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More than 300,000 signatures have already been reached, despite the pandemic, the lockdown and technical breakdowns. Until January 25, 2021 inclusive, you can still register at 2,136 registry offices across the country, in Vienna for example, also on Sunday, Monday, many municipalities offer extended opening hours.
The stated objective of the animal protection referendum is a systemic shift in animal husbandry, away from the imported “intensive farming system”, which aims for large quantities and low prices, towards regional food production, respectful of animals and the weather. The organizers explicitly see themselves as allies of local farmers and place the alliance between consumers and producers at the center of their efforts.
“Anyone who has recently seen the ORF documentary ‘Cheap Meat at Any Price’ could see how sick our food supply and animal husbandry system has become. The crazy and thousands of kilometers of calf transport are not only torture for young animals, they are also a great burden on the climate and the environment. With a good origin label, we can take countermeasures quickly and efficiently and, again, place more value on our food, ”says Provincial Councilor Stefan Kaineder.
“The referendum on animal welfare is the independent movement of responsible consumers who are now actively involved in the future of agriculture. Because the welfare of animals and the protection of nature depend on it, but also because our tax money is in it. The referendum is the beginning of a fundamental shift towards greater citizen participation. We will intervene in the future, because animal welfare, the conservation of nature and the preservation of small-scale agriculture concern us all. So that intensive farming cannot be extended any further, so that the extinction of species and farmers is rejected. We no longer accept the disastrous development and we will initiate a change with the tailwind of this vote, ”said Sebastian Bohrn Mena, the initiator of the referendum.
The main requirements of the referendum on animal welfare are mandatory origin labeling for food in commerce and gastronomy so that consumers can see the quality of imported animals at a glance. The export of calves will be stopped and the long-distance transport of animals will be restricted. Additionally, small businesses should receive more subsidies and rely on regional foods when shopping with tax money for soup kitchens in hospitals, schools, or nursing homes.
Animal Protection Minister Rudolf Anschober also asks for a signature
I support the referendum on animal welfare as a direct and impartial democratic initiative that also wants to make a direct contribution to the fight against the “twin crises”. Traffic with high CO2 emissions, soil sealing and the agricultural industry are considered the main causes of extinction of species and strong emitters of gases that are harmful to the climate. The development towards agriculture that respects animals, the environment and the climate is therefore of great importance and is at the center of the demands of the referendum on animal welfare.
“Quality, environmental protection and animal welfare are important concerns for the inhabitants of Austria. The corona epidemic has exacerbated this trend; there is more cooking and baking again. And increasingly with regional and organic ingredients. That’s good, because a simple recommendation for a healthy diet is to buy raw produce if possible and prepare the food yourself. If the orientation is: organic, regional, seasonal, then that is ideal from my point of view. However, for greater sustainability and animal welfare in the food chain, we not only need a change in the behavior of consumers, but also of producers. In agriculture, demanding and promoting is the order of the day. In addition to the legal requirements, our farmers naturally also need funds from the Ministry of Agriculture to financially support the transition to greater animal welfare and sustainability, ”said Federal Minister Rudolf Anschober, who calls on Austrians to support the animal protection referendum and he is happy that they make it so important the debate is accelerating.
“It’s about our future!” – Appeal from FFF activist Emilia Tscherne
The connection between animal welfare and climate protection is also very important for starters, as the production of pork in particular is a key factor in the emission of gases harmful to the climate. The use of genetically modified soy from abroad plays a central role. A study shows that the use of concentrated feed is responsible for 80 percent of the CO2 footprint of pork.
Brave climate activists like 16-year-old Emilia Tscherne, who participates in Fridays For Future, are also very concerned. To this end, it has organized its own youth campaign for the referendum on animal welfare. Across the country, youth participated to raise awareness of the fact that sustainable animal welfare needs effective climate protection and vice versa.
“I am here today as the representative of a whole generation that, despite all their differences and individual personalities, is clear: animal welfare and the fight against the climate crisis do not have to be implemented tomorrow or next week, but now.
If we consider that masses of genetically modified soy from the cleared Brazilian rainforest end up in Austrian pig feeders, then we see the direct connection between our diet, the destruction of nature and the damage to the climate. It is precisely this pig that has even earned the WADA seal of approval. Therefore, politicians do not have to constantly ask for responsible consumers, but also have to understand their own responsibility. It’s about our future, that’s why we appeal to sign the referendum on animal welfare, ”says Fridays For Future activist Emilia Tscherne.
Regional and organic management has a positive effect on animal welfare, health, the environment and the climate: the Köglerhof in Gramastetten is a model business
As a 100% certified organic farm, Köglerhof plays a pioneering role in animal welfare and organic gastronomy in Mühlviertel. Ingredients from organic farming and products from the Mühlviertel region are processed to avoid transport routes. Organic restaurateur and organic farmer Klaus Bauernfeind “After all, we don’t just want to produce food, but food that is as we know it before. And we are proud of that. “
In pig farming, the focus is on breeds such as Schwäbisch Hallische, an ancient breed that grows slowly and is kept outdoors all year round. Grass-fed chickens provide eggs and meat. Free range and proper exercise are a matter of course. Like the cattle and sheep that grow in the meadows around the Köglerhof.
Klaus Bauernfeind: “If the quality consciousness of all Austrians were as high for meat as for their cars and apartments, we would not need this referendum.
In principle, the Austrian Animal Welfare Law has a very high standard. However: As long as an iron chain with a plastic star, for example, is material enough for pigs to get involved, to me that is cynicism, both towards animals and towards consumers. At the same time, it is up to consumers to get an idea of the type of animal husbandry they support with their purchase. “
The full catalog of demands of the referendum on animal welfare can be consulted at https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com. Anyone who has a mobile phone signature or citizen card can also sign the animal welfare referendum conveniently online from home.
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