12/09/2002 
ISN interview with Mr Matthias Weisheit, SPD spokesman for agricultural policy
ISN: As you know, there are more than 114,000 pig keepers in Germany. They are particularly interested in hearing about the differences between the SPD (Social Democratic Party) agricultural policy and that of other parties. Please be so kind to give us some central points of what, to your mind, is specially important for your party’s policy.
Weisheit: We want to come to a quality-orientated, competitive agriculture, where production is done in an environment-friendly way. On top of that, we want to get to rural regions where live is worth living. The consumers have a right to safe and highly nutritious food. The farmers have a right to appropriate payment for their products and for what they do for our society. A forward-looking policy must not stick to its standards – which might anyway be needing improvement – but it must tackle the reforms that are necessary. It must in no way make promises it cannot keep and thus leave responsibility for any such decisions to future generations.
For that reason, we intend to go on with our policy of sustainment and our new agricultural- and consumer policy.
ISN: For the German pig keepers it is important that the EU guideline regarding the Pig Keeping Decree be realised perfectly as national law. Will your party support the perfect realisation of the guideline or will you make a national solo-effort? Will the SPD strive for balanced relations between the aspects of animal protection and the economicalness of the farmers’ work? What does it mean for pig keeping in Germany?
Weisheit: Animals do have to be kept in a way that is appropriate for their species. This corresponds to the great demands that society makes on agriculture, and it guarantees that society goes on to support agriculture. Furthermore, it will prove to be an advantage in competition if the German pig keepers make clear that they do fulfil the society’s demands. What we want to do is take these aspects into account upon the realisation of the EU guideline. We clearly refuse exaggerated special provisions which disregard the terms of competition. For that reason, we asked the Federal Government to make a draft coming up to these requirements. The conditions for piglets and fatteners are of special concern, because the EU guideline from 1991 may no longer be regarded as being proper in this case. The requirements already go far beyond it in some EU member countries. As regards the 2001 EU guideline on sow management, this is no problem; here we expect to be able to achieve a perfect realisation.
We support the pig keepers when switching over to animal-friendly management systems. Apart from that we help them showing the high standard of their products to the consumers. The German pig keepers will certainly gain from that.
ISN: The SPD faction in the Bundestag agreed to establish the protection of animals in the German Basic Law , within the framework of a constitutional amendment. Wouldn’t the German pig keepers thus be at a disadvantage with competitors?
Weisheit: The pig keepers will not immediately be concerned by the establishing of animal protection in our constitution. The animal-friendly keeping of animals – as is fixed in the presently valid Animal Protection Act and will have to be established in a new yet-to-come Pig Keeping Decree – does in no way depend on the establishing of animal protection in the Basic Law.
ISN: You concede high status to the field of consumer protection. How do you think can the realisation of consumer protection be optimised in practice?
Weisheit: Since the field of consumer protection contains many different aspects, the governmental responsibility would at best remain concentrated in a departmental ministry for consumer protection. Since the production of high-quality and healthy food is of great importance to the consumers, we will stick to the proven system of combining this departmental ministry with also the areas of responsibility for agriculture and nutrition.
People in Germany must be sure that they are being offered healthwise harmless and safe products. We succeeded in eliminating the weak points in organisation: By creating the new Federal Institute it is guaranteed that risk management is done without exertion of any political or economical influence. The Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety will take on the task of risk management and will coordinate the cooperation of the Federal Government, the Länder and the EU offices.
Weisheit: We want to come to a quality-orientated, competitive agriculture, where production is done in an environment-friendly way. On top of that, we want to get to rural regions where live is worth living. The consumers have a right to safe and highly nutritious food. The farmers have a right to appropriate payment for their products and for what they do for our society. A forward-looking policy must not stick to its standards – which might anyway be needing improvement – but it must tackle the reforms that are necessary. It must in no way make promises it cannot keep and thus leave responsibility for any such decisions to future generations.
For that reason, we intend to go on with our policy of sustainment and our new agricultural- and consumer policy.
ISN: For the German pig keepers it is important that the EU guideline regarding the Pig Keeping Decree be realised perfectly as national law. Will your party support the perfect realisation of the guideline or will you make a national solo-effort? Will the SPD strive for balanced relations between the aspects of animal protection and the economicalness of the farmers’ work? What does it mean for pig keeping in Germany?
Weisheit: Animals do have to be kept in a way that is appropriate for their species. This corresponds to the great demands that society makes on agriculture, and it guarantees that society goes on to support agriculture. Furthermore, it will prove to be an advantage in competition if the German pig keepers make clear that they do fulfil the society’s demands. What we want to do is take these aspects into account upon the realisation of the EU guideline. We clearly refuse exaggerated special provisions which disregard the terms of competition. For that reason, we asked the Federal Government to make a draft coming up to these requirements. The conditions for piglets and fatteners are of special concern, because the EU guideline from 1991 may no longer be regarded as being proper in this case. The requirements already go far beyond it in some EU member countries. As regards the 2001 EU guideline on sow management, this is no problem; here we expect to be able to achieve a perfect realisation.
We support the pig keepers when switching over to animal-friendly management systems. Apart from that we help them showing the high standard of their products to the consumers. The German pig keepers will certainly gain from that.
ISN: The SPD faction in the Bundestag agreed to establish the protection of animals in the German Basic Law , within the framework of a constitutional amendment. Wouldn’t the German pig keepers thus be at a disadvantage with competitors?
Weisheit: The pig keepers will not immediately be concerned by the establishing of animal protection in our constitution. The animal-friendly keeping of animals – as is fixed in the presently valid Animal Protection Act and will have to be established in a new yet-to-come Pig Keeping Decree – does in no way depend on the establishing of animal protection in the Basic Law.
ISN: You concede high status to the field of consumer protection. How do you think can the realisation of consumer protection be optimised in practice?
Weisheit: Since the field of consumer protection contains many different aspects, the governmental responsibility would at best remain concentrated in a departmental ministry for consumer protection. Since the production of high-quality and healthy food is of great importance to the consumers, we will stick to the proven system of combining this departmental ministry with also the areas of responsibility for agriculture and nutrition.
People in Germany must be sure that they are being offered healthwise harmless and safe products. We succeeded in eliminating the weak points in organisation: By creating the new Federal Institute it is guaranteed that risk management is done without exertion of any political or economical influence. The Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety will take on the task of risk management and will coordinate the cooperation of the Federal Government, the Länder and the EU offices.
Comments...