Fresh and minced bovine meat, as well as processed meat and meat products containing bovine meat. Dairy products from cows’ milk.

Order on the voluntary animal welfare labelling scheme

This Order extends the previously notified animal welfare labelling scheme, so that the labelling scheme now also includes bovine meat and dairy products from cows’ milk.

By extending the Order, an animal welfare labelling scheme is implemented for bovines, which is a voluntary scheme for primary producers, dairies and slaughterhouses.

This involves a market-driven labelling scheme as it is ultimately consumer demand that determines whether it is financially advantageous for a business to produce bovine meat and dairy products with better animal welfare. The aim of this animal welfare labelling scheme for bovine meat and dairy products from cows’ milk is to promote, on a voluntary basis, market-based animal welfare. The objective of animal welfare labelling is to improve transparency within the market, thereby offering consumers better information and several options vis-à-vis animal welfare standards for the products.

An important objective of the animal welfare label is to raise consumer awareness as to how they can help improve animal welfare. This will thereby set a basis for more dynamic growth based on increased demand.

The Order lays down, over three levels, the additional animal welfare requirements which dairy cattle and bovine meat producers must meet in order to be able to deliver products under the scheme. It also lays down self-monitoring and auditing requirements to be observed by holdings, slaughterhouses, dairies and other food business operators. The Order also allows foreign producers and/or products to be included in the scheme.