Farmers angry over minister’s animal protection plan

The general secretary of the German Farmer’s Association (DBV) Helmut Born told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung newspaper that nothing could be further from the truth.

Aigner’s idea to ban the castration of pigs without anaesthetic was one example Born was particularly upset over.

“Agriculture is prepared to end the practice of castrating pigs altogether,” he said. “But an anaesthetic causes huge problems for newborn piglets,” he added.

Born also said that Aigner’s scheme to ban battery hen farming had already been imposed in Germany in 2010, before other European Union countries. Hen cages are still permitted in the EU until 2012.

“Instead of insisting on a EU-wide ban, Aigner is just starting a new sideshow conflict,” said Born.

DAPD/bk