The Conference of German State Agriculture Ministers adopted a resolution calling on the German federal government to ensure that International Finance Institutions meet or exceed European Union animal welfare laws when funding agribusiness projects. The resolution follows a report last year that exposed numerous investments in extreme farm animal confinement practices in non-EU countries.
While the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will likely adopt a binding policy on this issue later this year, overall movement has been slow.
Joanna Swabe, Ph.D. EU director of Humane Society International, issued the following statement: “Using public funds to finance the extreme confinement of farm animals is completely unacceptable and out of line with EU values. It is about time international finance institutions use their funds to improve, not harm, animal welfare. We encourage all EU Member States take a clear position and act.”
Martina Stephany/Nina Jamal, FOUR PAWS, added: “People in Germany are strongly opposed to systems like battery cages and don’t want to see public money used to finance such animal suffering. Instead, IFIs should use their funds to support best practices and to foster the transition to higher welfare farming systems in third countries.”
