Improve animal welfare in agriculture

Lower Saxony Minister of Agriculture presents 38-point animal welfare plan

20/04/2011

The Lower Saxony Land government has made a liberation blow. After the black and yellow state government has repeatedly been accused in the past few months of a share of responsibility for the shortcomings in livestock and poultry, the Lower Saxony Minister of Agriculture Gert Lindemann (CDU) has now presented a 38-point plan to improve animal welfare in agriculture.

He had set out with the goal of improving the housing conditions for farm animals significantly and he remains „determined to realize this as well“, emphasized the Lower Saxony Minister of Food, Agriculture, Consumer Protection and Regional Development on Wednesday in Hannover. Lindemann took over in December 2010 from his predecessor Astrid Grotelüschen (CDU), after several times because of maladministration in various poultry farms, in which her husband or her family were involved in the criticism.

Implementation of the animal welfare plan over the next seven years
The Minister of Agriculture of Lower Saxony now wants to start this year with the implementation of his 38-point animal welfare plan and complete it successively over the next seven years. The concept of improving animal welfare in agriculture takes into account the 12 most important groups of animals, from chicks to dairy cows, and identifies measures to help improve their housing conditions. For example, it is planned to ban the controversial Schnabelkürzen in turkeys by 2018 at the latest, in laying hens, a corresponding ban should apply from 2016. The turkey keeping should also be redesigned by 2014 so that diseases on the feet of the animals are avoided as far as possible. In addition, according to current plans, the cutting of horns in calves without anesthesia from 2013 is prohibited. In addition, the cutting of tails in piglets pig farmers from 2016 should be prohibited. The Lower Saxony Minister of Agriculture rated his plan as „the most extensive animal welfare activity in livestock farming in Germany“. The specified times are maximum specifications, a faster implementation of course conceivable at any time, Lindemann stressed.

Further development of animal welfare in agriculture is required
Lower Saxony has a country with the most livestock „the task of leading the way in the development of animal welfare“, Lindemann stressed. The fact that Lower Saxony so far in terms of environmental and animal protection rather lagging behind than to form the peak of development, mentioned the Minister of Agriculture but not. According to animal rights activists, the state has a lot of catching up to do, which is now to be remedied by the 38-point plan. But the critics in particular the long-term frame is a thorn in the eye. They call for faster action, because in many companies, they still have unjustifiable circumstances. But instead of immediate decisions, the individual measures are now being developed in seven specialist groups and one steering group, whereby representatives of the organic farmers, the Animal Welfare Association, science, authorities and churches are also involved, as Agriculture Minister Lindemann emphasized.

Critics complain about the timeframe of the presented animal protection plan
Even if the Minister of Agriculture emphasizes that he „a conviction offender“ be and „Do not accept prevention tactics (...)“ may be doubted what success the animal welfare plan actually brings. For in Lower Saxony, industrial livestock has a particularly strong support in politics and in the past drastic cuts could always be prevented. Not only does Lindemann consider himself a spokesman for farmers, but also the Lower Saxony Minister of the Environment, Hans-Heinrich Sander, has often been more committed to the interests of industrial agriculture than the concerns of environmental protection. Lindemann also tried hard to reassure farmers when they presented their 38-point plan. This animal welfare plan would not push livestock production abroad or make economic impossible, but improve, said the Minister of Agriculture. (Fp)

Read about agriculture and animal welfare:
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Image: Axel Hoffmann