Pressure from corporations

Dairy farmers annoyed by new AMA seal of approval

Cows in a barn

(Bild: APA/dpa/Fabian Sommer)

The AMA has introduced a new quality seal called "Animal husbandry plus". This is causing anger among some dairy farmers, as the majority already produce according to the higher standards anyway. Some have announced resistance.

Franz Waldenberger, President of the Upper Austrian Chamber of Agriculture, is annoyed that additional investments are necessary. These would have to be compensated. Resistance also comes from Johann Konrad, Managing Director of the Agrargemeinschaft Österreich (AGÖ), which is critical of the Chamber. He announced that he would have the new standards legally examined.

The new regulation is extremely important for the production location in order to secure milk sales.

Landwirtschaftskammer-Präsident Josef Hechenberger

"The new regulation is extremely important for the production location in order to secure milk sales," said Josef Hechenberger, President of the Chamber of Agriculture. The new AMA seal of quality is intended to guarantee improved animal husbandry and better health for dairy cows, for example. The permanent tethering of cows has been banned since the beginning of the year.

Pressure from German corporations
The main reason for the introduction is pressure from German retail groups, who are demanding higher animal welfare standards from their suppliers. Germany is the most important export market for domestic dairies, accounting for 50 percent.

In September, the AMA seal of approval will also be extended to bread and baked goods, initially to flour, for example. Other products are to follow over the course of next year. "We also need to address the origin of bread," said AMA authorized signatory Martin Greßl. Consumers know too little about bread and baked goods.