Controversial animal transports keep making headlines.
In Miesbach these were now the subject of a round table.
The common wish: more transparency.
Miesbach / District
- It is almost 3300 kilometers on the road from Miesbach to the Kazakh border.
A long way for an animal transport.
But the route alone was not the reason for the recent discussions about the cattle exports of the Miesbacher Fleckviehzuchtverband to the east.
As reported, not only animal rights activists, but even the official veterinarian worried that the stopover in Hungary might not comply with the standards set by the EU regulation on the entire transport route to the third country of Kazakhstan.
Last but not least, the district office demanded a clear statement from the big politicians after the court-obtained approval of the controversial export.
The wish did not go unheard.
CSU member of the Bundestag Alexander Radwan recently invited to a (corona-related virtual) round table on the subject of animal transport.
Representatives from agriculture, breeding associations and politics got together for an exchange.
According to a press release from Radwan's office, one word in particular was heard repeatedly: transparency.
MPs convinced: animal transport will be an issue in coalition negotiations
The MP made it clear at the beginning that the topic is quite explosive: "It will play a major role in the media, the public, in legislation and also in the next coalition negotiations," emphasized Radwan, referring to a current initiative by the Federal Council.
At the request of North Rhine-Westphalia, the federal states are calling on the Federal Minister of Agriculture, Julia Klöckner, to effectively ban long-distance transports of breeding cattle.
It is all the more important, according to Radwan, "to jointly develop points that we want to contribute to strengthening animal welfare and the farmers".
Especially in the Miesbach district with its supra-regional importance for Simmental breeding.
Also interesting: animal rights activists harshly criticize cattle exports to Kazakhstan
The farmers also referred to this in the group.
Nobody wants to have their animals transported over long distances without knowing how they are doing.
Breeding association manager Christian Presslaber affirmed that black sheep are the exception in the industry.
A long-standing customer from Kazakhstan has had no complaints over the years.
At the same time, exports are an important income factor because of their significantly higher prices, the farmers made clear in the group.
A ban must therefore necessarily go hand in hand with promoting regional value creation.
A wish that met with open ears, especially from District Administrator Olaf von Löwis.
Politicians are calling for more transparency
The representatives saw the key to resolving the debate in a stronger tracking and documentation of the transports.
"Without transparency we will not get any further on the matter," said CSU MEP Marlene Mortler.
Together with the President of the State Parliament, Ilse Aigner, she spoke out in favor of proof that the entire transport complied with the EU regulation and that the breeding animals would actually be used to build a herd at the destination.
The head of the breeding association Presslaber also went with them.
He recognized that there was a lot of catching up to do in terms of transparency and assured that the breeding association was working flat out "to do more documentation and public relations work in order to put the image in the right light."
Radwan promised to continue to accompany the issue politically.
The report of the European committee of inquiry will be discussed in September.
"We will therefore also deal with it in the federal election campaign and in the coalition negotiations." The consensus reached at the round table on "absolute transparency" offers "points of contact and common opportunities".
so called