Leading agricultural and food industry associations in Germany have called for a rapid revision of the animal identification law, which has been in effect since August 2023. The law, introduced by Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir, aims to make the law “practically applicable as soon as possible and establish a uniform basis with private initiatives” according to a joint statement by the German Raiffeisen Association, the German Farmers’ Association, and the Federation of German Food Retailers.
The statement emphasizes the need for the government and stakeholders in the food chain to agree on criteria and work together to achieve a common goal. The initiative for animal welfare and the labeling of animal husbandry forms already provide consumers with comprehensive orientation. The associations also stress that a long-term and financially sustainable state support is necessary to achieve the desired changes in animal husbandry.
In addition, the paper calls for the reduction of innovation barriers to help eliminate the “large investment backlog” in the agricultural and food industry. The associations also emphasize that the minimum wage, which must be determined by the social partners, should remain in their responsibility. The use of seasonal workers from third countries should help to alleviate the labor shortage in the agricultural and food industry, the statement concludes.