After servicing the debtor warrant in the amount of 9,37 million euros (2002: 0,25 million euros), the annual surplus was 8,4 million euros (2002: 7,2 million euros). Sales remained constant at 1,81 billion euros (2002: 1,80 billion euros).
According to preliminary figures, A. Moksel AG closed the 2003 financial year with a turnover of 140,4 million euros (2002: 151,2 million euros) after servicing the debtor warrant with an annual surplus of 3,37 million euros (2002: 0,06 . XNUMX million euros).
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DBV perspective forum on future association work
Associations are more important than ever today for advising politicians, for truthful information on complex economic relationships and their effects on practice, and for objectifying public discussion. This is the summary of the participants in the perspective forum of the German Farmers' Association (DBV) on the modern association work of tomorrow. Politicians, journalists, scientists and representatives of the leading associations based in Berlin, as well as full-time and volunteer workers from the state farmers' associations, discussed the requirements and instruments of successful lobbying in Germany and at EU level in Berlin. In a political environment that has become more critical, with changed social structures and in a very rapidly changing news and media market, the associations must critically rethink and further develop their lobbying work and their services for members.
DBV President Gerd Sonnleitner opened the Perspektiven Forum with the statement that associations have always been a driving force, a renewing force. Politicians and members are expected to continue to do so in the future. Democracy with pluralistic opinions can only function if strong associations such as farmers' associations are responsible. Without the collective bargaining partnership between employers and trade unions, there would never have been a German economic miracle. A green plan or a common agricultural policy would be unthinkable without the farmers' association. The national or global sustainability strategy is also doomed to failure if environmental and development organizations are not persistently committed to it.
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Stable sales despite the weak economy
The Raiffeisen cooperatives, active in the collection, processing and marketing of agricultural products, achieved a total turnover of 2003 billion euros in 37,2. The result is 1,6% below the previous year's result of 37,8 billion euros. "That is a remarkable balance in view of the extraordinary marketing conditions, the drastic decline in income in German agriculture, the still weak economy and pronounced reluctance to buy and invest," explained Manfred Nüssel, President of the German Raiffeisen Association (DRV).
“In 2003, our companies made far-reaching investment decisions in order to continue to meet the increasing demands of the highly concentrated food trade and the new agricultural policy framework through EU agricultural reform, eastward expansion and globalization of the markets. Europe has long been our company's home market. The production and sales structures are aligned with this. The numerous changes, including the food and feed law with regard to traceability, documentation and tightening of limit values, increase the cost pressure and the pace for structural adjustments, ”said Nüssel.
