Little change in consumer prices expected

Lack of water in the ponds during this year's heat and losses caused by the predatory cormorant can be expected this year a smaller range of carp from German production. However, supplemented by the traditional supplies from the Czech Republic, the demand is likely to be met by the end of the year. Thereafter, however, in the offer season running until Easter may not be enough goods available. However, no significant impact on retail prices in the holiday business this year is expected. Most consumers will have to pay between three and 4,50 euros per kilogram of carp, as in the previous year, but at the store level they are likely to expect prices of between five and six kilograms. Smaller production already in 2002

Already last year, the German supply of carp had been smaller than before, which was caused in particular by the feeding damage caused by the cormorant and the pan-European lack of catch fishing. In total, local pond farmers' production last year was around 11.000 tonnes, three percent less than 2001. Complemented by imports of live carp of almost 5.200 tonnes and less exports, around 15.860 tons of carp were available for food consumption on the German market, four percent less than in the previous year.

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Good 80 percent of Dutch expect that eating habits will change in the coming 25 years. This has resulted in a representative survey of a market research company. 70 percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 65 expect that consumption will focus on convenience meals and foreign products. 52 percent of respondents expect the meal preparation to change; Accordingly, the microwave should gain in importance. 21 percent assume that men will increasingly cook and life partners in cooking will alternate more and more.

However, Dutch consumer trends have hardly changed since 1999. In the households currently determine predominantly, namely to 80 percent, and increasingly the women, what is on the menu. Therefore women are also in the medium term an important target group for promotions of food companies. Two-thirds of households produce potatoes, vegetables and meat several times a week. However, the boiled potato still loses ground as the most important ingredient of the meal in favor of noodles and rice. Small increases are also recorded in Italian courts. Children and adults call beans, cauliflower and lettuce as their favorite vegetables; Brussels sprouts like the least.

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Outbreak of BSE three years ago - Not all causes are eliminated today!

After several raids on slaughterhouses in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, the most recent one last Thursday in Gehlenberg, with the result of suspicions of commercial smuggling, illegal employment, social abuse, usury and wage dumping and on the occasion of the outbreak of the BSE cattle epidemic in Germany three years ago Chairman of the food-enjoyment-restaurants union (NGG) Franz-Josef Möllenberg took a position.

"The issue of food quality and safety needs to be discussed more publicly, and transparency in the food chain is still unsettled for the consumer, and the NGG demands that quality criteria include respect for social standards Food and high-quality meat can only exist if skilled workers are employed and working conditions in the food industry are also attractive.

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Once again this year, the German Agricultural Society (DLG) and the Lebensmittel Zeitung (LZ) are publishing the International Convenience TopTen in the form of a hit list in the fields of frozen food, delicatessen, ready meals and self-service fresh meat. The ranking was supplemented by the best foreign provider in each of the above categories. The TopTen lists are now highly regarded in professional circles as they represent a "who's who" of the convenience industry.

In the Deutscher Fachverlag (DFV) in Frankfurt, this year's winners were presented in a festive setting by Michael Schellenberger, Managing Director of the DFV. Dietrich Rieger, Chief Executive Officer of the DLG, awarded. In a short, informative talk, Michael Schellenberger pointed out "the perspectives for food industry and trade in a new, larger Europe".

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"With this decision, we celebrate a success for animal welfare," said Minister of Agriculture. Till Backhaus (SPD) on Friday after the Federal Council meeting on the Animal Welfare Regulation in Berlin. Most of the Länder have approved an application from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Lower Saxony that provides for a test procedure for all housing systems, with the exception of conventional cages. An exit from the cage cage is planned two years after the entry into force of the regulation. "We urge the government to legislate immediately, and then exit the cage battery line even before 2006 is possible," said Minister Backhaus. Thus the "animal protection TÜV" for housing systems of all kinds of animals is introduced, so the minister.

A test method for housing systems in accordance with Section 13 of the Animal Welfare Act ensures that also standard-produced housing systems that comply with and go beyond the Animal Welfare Act are examined. "For the economy, this means that several animal welfare-friendly husbandry methods are available after completion of the test procedures," emphasized Minister Backhaus. A migration of companies abroad, where the eggs are produced under completely unacceptable conditions under animal welfare conditions, must necessarily be stopped.

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Self-sufficiency still increased

Sheep husbandry continues in Germany, which was the result of the livestock census of May this year. After that, the number of sheep fell by 3,1 percent to around 2,64 million animals within twelve months. The proportion of animals under one year was particularly reduced. Of these, in May 2003 was only 931.600 piece, 6,8 percent less than the year before. In the coming years, the declining stock development is likely to continue, because in the group of female breeding stock, the stock was squeezed by 1,3 percent.

The stock restrictions of recent years are reflected in the slaughter: In 2002, according to the Federal Statistical Office, a good 13 percent fewer sheep and lambs of domestic origin were slaughtered than a year ago. At the same time, the share of foreign origins increased by around 23 percent. Overall, the slaughter of domestic and foreign animals fell short of the previous year's level by almost seven percent.

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New advice from consumer advice centers

Complicated names, meaningless letters and numbers - it is not easy to decipher the list of ingredients on food packaging. Who knows what is hidden behind calcium disodium methylenediaminetetraacetate? Over 300 substances are approved in the EU and thus also in Germany to color, preserve, thicken, stabilize, emulsify, flavor and much more food. The Federal Association of Consumer Organizations in Germany (vzbv) has updated and revised its guide “What do the E numbers mean?”. This not only decodes all E-numbers approved in the EU, but also provides important information for allergy sufferers, asthmatics and other risk groups. Vegetarians can track down additives of animal origin. If you want to avoid genetic engineering in food, you will also find important information on this.

The guide “What do the E numbers mean?” Can be ordered at a price of 5,80 euros including all shipping and postage costs against an invoice from the shipping service of the vzbv, Heinrich-Sommer-Str. 13, 59939 Olsberg, (phone: 0 29 62 - 90 86 47, fax: 0 29 62 - 90 86 49) or by email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots To display JavaScript must be turned on! or directly on the Internet at www.vzbv.de

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Livestock and Meat

In the meat wholesale markets, the beef trade was characterized by very restrained demand and a reluctance to act. At best, the prices were based on the level of the previous week. The supply of beef cattle was unexpectedly plentiful. The main reason for this was obviously increased deliveries by the bull fatteners, as animals eligible for bonuses have to be slaughtered in the current year. The slaughterhouses were therefore able to draw on the full and corrected the prices downwards. Female slaughter cattle were also affected. The federal funds for young bulls in meat trade class R3 and for cows in class O3 fell by five cents each to 2,24 euros and 1,46 euros per kilogram of slaughter weight. The demand for beef from neighboring European countries did not meet the expectations of German mail-order companies, and further price concessions often had to be made here as well. - In the coming week, the supply situation in the young bull area is unlikely to change much, as animals entitled to bonuses are still in the stables. The prices are therefore likely to tend towards weakness. - The firm price trend for veal continued on the meat wholesale markets. The decisive factor for the high price level is not the demand, but the comparatively small supply. The prices for slaughter calves billed as a lump sum are likely to remain at their level of EUR 4,84 per kilogram in the reporting week. - The prices for farm calves developed inconsistently.

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The Federal Council has just decided by majority in a tricky proposal from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Lower Saxony that the caging of laying hens over the actual ban from 2007 should continue to be possible. In addition, perpetual, the so-called designed cages and thus further animal cruelty opened the door to indefinite. In addition, the Länder want the pigs in Germany to continue to be kept in close quarters in dark barns and on full-slatted floors and allowed to be amputated, in order to adapt them to animal-tormenting housing systems. Wolfgang Apel, President of the German Animal Welfare Association, explains in a first statement on site: "We welcome the fact that Federal Minister Renate Künast will not seal this legally sanctioned animal suffering with her signature". Europe's largest animal and nature conservation organization announces massive campaigns in the federal states that have spoken out today for animal suffering.
  
"The Federal Council has rolled out the red carpet for the animal tormentors and has become a torture chamber for animals - a sad day for animal and consumer protection." In the designed cages, which euphemistically tries to disguise the egg industry as "keeping small groups", animal welfare problems would be a problem just like in the existing cages, "explains Wolfgang Apel, President of the German Animal Welfare Association. The Federal Constitutional Court has already condemned the caging of 1999 as animal cruelty. In addition, the protection of animals since 2002 is also anchored as a state goal in the Basic Law. "The countries now want to sacrifice existing legislation in favor of the egg industry, but we will not accept that politicians can be instrumentalized by the egg industry for us this is not an end to our fight for the welfare of the animals." We continue to millions of animal woes the German stables is finished, "said Wolfgang Apel combative.
  
In pig farming, which was also voted on today, a majority of countries have spoken out against improvements for the animals. The proposal submitted by Federal Minister Renate Künast and the improvements for the animals contained therein were rejected on crucial points. According to the Länder, pigs should vegetate in crowded confines on full slatted floors in dark barns and be adapted to the housing systems through amputations of their tails.

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Result of the deliberations of the Federal Council on the second ordinance amending the Animal Welfare - Livestock Farming Ordinance

The Federal Council today discussed the second ordinance amending the Animal Welfare Ordinance, which introduces a special section for keeping pigs in the regulation. He approved the regulation with a series of stipulations.

The result of the Federal Council proceedings on the main points is as follows:

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Animal Welfare - Livestock Conservation Ordinance of the Federal Council will advance animal welfare

Today's decision of the Federal Council on Animal Welfare Regulation with the Pigs and Poultry Conservation Ordinance serves to further develop effective animal welfare in Germany and to secure jobs in domestic livestock farming in tough global competition, explains the German Farmers Association (DBV). Animal welfare should not be measured twice. Progress in Germany should not lead to relocation of production to foreign competitors, who worked with much poorer animal welfare standards and then exported these products to Germany. That is why the Federal Council has today taken a decision in favor of animals and animal welfare; but it also takes into account the competitive situation of domestic pet owners, emphasizes the DBV. These are the principles of sustainability.

With the Federal Council decision, the keeping of farm animals becomes more animal-friendly on the basis of scientific studies. Under no circumstances will the ban on keeping laying hens in cages be postponed to Saint Never's Day, as Federal Minister Renate Künast fears. Together with the Central Association of German Poultry Farmers, the DBV states that the Federal Council resolution takes account of the further development of husbandry systems such as small group husbandry through a test procedure. The pig husbandry ordinance would create the missing nationwide animal welfare regulations and replace the animal welfare decrees of some federal states. The new regulations were based on the EU requirements to be implemented, but in some cases went beyond a 1: 1 implementation. Even if the DBV has fundamental concerns when European law is not implemented identically in German law, it supports the decision of the Bundesrat. Because the German pig farmers could keep their pigs under largely equal competitive conditions in the EU in the future.

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