Belgium: Half of Flemish rabbit farmers stop

According to the Boerenbond, the 8 rabbit farms in Flanders can meet approximately 18% of the Flemish demand for rabbit meat. A lot of fresh rabbit meat also comes from the Netherlands and France, while meat for processing is also imported from China. In Flanders, animal welfare requirements have been tightened considerably over the past decade, which, according to the sector, has put it in a difficult competitive position compared to other countries. For example, since 2016, meat rabbits must be housed in spacious parks with a plastic floor, a bouncy platform, hiding places and they must have gnawing material. Next year, the animal welfare rules will be tightened further. The does must then also be housed in an enriched park. Until further notice, this additional requirement has not yet been implemented on the rabbit farms. There are experiences that does react aggressively to each other, which would actually harm animal welfare. In the meantime, it has become clear that the ...