Deutschland’s food and meat industry representatives welcome the appointment of Alois Rainer (CSU) as the new state agriculture minister, who has promised no tax increases on meat. The industry believes that Rainer, Silvia Breher and Martina Engelhardt-Kopf will bring much-needed expertise to the ministry, which has been in need of it. The representatives also hope for a more collaborative approach in tackling issues such as animal husbandry, food production and nutrition. In 2020, a commission led by the former agriculture minister Jochen Borchert recommended a “welfare tax” of 40 cents per kilogram of meat and processed meat products to fund the conversion and operation of animal shelters. This would amount to an additional cost of 24.44 euros per person per year, according to the commission’s calculations. However, farmers’ associations later called for a higher amount to offset inflation. The commission was set up by the then agriculture minister Julia Klöckner (CDU) and included representatives from conventional and organic farming, environmental groups, consumer advocates and scientists.
Meat Industry Cheers as Meat Subsidies Rejected, New Minister Announced
