A powerful sign from the population for a future -proof, regional and rural agriculture: With almost 70,000 signatures, the petition “Labor meat? No, thanks!”, Initiated by the Craon of Agriculture, Carinthia and Styria, was treated yesterday in the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament. For ÖVP agricultural spokesman and EU deputy Alexander Bernhuber, this is an important stage victory in use for real, honest food: “It is a strong signal that so many citizens reject the introduction of artificial meat. This petition clearly shows: Laboratory meat is not a sustainable, responsible future option for Europe. Laboratory meat is now required. To create clear rules and formulate a clear no – in the interest of food safety, our farms of farming and the trust of consumers. ”
The petition was introduced and performed personally in the European Parliament by the President of the Styria Chamber of Agriculture, Andreas Steinegger, and the Carinthia Chamber of Agriculture, Siegfried Huber. Your common concern: the protection of regional agriculture and the preservation of the high quality standards of European food production. They demand that the already launched approval process of laboratory meat products in the European Food Authority EFSA will be stopped by the EU Commission immediately.
Steinegger, President of the Styria Chamber of Agriculture, emphasizes: “Meat imitatations from the factory, which are bred with many artificial additives and enormous use of energy, are an attack on the nationwide, family-run agriculture. Therefore, the approval of artificially produced foods from the laboratory must be prevented. Steinegger also emphasizes the climate -friendly production of meat in Austrian agriculture: “On this question we are not only European champions, but even world champions.” Artificially produced cell tissue from the laboratory as a meat replacement deviates many times over energy, the consequences for the environment, climate and health are unknown. Steinegger adds: “Our sustainably economy agricultural and forestry companies need protection and recognition.”
Huber, President of the Carinthia Chamber of Agriculture, emphasizes: “The topic is too important to leave it to an expert body in an authority. It takes a broad political discussion with the integration of the citizens. This is very clear by the almost 70,000 votes against Labor meat from Carinthia and Styria.
Together with other members of the European Parliament, Bernhuber, Steinegger and Huber are calling for an EU-wide regulation for so-called cultivated meat products. Long -term scientific studies are currently missing that clarify possible health effects without gaps. From the initiators’ perspective, also questions of identification, origin, environmental balance sheet and ethical responsibility are not adequately answered: “If few animal cells in testimonials are bred to hundreds of kilograms of meat within a few weeks, this raises many questions – from health, security of care to the question of whether we want to give our children to eat.
“Europe does not need a sterile future with artificial meat from the test tube. We need transparency, security and a clear no to food that endanger our rural structure,” says Bernhuber. (Ending)