Seal of quality for meat : Fierce criticism of Klöckners animal welfare Logo

More space for pigs, less Stress at slaughter and Transport, and voluntary participation: Federal state Minister of economic Affairs, Julia Klöckner (CDU), has presented on Wednesday the criteria for the new state's animal welfare license plate, the customer when buying Meat to enable conclusions to be drawn on the conditions. "Animals are fellow creatures, not disposable goods," said Klockner. Therefore, the issue to go all, "not only the pet owner, but also trade, catering and consumer".

Specifically, there is provided a three-level labelling, which provides information on the housing conditions of the animals from birth to slaughter. To be able to with the Label on the packaging to advertise, you must comply with the provider Klöckner, according to "binding and verifiable" higher animal welfare requirements.

by 2020, first for pig meat in the trade

as a result, it should be according to the Minister improvements about the space in the stables, in the case of the employment of materials for the animals and their Transport, but also in training and stable management of the animal holder. In the first stage, pigs have to have 20 percent more space in the barn as required by law. "Consumers will quickly see where the animal is comfortable in it, and pet owners should be rewarded for their more investments for the benefit of the animals," said Klockner. Also planned is a multi-year information campaign.

farmers should be able to make use of the Logo is voluntary, what's to criticize environmentalists. The state Label is expected to come from 2020, first for pig meat in the trade. Previously, several supermarket chains in April, a meat-want to start marking for the maintenance of the form.

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Green do not want a "no voluntary wishy-washy-Label"

The managing Director of the consumer organization food watch, Martin Rücker, told the German press Agency: "Instead of a purely voluntary seal on the market, Julia Klöckner for legal requirements, in order for all and not just some of the few livestock animals are kept."

Green party leader, Anton Hofreiter said, citizens would have the right to know how the animals were kept, their products you eat. "We need a mandatory meat-labelling - no voluntary wishy-washy Label."

Green-chief Robert Habeck criticized the non-binding nature of the label: "helps none of the pigs, chickens and cattle, and the consumers have only a limited effect," he said the "New osnabrück newspaper".

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The environmental organization Greenpeace warned of Setbacks for animal protection. Instead of funding an unnecessary voluntary labelling, with a million in tax money, should help the Minister, farmers in more animal and climate protection. The Minister of values ", the meat of pigs from poor animal husbandry, rather than to eliminate grievances". (AFP, dpa)