Austrian pig farmers demand legal certainty

The government has not adapted the Animal Protection Act In January 2024, a ruling of the Constitutional Tribunal was issued, which provides for the adjustment of the transitional period for the ban on the use of full-slatted pens without functional surfaces in pig breeding. Since then, the federal government has been asked to adapt the Animal Protection Act accordingly. Although evidence-based business principles justifying an adapted transition period have long been available, no agreement has been reached to date. The lack of a practical solution is completely incomprehensible to our farmers. We still don't know what will apply in the future, said Franz Rauscher, chairman of pig breeding in Austria. An overall package for greater welfare of endangered animals In summer 2022, the national council adopted a comprehensive package for improved animal welfare. This sealed the legal adjustment of pig farming conditions at a level well above most other EU countries. In addition, ...