“In 2007, the VION food concern realised a net gain of EUR 120 million, making a total turnover of EUR 7.1 billion. Compared with the 2006 figures, this stands for a 55 percent in-crease”, reads the press release.

Congratulations to it! We, the pig keepers, are happy to hear that so large a yield return is being brought in by the slaughter industry. Because we, the pig keepers, also bring in large yield return – which however proves to be negative! It’s so nice to hear that a company struc-tured in as smallish a way as is VION was able to make this 50 percent increase. The question remains to be asked how much may have been gained by slaughter companies of larger struc-ture?!

The pig keepers at least still “have a heart for VION”. The feeding stuff costs, after all, have gone up by about 50 percent, too! Shouldn’t this make us feel conjoined?

We are so grateful to have been given the solution to a problem: In January, the ISN wondered who would benefit from private storage and from the exuberant export reimbursement. The money never reached the pig keepers; but where had it gone, instead? - Now we found it!

You know, pig keepers do not at all like to burn up their money. But this way we know it’s well-invested at least.

Says an old truism:
“The pig does not run to fat just for itself but for the others.”

Photo: Christian Schulze Bremer, sow keeper from Dülmen / North Rhine-Westphalia, and ISN Market Committee Chairman