- The logo of the farm in Saxony is still missing
A clear majority of pig farms in Saxony have not yet provided information about the animal husbandry logo** by the end of the deadline. So far, only three notifications have been received by the responsible Social Ministry, a spokesperson for the Ministry said in response to an inquiry. According to the Statistical State Office, around 457,200 pigs were recorded in 120 Saxon pig farms at the end of last year.
Pig fattening operations were required to report their housing form by August 1. The law passed by the traffic light coalition in August 2023 provides that from August 2025 onwards, a labeling for domestic products will be mandatory. This is initially to start with pork in supermarkets.
Five tiers of animal husbandry labeling
The animal husbandry labeling distinguishes between five housing forms. It starts with the "stall" housing form with the legal minimum requirements. The then higher "stall + outdoor" tier provides more space. The following tiers are "open-air stall" and "outdoor/pasture". The highest housing form is organic.
Social Ministry not concerned
"We are not concerned that only three operations have reported so far," said the Social Ministry. After all, the information on the housing form is voluntary. "The operations have to decide for themselves whether they meet the conditions or not."
According to the Social Ministry, the law only prescribes what has to be fulfilled to submit this notification. "But the law does not say what happens if this notification is not submitted."
So far, neither the Saxon Ministry of Agriculture nor the Social Ministry have received inquiries about the deadline. It remains initially unclear whether it is possible to submit information after August 1.
In Bavaria, the reporting of housing forms is delayed because a portal for submitting the notifications still has to be developed, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment and Consumer Protection said. Just a few days before the deadline, it was still unclear in many places nationwide where the notification should be sent. In Saxony, the Social Ministry is responsible for this.
The Social Ministry in Saxony stated that only three pig farms have reported their housing forms, indicating a low response from the consumer sector. Consumers may find it challenging to make informed decisions about the origin and living conditions of their pork purchases, as the required labeling for domestic products is not yet mandatory.
