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Four Countries’ Meeting: Is The Crisis Over On The Pig Market? – Danes, Dutch, Belgians and Germans See a Light at the End of the Tunnel

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:58:00 +0100

The Nederlandse Vakbond Varkenshouders (NVV), Danske Svineproducenter (LaDS), Vereniging Varkenshouders (VEVA) and ISN Interessengemeinschaft der Schweinehalter Deutschlands (ISN) discuss about the current situation on the pig market as well as about the respective political framework

Declining stocks lead to market relief – Consolidation in northwest Europe – Crisis on Danish land market – Export demand from Eastern Europe leads to stabilising pig and piglet markets – Export promotion and foreign marketing: the key to success – Wild boar fever: the sword of Damocles – Trouble is caused by EU legislation as to animal- and environment protection

On Tuesday and Wednesday last week, 19 representatives of the pig keepers’ lobby groups from Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany met in the rural district of Vechta for a two-day conference.

“It seems like we almost may have overcome the crisis on the northwest European pig market,” stated ISN chairman, Heinrich Dierkes, thus welcoming the attendees to this year’s first four countries’ meeting. Now, after a two-year crisis on the pig market, the light could almost be seen at the end of the tunnel, he said. The stocks having declined above average in Eastern and Southern Europe, demand there for live piglets and pigs mature for slaughter were lively enough now to relieve the market to a noticeable extent.

For that reason, the piglet and pigs-mature-for-slaughter markets were intensely analysed and discussed about on the basis of various investigations. The latest EU prognoses bode quite well for the second half-year. So, for instance, an analysis assuming a pessimistic setting was made in the context of this four countries’ meeting and with regard to November 2009. From this, a pigs-mature-for-slaughter price of 1.56 euros per kg slaughter weight arose as well as a price of 47.64 euros per piglet for German sales. This was a result suitable enough to raise hopes. Exceeding the pig price of 1.60 euros per kg slaughter weight and of 50 euros per piglet seemed quite realistic for an “optimistic setting”. Thus, the long-lasting trend might be broken, giving leeway to the market.

Wyno Zwanenburg, the Dutch pig keepers’ chairman, shares the view that the four participating countries might well be said to be among those who benefit from the past structural changes. Although the Netherlands finally achieved the so-called “AK-10 status” (saying that the country is free from the Aujeszky’s disease), which allows the Dutch to deliver piglets into Germany without having to fulfil any veterinary conditions beforehand, the German piglet market has not been affected in a harmful way. After Spain became ever less interesting over the past years as a country of piglet imports and regardless of the financial crisis, increasing numbers of Dutch piglets are being exported towards East European countries such as Poland, Romania or Hungary.

Torben Poulsen, LaDS chairman, informed the attendees about the fact that the financial crisis almost brought down the Danish land market. This still caused problems for the Danish pig keepers whose farms are externally financed to a major part. Contrary to procedures in Germany, short-term variable credits are normally chosen for financing livestock housing and land purchasing. This went along with extensive restructuring measures carried out within the Danish Crown slaughter group; so the Danish pig keepers’ expansion plans were currently deferred.

Marianne Vandenberghe of the Belgian VEVA pig keepers’ organisation queried the recent methods of pricing on the pig market. The market was being manipulated and the structural changes took place currently at the small farms’ expenses above all. Therefore, VEVA chairman Gert Wallays suggested to critically question the pricing structures applied in the countries attending the meeting and to develop a new scheme through which the free market and the actual production cost would be balanced with each other. Something like a pig market arrangement or contingents were yet refused during the discussion. The argument was brought forward that such kind of arrangement was good only for conserving non-competitive circumstances. The free market alone, however, was suitable to create ideal structures.

Dr. Albert Hortmann-Scholten of the “Vereinigung der Erzeugergemeinschaften für Vieh und Fleisch” (VEZG) producers’ association expects “intense discussions to be held in summer 2010 about the respective masks to be applied in Germany”. At the Kulmbach institute for meat safety and quality, the basic principles were presently being checked and revised for the FOM (fat-o-meter) and autoFOM (fully automatic ultrasonic carcass grading) evaluation formulas which are applied for the grading of pigs mature for slaughter. It was on the horizon already, he said, that this might lead to a basic re-evaluation of the counting of lean-meat share and parts’ weights.

August Rietford, ISN board member, reported on the state of affairs concerning the wild boar fever and the effects it may have in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate. He said everything possible should be done to avoid endangerment to the export business. Rietford pointed to the “ISN 10 point plan” related to combating the wild boar fever. All efforts concerning exports could be undone at one go if just one single case of swine fever transmission from wild boar to domestic pigs came about. Rietford even spoke of the “sword of Damocles hanging over the northwest European pig keeping industry” which might also hit the neighbouring countries. This was a statement which the worried Danish, Dutch and Belgian representatives also followed.

ISN manager Detlef Breuer brought up the issue of the currently worked-on ammonia guide which, the way it is designed at present, were tantamount to a moratorium on new investment. Germany carried the whole matter to excess, discriminating the pig keepers by once again ignoring cattle breeding. But the Dutch pig keepers are also fighting this battle; they are facing problems which are similar to their German colleagues’ ones. The new EU ammonia guide will already have to be realised in the Netherlands in 2010. The possibility could not be ruled out that even there an unexpected short-term change in structures occurred in pig keeping. Until 2013, a European interim solution will be valid with regard to the group penning of sows. Now, numerous small and medium-sized farms were overstrained by the enormous investment needs. The past two years’ crisis on the pigs-mature-for-slaughter market did its bit to deteriorate the whole situation. Therefore, there was need that the EU postponed the time-limit fixed for the realisation of guidelines. The Danes are forced to decrease their ammonia deposition by 30 percent this year already.

Due to the judgement delivered by the Federal Constitutional Court related to the sales promotion fund, meaning the OFF for the CMA and ZMP organisations, much room was also granted for export promotion. Export organisations such as VLAM, the Belgian Meat Office in Belgium and Danish in Denmark were presented. In the Netherland, pig keepers pay 0.29 euros per pig mature for slaughter to have exports promoted for foreign fairs, for example. There was general accordance about the fact that the appropriate foreign marketing was indispensable for strongly export-oriented countries.

The representatives of all participating countries were critical in their estimation of GLOBALGAP’s efforts to have national quality-management systems such as IKB Nederland or QS (Germany) replaced: GLOBALGAP is a private-sector organisation setting global standards for the certification of agricultural products. According to the attendees to the four countries’ meeting, this caused the regional identity of products to fall by the wayside. Pork became substitutable at will (even by products from Brazil), and food retailing were not included, contrary to the national quality management systems. This way, GLOBALGAP did not go far enough because food retailing as a critical issue remained unconsidered. This could not be in the consumers’ interest.

With its 12 000 members, the ISN represents about 70 percent of all German pig producers. The LaDS represents about 1 600 pig keepers, matching almost two thirds of all Danish pig producers. Counting around 3 000 members, the NVV supports the interests of about 60 percent of all Dutch pig producers. Having 1 200 members, the VEVA represents around 70 percent of the Belgian pig market. These lobby groups meet twice a year by tradition, in order to arrange things with each other with regard to political framework and matters of the pigs-mature-for-slaughter market. The next meeting was scheduled to be held in Belgium at the end of November 2009.

The following representatives took part in the meeting: Wyno Zwanenburg, Leo Verheijen and Erwin van der Wielen (NVV), Torben Poulsen, Paul B. Christiansen and Hans Aarestrup (LaDS), Marianne Vandenberghe, Geert Wallays, Kristof Verschelde and Ludo Dobbels (VEVA) Dr. Albert Hortmann-Scholten (VEZG) as well as Heinrich Dierkes, Friedrich Hake, Christian Schulze Bremer, August Rietford, Franz Schulze Tenkhoff, Anna-Kathrin Hertrampf, Kerstin Burbank and Detlef Breuer (ISN).

New feed hygiene requirements: the missing link to guarantee food safety

Mon, 28 Apr 2003 00:00:00 +0100

The European Commission has adopted a proposal for a new Regulation on hygiene requirements for animal feed. EU rules already exist for aspects of animal feed, such as feed additives, controls and labelling. However, rules on the production, transport, storage and handling of feed as proposed today were missing. The Commission also considered the desirability and feasibility of establishing an exclusive list ("positive list") of permitted animal feed in the EU. The proposed Regulation will now go to the European Parliament and Council to be adopted in the co-decision process. The report on the positive list will be communicated to the European Parliament and Council.

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Imminent implementation of strict rules on animal by-products facilitated

Wed, 23 Apr 2003 00:00:00 +0100

The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health adopted a series of transitional and permanent implementing measures as preparation for the application of the Animal By-Products Regulation on 1 May this year. Following rigorous safety evaluations, specific exemptions have been granted from the general standards. The Regulation lays down clear rules on what must and what may be done with animal materials that are excluded from the food chain.

"The imminent entry into force of this Regulation is a major achievement that will help control deficiencies in the feed sector to prevent future feed-borne crises such as BSE or dioxin contamination" said David Byrne, Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection. "The Regulation sets out a transparent, comprehensive and directly applicable legal framework. The transitional and permanent measures adopted will facilitate its swift implementation."

The key objective of the Regulation is to revamp veterinary legislation on animal by-products (i.e. parts of a slaughtered animal that are not consumed by humans), so that it lives up to its fundamental objectives to ensure a high level of protection of animal and public health throughout Europe. This includes rules on new disposal options such as transformation of the materials into biogas. Only material derived from animals declared fit for human consumption following veterinary inspection may be used for the production of animal feed. Swill feeding (catering waste) will be banned for farmed animals except fur animals. The Regulation also prohibits "cannibalism" within species.

The Regulation classifies animal by-products into three categories based on their potential risk to animals, the public or the environment and sets out how each category must or may be disposed of. High-risk Category 1 materials must be completely disposed of as waste by incineration or landfilling after appropriate heat treatment while lower risk Category 2 materials may be recycled for uses other than feed (e.g. biogas, composting, oleo-chemical products, etc) after appropriate treatment. Only Category 3 materials (i.e. by-products derived from healthy animals slaughtered for human consumption) may be used in the production of animal feeds. (See Sept. 2002 press release IP/02/1361 for more details).

Transitional measures on catering waste and used cooking oil

The Regulation bans the feeding of catering waste to farmed animals other than fur animals. Transitional measures under strictly controlled circumstances have been agreed for Austria (until 30 April 2004) and Germany (until 31 October 2006). Similar transitional measures for used cooking oil in animal feed will allow industry in the UK and Ireland to adapt their business practices. The transitional measures for used cooking oil will last until 31 October 2004.

Burial and burning of animal carcasses on the farm

Sometimes burial and burning of animal carcasses, including those containing specified risk materials, cannot be avoided, particularly in remote areas or in emergency situations. Current EU rules allow this practice, if authorised and supervised by the competent authority. The Regulation maintains this but will limit the practice to the disposal of dead pet animals, and to remote areas and certain cases of disease outbreaks. In addition, the implementing measures clarify safe methods of burning and burial to avoid any spread of risk material by for example ensuring that the animal by-products are completely burned to ash and in the case of burial that carnivores cannot eat them. Transitional arrangements have been made for small incinerators commonly used at hunt kennels, knackers' yards and poultry and pig farms to allow these to adapt to the new conditions placed upon them. This will particularly affect the UK. The transitional period for small incinerators will last until 31 December 2004.

Special derogation for fur animals and fish

The feeding of waste of farmed fish to farmed fish of the same species will be prohibited to avoid recycling of specific fish diseases of farmed fish. However, in line with a scientific risk assessment, a permanent derogation has been granted to all Member States to allow farmed fish to be fed with feed derived from wild fish of the same species. Similarly, a derogation has been granted allowing fur animals to be fed with waste arising from the same species, subject to strict health conditions for the fur animals (eg TSE surveillance), ensuring the safety of the raw materials and processing standards, record keeping, official surveillance etc. Only Finland intends to make use of this derogation.

Protecting endangered bird species

Many necrophagous birds, such as vultures, are endangered. The destruction of animal by-products will further reduce the available food supply for these species. Since scientific opinion has shown that the risk of these birds acting as BSE transmitters is negligible, the Commission agreed to allow certain Category 1 risk material, such as dead ruminants, to continue to be used to feed necrophagous birds. This derogation will mainly affect Greece, Spain, France, Italy and Portugal and will benefit, for instance, the entire European population of bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), consisting of around 100 pairs in the Pyrenees.

Transitional period for third countries

The rigorous measures required by the Regulation will also apply to our trading partners. However, a transitional period is also needed to allow, inter alia, for the Commission to make technical amendments to the import certificates, for the measures to be notified to the WTO and for a further period of consultation with third countries. It has therefore been agreed to offer a general transitional period for third countries lasting until 31 December 2003. During this period, the existing and still strict EU rules on imports will continue to apply.

Other transitional measures granted

Other transitional measures that have been granted to a number of Member States cover composting and biogas standards, manure processing, the collection of wastewater, treatment of mammalian blood and separation standards in oleo-chemical plants, processing plants and intermediate plants, and the collection and disposal of former foodstuffs.

Special Commission for agricultural criminal matters in Oldenburg

Fri, 25 Oct 2002 00:00:00 +0100

In November 2002, a central office for criminal matters occurring in agriculture will be opened at the city of Oldenburg.

According to Mr Horst Rudolf Finger, public prosecutor for the Oldenburg court, this will be an office of great importance in this field. He said that, so far, investigations had already been initiated in the case of offences against the instructions for the dealings with feed, meat hygiene and food. But now this could be done in a much more effective way. The central office would also act if offences against the Drug Law were detected.

The Lower Saxony provincial government announced that special agents would be employed who are trained for the corresponding ways of acting. Such “special units” would be established at the Hanover CID offices and the regional administration offices for the region of Weser-Ems (north-west Germany) at Oldenburg.

QS-System - New Quality Assurance system for food in Germany

Wed, 02 Oct 2002 00:00:00 +0100

The alliance for active consumer protection

Enterprises from the feedstuff sector, agriculture, meat production and processing, the food retailing trade and the Central Marketing Organization of German Agricultural Industries CMA (Centrale Marketing-Gesellschaft der deutschen Agrarwirtschaft mbH) have together created a new comprehensive concept for ensuring product quality and origin, starting with meat and meat products. In order to implement this concept, the production, processing and marketing stages of the meat chain, along with the CMA in close cooperation with the Ministry for Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture, have formed an association - "QS - Quality and Safety for Food Products, from Producer to Consumer". Everyone is pulling together - making QS into an alliance for active consumer protection.

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Regulations differing from EU regulations for international animal transports planned in Germany

Fri, 19 Apr 2002 00:00:00 +0100

The Lower Saxony Ministry for Nutrition, Agriculture and Forestry now presented a “manual for animal transports” by which all veterinary authorities and all industries involved in animal trans-ports shall be allowed for a uniform way of action in clearance of international animal transports. This paper is meant to be finally discussed among the consultants for the protection of animals of all German federal lands in week 16 / 2002. Everyone involved had so far supported the manual and had more or less agreed about its contents and applications. In the run-up time already, the manual had contributed to eliminating problems or misunderstandings in realising international animal transports. This had also been possible thanks to an unambiguous statement of the EU commission regarding the realisation of the decree no. 615/98 and in particular regarding the definition of the times allowed for transport in the so called transport schedule. According to this, only the moment at which the vehicle leaves the place of loading is decisive for the trans-port schedule to be made for each animal transport. The loading itself is accordingly of no importance for the time of transporting.

Now an unexpected passage was entered into the paper to be decided on in Germany. This pas-sage says that the time needed for loading, depending on the kind of animals to be transported, must be added to the period of transport. Against one’s better judgement and against common practice in the European Union, Germany chooses solo effort again – without reflecting about the consequences. Smoothly loading the animals takes quite some time indeed. According to the kind of animals to be transported and to the construction of the vehicle, loading may last as much as up to 3 hours’ time. This time would then have to be subtracted from the allowed period of transport in future. Given an average speed of transport of 60 km / h for long-distance transports, it will be almost impossible to guarantee for gentle animal transport across the borders. Which might make European competitors very happy. The question may be asked whether or not this way of acting does foster behaviour that is unfavourable for the protection of animals. You can imagine that it’s very likely that – watching the clock – animal-friendly loading will cease to happen in future, just like a speed of travelling which is adapted to the animals’ demands. This cannot be what is intended to happen!

The protection of animals would be disserved in Germany, if this regulation – differing from the EU regulation – would be followed. The consultants for the protection of animals of all German federal lands are now required to demand for an amendment of this new draft of the manual.