Call for Europe-wide animal welfare meat labeling scheme

European consumers want EU-wide animal welfare labeling for meat products, according to Sabine Hartmann of international animal welfare organization Four Paws, speaking at the at the international agricultural exhibition EuroTier Poultry Forum. The call for standardized EU welfare product labeling has also been made by Germany’s Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt.
Hartmann continued that the Austria-based charity was looking for legislative rather than voluntary change, and that Four Paws was pushing its case internationally and at home, and hoped to repeat the success it had already achieved in Austria, which was the first country to phase out unenriched cages.
Four Paws has produced an entry-level labeling scheme, followed by a premium scheme, and is looking to change EU legislation and national rules. Welfare labeling must go beyond the requirements of many of the welfare systems currently in place. For some meat producers this would be reasonably easy to achieve, while for others it would mean significant change, she said.
Welfare labeling is not new, and Hartmann pointed to the UK’s Freedom Foods accreditation scheme, the longest-established scheme of its type in existence, and which has been adapted and implemented in a number of other countries. However, the current situation in Europe is highly fragmented, and with ever greater consumer mobility in the EU, it would make sense to have a standardized approach.
Four Paws is suggesting a two-tier approach with a standard label and a premium label. Some poultry products since 2012 have been produced under the scheme, with 55 chicken producers joining. In the case of poultry meat, the label denotes the use of slow growing breeds, minimum space requirements, and a minimum number of rear days, stress reduction, etc. Four Paws is currently working with 500 cattle producers to extend the scheme.
She added that society had become disconnected from agricultural production, and that meat products, and consequently animals, had become devalued by the drive for high performance and efficiency. At the same time, much food is wasted.
There needs to be a shift in how food is viewed, she argued, with greater emphasis placed on the quality of food and its nature of production. Consumers could then treat themselves to good food, rather than simply purchasing as much as possible at lowest possible cost, knowing that their meat had been produced to high, independently audited standards. 

UK's RSPCA urging consumers to demand clearer meat welfare labeling standards

The UK's Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is calling on consumers to contact their Member of the European Parliament (MEP) to urge them to add their signature of support for clearer labeling of welfare standards on meat.
A Written Declaration has been tabled in the European Parliament calling for compulsory method of slaughter labeling on meat and poultry products which are from animals which have not been pre-stunned.
The RSPCA argues that if method of slaughter labeling becomes a requirement within the EU, it will provide consumers with clearer information about how animals are treated at the end of their lives.
Dr. Julia Wrathall, head of the RSPCA's farm animal science department, says: "We would rather see all animals pre-stunned before they are killed, however we believe labeling that clearly differentiates between animals that have been stunned or non pre-stunned is still a step in the right direction.
"We believe all meat produced from animals that have not been stunned before slaughter should be clearly labeled in some way, so that it can be identified by consumers. Consumers have the right to choose whether or not they wish to buy meat from animals slaughtered without pre-stunning."
The RSPCA says that it recognizes that religious beliefs and practices should be respected. It adds that it also believes it is important to ensure animals are slaughtered under the most humane conditions possible. Scientific research has clearly demonstrated that slaughter of an animal without stunning can cause unnecessary suffering, the society adds.

Consumer group supports USDA decision to reject food labeling system

The National Consumers League has expressed its support for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's decision to reject efforts by NuVal LLC to place its rating system on the label of meat products.
NuVal is a nutrition rating system, placed in 1,600 grocery stores in 31 states, which rates the health of products on a scale of 1 to 100 using a proprietary algorithm. The league has raised concerns about the system's use of the algorithm, which it says produces inconsistent and illogical scores, and has instead called on the agency to develop an improved, universal front-of-package labeling scheme that would be more helpful to consumers.
"It's a wild west out there currently," said Sally Greenberg, the National Consumers League's executive director. "There are many competing rating systems, a state of play that can leave consumers feeling even more confused than they were in the first place. It is important that the federal government step up and develop a consistent system of front-of-package labeling.
"We applaud the USDA for taking a leadership role on labeling," said Greenberg. "We would urge the FDA, which has jurisdiction over around 80 percent of food products in this country, to follow the lead of its sister agency. If it's not good enough for the USDA, it shouldn't be good enough for the FDA. Consumers must have access to an objective, government-run front-of-package labeling scheme to get the clear and consistent information they need to make healthy dietary choices for their families."

EU extends country of origin meat labeling laws

The European Parliament’s July 6 decision to extend mandatory “country of origin” labeling to fresh meat from pigs, as well as sheep, goats and poultry, has been welcomed by the British National Farmers Union.
NFU Deputy President Meurig Raymond said the extension is a significant move that gives consumers clear and honest information about the origins of their food. “With mandatory country of origin labeling finally extended to pork, lamb and poultry, all British consumers will at last know where their fresh meat comes from,” said Raymond. “There is more work to be done to make sure origin labeling is extended to processed meats and dairy products,” he said.

EU reaches deal on poultry, pig meat origin labeling

The European Union has reached a deal on new EU-wide country of origin labeling for poultry, pork and other meat as well as nutrition labeling for other food.
Country of origin labeling will go into force within two years of the rules going into effect. Currently, the European Commission is working on specifying how to deal with animals born, raised or slaughtered in more than one country. By 2013, a decision will be made on whether to include processed meat products in the new labeling system.
Nutrition labeling must show foods' energy, salt, sugar, protein, carbohydrate, fat and saturated fat content, and will go into effect within five years.
The deal must still be formally approved by governments and the full parliament before becoming law.

British initiative is 'positive move' towards country-of-origin meat, dairy labeling

New country-of-origin labeling guidelines have been enacted on British meat and dairy products.
The "Principles on Country of Origin Information" document, developed by various industry trade bodies and backed by the government, is definitely a step in the right direction, said the National Farmers' Union of England and Wales (NFU) in a statement. The guidelines will apply to fresh meat and processed meat products as well as main dairy products.
“The NFU has been lobbying for many years, both in the UK and in Europe, for action on country-of-origin labeling on meat and dairy products," said NFU chief science and regulatory affairs adviser Helen Ferrier. "Today’s initiative is a positive move and a significant step by the retail, manufacturing and hospitality sectors and they should be applauded. The onus is now on them to take the lead and give consumers the information they need so they can be confident that when they choose to buy British, that is what they will get." Ferrier said the NFU plans to keep a close eye on the guidelines' progress.

Welfare labels for all of Europe’s meat?

A pig housing supplier in Europe warned recently that all meat produced in the European Union would soon be required by a new EU law to be labelled with one of four possible categories according to the animal welfare status of the system used in its production.
The warning may have been slightly premature in that the EU discussions are still ongoing (and no-one yet knows the number of categories, nor the proposed form of assessment). But it is true that the European Commission has tabled proposals for a co-ordinated labelling scheme aimed at informing consumers and encouraging higher-welfare systems. ... Read the rest of the blog on AnimalAgNet.com.