97 percent of all QS audits in 2016 were successfully passed. In this way, the contractual partners in the QS scheme prove once again that they meet the QS requirements reliably and conscientiously. Sanction proceedings were opened in 631 cases of violations. The Sanctions Advisory Board imposed contractual penalties totaling €143.000, blocked deliveries to the QS scheme and increased controls...
Measures to reduce the use of antibiotics by livestock farmers and veterinarians are showing significant success: the poultry and pig farms in the QS scheme reduced the use of antibiotics again in 2016. The number of antibiotic groups that are particularly important in human medicine (so-called critical antibiotics/reserve antibiotics) has also fallen. This is proven by current evaluations of more than 2,5 million treatment documents that are available in the QS antibiotics database..
Yesterday Federal Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt presented at the International Green Week first outline of the planned National animal welfare label. The taking of the Central Association of German poultry industry eV (ZDG) to issue the following positioning for the planned label.:
• The German poultry industry is open to the development of a state animal welfare label.
• The German poultry industry demands from the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture to combine the state animal welfare label with a national label of origin.
• The state animal welfare label must be launched for the poultry and pig sectors at the same time.
• The state animal welfare label must rely on the voluntary participation of animal owners and be binding for all sales channels, namely for food retailers, the wholesale segment and direct marketers.
• The state animal welfare label must ensure that the existing legally permitted forms of husbandry are not discriminated against.
• The state animal welfare label should complement the animal welfare initiative, which has been successful for over two years, in a meaningful way, fall back on its structures and involve the partners of the industry alliance in the development.
• The performance of the animal keeper must be adequately rewarded. For this it is necessary that all buyers - food retailers as well as bulk consumers - pay into a corresponding animal welfare fund based on the model of the Animal Welfare Initiative.
• The state animal welfare label should be prepared intensively and not introduced too quickly and should be based on the consensus of all those involved.
• Experts from the poultry industry should be involved in questions of the organizational structure and concrete implementation.
Source: Association of the German poultry industry
Meat is one of the most sensitive foods ever. Due to all the "meat scandals" in the past, the consumer is anything but safe when it comes to meat and sausage products. Now the Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt (CSU) is calling for a new "state animal welfare seal" ...
"The Aargau judicial authorities are currently dealing with a case of suspected fraud in the sale of meat. Criminal proceedings are underway against five employees of a retail chain the Aargau criminal police announced to journalists on Monday at the annual media conference of the canton police in Aarau. "
The aim of the annual audits is not only to continuously improve process reliability, but also to make the QA requirements even more practical ...
Since January 1, 2017, companies that store meat and meat products on behalf of QS scheme participants can be certified according to the new guidelines for the storage of meat and meat products. Through their involvement, QS makes a decisive contribution to closing the value chain as well as to cross-level quality assurance for meat and meat products ...
The planned state animal welfare label is hoped for clarity in the consumer advice center and a new, trustworthy declaration for customers ...
"Travelers who illegally import meat from non-EU countries to Germany can contribute to the spread of potentially dangerous pathogens. Multi-resistant bacteria were found in several meat samples from two German airports" ...
"Wagyu meat has also been allowed to be imported into the EU since 2013. Since global demand is increasing and real steaks are barely affordable in Japan either, the production of counterfeit luxury items is flourishing. The Internet is full of offers - everything looks real at first glance. In addition, the temptation is likely to be great in this country to make the meat of older cattle appear more noble ... "
"Hofgeismar. Consumers in the Kassel district will have to be prepared for higher prices at butchers from the new year: The cause is rising fees for meat inspections ..."