Beter Leven keurmerk goes international Drs Gemma Willemsen MPC Manager Dierenprogramma s, Hulp en Toezicht
Workshop BLk goes international Programme 1.Welcome and general introduction Gemma Willemsen 2.Explanation of the project internationalisation of the Better Life trademark 3.Presentation of the Tierschutzlabel and the situation of animal welfare labels in Germany by Deutscher Tierschutzbund, Niklas Gröne. 4.Approach and planning of the project Gemma Willemsen 5.Questions and discussion - 2
Motivation Better Life trademark introduced in the market in 2007 Tierschutzlabel Führ mehr Tierschutz introduced in 2013 Good relationship Dierenbescherming and Deutscher Tierschutzbund: comparable organisations and approach Demand from the market in (North Western) Europe for products with animal welfare labels Demand for harmonisation of animal welfare standards Intention to cooperate announced on the Grüne Woche on January 17 3
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Presentation of Niklas Gröne of the Deutscher Tierschutzbund 6
Für Mehr Tierschutz The German Animal Welfare Label of Deutscher Tierschutzbund e.v. 12. October 2017, Workshop BLk goes international
Deutscher Tierschutzbund e.v. 8 Der Deutsche Tierschutzbund e. V. Founded in 1881 as an umbrella organisation for animal welfare organisations and animal shelters in Germany More than 800,000 members Europe s most important animal welfare and nature conservancy umbrella organisation
Label Für Mehr Tierschutz 9 Motivation to run an Animal Welfare Label Animal Welfare Labelling has been intensively discussed in Germany The German government has been in favour of a voluntary animal welfare label (national or EU-level) But: At this point a short-term implementation has not been expected
Label Für Mehr Tierschutz 1 0 Motivation to run an Animal Welfare Label For many years, dialogue with retailers Political demand for an animal welfare label Practical example: For 30 years, successful support of the animal welfare premium-label NEULAND with its outstanding standards
Label Für Mehr Tierschutz 1 1 Motivation to run an Animal Welfare Label Collaboration in the working group in the policy advisory opinion PET - Perspectives for an European Animal Welfare Label Participation in the initiative Animal Welfare Label driven by the University Göttingen In order to push the discussion on animal welfare labelling and to develop standards and their concrete implementation. All relevant stakeholders involved.
Label Für Mehr Tierschutz 1 2 Motivation to run an Animal Welfare Label Consumer survey showed the need for an animal welfare label: The German market segment that is interested in animal welfare and willing to pay for it is valued at 20 % of German consumer population.
Label Für Mehr Tierschutz 1 3 Motivation to run an Animal Welfare Label Résumé: It has been time for the animal welfare label to be indroduced! This is shown by The increasing discussions on animal welfare labelling As well as developments in some segments of the market, The increasing interest of producers and retailers to engage with the Deutscher Tierschutzbund who is recognized as reliable and trustworthy in terms of animal welfare. Thus, Deutscher Tierschutzbund has decided to send a signal and to implement an animal welfare label!
Label Für Mehr Tierschutz 1 4 Animal Welfare Label Für Mehr Tierschutz In 2011 acquisition of sponsorship for the label Since 2013 chicken and pork products available Goal: Higher animal welfare standards for as many farm animals as possible
Standard setting 1 5 Animal Welfare Label Für Mehr Tierschutz Labels animal products with significantly higher standards of animal welfare during the animals lifetimes The animal s need to live out their species-specific behaviour patterns is fulfilled by providing adequate housing conditions Animal-friendly handling during transport and slaughter
Standard setting 1 6 Animal Welfare Label Für Mehr Tierschutz Considering animal welfare beyond the matter of housing conditions: Processing: Animal products used in processed goods should only be derived from the label itself consideration of animal welfare concerning all ingredients and consumables Retailers: Strict separation of commodity flows and guarantee of traceability Consumer trust Guaranteeing high animal welfare standards for all labeled products
Standard setting 1 7 Animal Welfare Label Für Mehr Tierschutz Whole production chain has to be certified and unheralded controlled by independent certification organisations Additional independent controls by Deutscher Tierschutzbund Multi stakeholder approach: involvement of all relevant stakeholders (farmers, marketers, researchers, consumer protection, Deutscher Tierschutzbund)
Standard setting 1 8 Animal Welfare Label Für Mehr Tierschutz a Two-tier-label Two-tier-system: a basic (entry level) and a premium standard supports the development to higher animal welfare levels Basic (entry) level: broad availability Premium standard (target): livestock farming under excellent animal welfare standards
Standard setting 1 9 Species covered by the Animal Welfare Label of Deutscher Tierschutzbund Fattening pigs Broiler Laying hens Dairy
Standard setting 2 0 What does the Label mean to the Animals? Significantly higher animal welfare standards: Requirements distinctly exceed the conditions required by law Requirements are derived from the animals needs concerning their environment: More space Enrichment material Phasing-out painful procedures like tail-docking and beak-trimming Animal-friendly handling during transport and slaughter
Standard setting 2 1 General Standard Setting Maximum number of animals per farm More space Enrichment: Pigs: Structuring of the pens into functional areas and enrichment material (e.g. straw) Poultry: Perches, straw balls and pecking objects Dairy cattle: Lying areas, scratch brush Contact to outdoor climate (e.g. verandah, outdoor run / free range, pasture)
Standard setting 2 2 General Standard Setting All manipulations are done under General anaesthesia (piglet castration) or Sedation combined with a local anaesthesia of the horn verves (dehorning of calves); Both always in combination with pain treatment Monitoring of antibiotic use / restrictiv application of critically important antibiotics GMO-free feeding
Standard setting 2 3 General Standard Setting Limited transport duration: max. 4 hours respectively 200 km Certification and monitoring of the slaughterhouses, reliable and deep stunning has to be guaranteed Evaluation of animal welfare indicators on farm level an in slaughterhouses (injuries, lameness, organ diagnosis)
Standard setting dairy cattle 2 4 Label-Marketing Brand-licence System is based on a brand-licence-contract including clauses concerning Licence fees Commitments to observe the production- and style-guidelines Any participant in the value chain can be licencee, but lincence fees Status of brand-licences given to corporate partners: 17 including for example VION, Wiesenhof, Tönnies, EDEKA
Standard setting dairy cattle 2 5 Label-Marketing Status of production and trading Status of certified agricultural farms (concerning specific animal husbandry): 209 Fattening pigs: 39 Laying hens: 11 Broilers: 30 Dariy cattles: 129 Products labelled with Tierschutzlabel can be bought in many reknown retail- and discount-markets, for example EDEKA, Lidl, Aldi Nord and Süd, Netto, famila, real,-, Metro, HIT and others Products: Eggs, fresh meat, sausage, several dairy-products Starting soon: pet food, convenience-products
Standard setting dairy cattle 2 6 Label-Marketing Development Availability of Tierschutzlabel-products is rising in retail- and discountmarkets Increasing number of brand-licence-contracts Customers request more Tierschutzlabel-products At the moment we are working on guidelines for other parts of the value-chain like intermediaries and gastronomy (catering, food service)
Animal Welfare in Germany 2 7 Importance of Animal Welfare in Germany Increasing awareness for animal welfare among the population Demands to improve conditions for farm animals shown by many surveys e.g. Eurobarometer Increasing rate of vegetarian and vegan lifestyles Politicians react by striking up voluntary agreements with the industry, launching voluntary labels and presenting strategy documents (Nutztierhaltungsstrategie Strategy on animal farming) Too much focus on voluntariness, no further mandatory legal requirements Industry react by own initiatives: Initiative Tierwohl ( Animal Welfare Initiative )
Animal Welfare in Germany 2 8 Situation of Animal Welfare Labelling in Germany State-run animal welfare label: In January 2016 German minister of agriculture Christian Schmidt announced his plans to establish a non-mandatory animal welfare label Unfortunately the process to create such al label with all relevant stakeholders was too hastily undertaken (in order to establish the label before the election in autumn 2017) and highly unsatisfactory for all participants As a result Deutscher Tierschutzbund withdrew their cooperation until the process is better managed and revised Finally the process stopped due to the elections of the Bundestag in September 2017 To be attended if and how the process will be proceeded
Animal Welfare in Germany 2 9 Situation of Animal Welfare Labelling in Germany Initiative Tierwohl (industry initiative) Organizations and companies from agriculture, marketing and retail launched the initiative in 2014 Farmers have to fulfill certain welfare criteria (inter alia free selectable) Retailers pay 4 Cents/kg meat which is used to cover the additional costs Products are not labelled Criticism: Criteria too low, no transparency which animals profited from improved conditions, no product labelling but general advertisement. Deutscher Tierschutzbund ended cooperation in 2015
Animal Welfare in Germany 3 0 NEULAND Goal: Meat products that are produced in an animal- and environment-friendly way Housing conditions comparable to organic or even higher, but no organic food Small brand but regional high relevance Deutscher Tierschutzbund one of three funding organizations Organic according to EU organic regulation EU label according to the EU-organic directive Derman organic label voluntary when EU regulation fulfilled Repeatedly surveys confirming the high motivation of consumers to buy organic products for animal welfare reasons But: Not the whole chain is covered (no standards on breeding, transport and slaughter) Several German organic associations with stricter requirements Situation of Animal Welfare Labelling in Germany E.g. Bioland, Naturland, Demeter etc.
Thank your for your attention!
Project Internationalisation Start 2 October 2017 Duration 2 years Structure: Gemma Willemsen Dierenbescherming project leader Employees: Anke Sitter and Suzanne Groot Co-operation with dr. Claudia Salzborn and colleagues of the Deutscher Tierschutzbund Co-operation with Vogelbescherming Nederland and NABU Collaboration with participants of both labels 32
Roadmap (1) 1. Technical comparison of criteria of both labels, in no particular order: Pigs Broilers Laying hens Dairy cows Other, e.g. turkeys Milestone Complete set of criteria with insight in similarities and differences per category of animals. 33
Roadmap (2) 2. Comparison of control systems of both labels Milestone Insight in similarities and differences of control systems 34
Roadmap (3) 3. Mutual acknowledgement of criteria: Strategic plan and timing towards mutual acknowledgement Consultation with Dutch and German companies and participants of the labels (retail, slaughter houses, egg packing stations, food processors Negotiation Dierenbescherming and Deutscher Tierschutzbund Consultation with certification institutions and development of system of mutual acknowledgement Milestone Roadmap for complete acknowledgement for each category (dairy cows, pigs, broilers, laying hens, turkeys e.a.) 35
Roadmap (4) 4. Introduction of harmonising inspections On top checklist for each animal specific category Applied by Dutch producers that want to deliver under the German Tierschutzlabel and by German producers that want to deliver under the Better Life trademark Milestone Actual inspections, mutual. 36
Roadmap (5) 5. Aftercare Interpretations Communication Milestone The system can be implemented in practice on a larger scale 37
Questions and discussion Interested? Send us an email blkinternationaal@dierenbescherming.nl Suzanne.Groot@dierenbescherming.nl Anke.Sitter@dierenbescherming.nl Gemma.Willemsen@dierenbescherming.nl 38