More than 90 percent of the pork in Austria does not meet any of the examined animal welfare and environmental criteria. Organic brands are still the best, with organic pigs making up only about three percent of all pigs in Austria. Environmental protection organization Greenpeace and the Animal Welfare Ombudsman Vienna (TOW) have now published a quality mark guide with purchase advice.
More than 90 percent of commercial pork products do not meet animal welfare and environmental criteria. This is apparent from a study of 26 harbor seals and labels in supermarkets based on twelve animal welfare and environmental criteria. For example, it has been checked whether the relevant quality mark guarantees that the curly tails of pigs are not cut, whether the animals are fed without genetically modified feed and whether animal welfare fully slatted floors are prohibited. Conventional pork, even that with the red-white-red AMA seal, does not meet any of these criteria. “Unfortunately, the ‘poor pig’ is still a reality in Austria,” summarizes the environmental protection organization Greenpeace.
Organic brands largely meet the criteria
It fits better with the conventional animal welfare projects of the supermarkets. These meet eight to nine of the criteria, organic brands even ten to twelve. The fact that the overall result can still be improved has to do with the fact that animal welfare projects are only a niche on the shelves. Organic pigs still make up only about three percent of all pigs in Austria. “Anyone who buys pork, for example for Easter, should urgently follow the shopping guide and choose organic meat or meat from the animal welfare projects of the supermarkets accordingly. This protects the environment and guarantees the pigs a better life,” orders Eva Persy, head of the TOW, and Sebastian Theissing-Matei of Greenpeace.
raise minimum standards
The two organizations are demanding that the Austrian federal government raise minimum standards for keeping pigs. In addition, there is a need for legal labeling of the rearing conditions on the product. According to the TOW, the minimum standards are currently “bad testimony to a country that likes to present itself as a pioneer in animal welfare”. The federal government must ambitiously revise the 1st Livestock Ordinance.
“Overslept on Reforms”
“As early as 2020, we pointed out this misery with the quality mark indicator, since then the urgently needed reforms have been completely missed. Moreover, animal suffering and environmental destruction are in the majority of Austrian pork – the idyll that the advertising leads us to believe can hardly be found in a fattening farm in Austria”, criticizes Theissing-Matei. This also applies to the red-white red AMA quality mark.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
