Dutch slaughterhouses get camera surveillance

From now on, the slaughter process in the Netherlands will be recorded on video. State Secretary Martijn van Dam has announced in a letter to parliament that agreements have been made with sector organizations about voluntary camera surveillance.

According to Van Dam, all actions involving living animals are recorded on video. From supply to kill. The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has access to the images. There is no talk of "live streaming". The recordings remain available for a certain period, so that the trajectory can be analyzed afterwards. It is not yet known how long the images will remain available.

Agreements with COV, VSV and Nepluvi
Incidentally, there is no question of a camera obligation. The agreements were made voluntarily with VSV, Nepluvi and COV. These organizations represent about 90 percent of all poultry and red meat slaughterhouses. The reason for the consultation is the abuses in the Flemish slaughterhouse in Tielt. 

European agenda item 
Van Dam also states in his letter that he is committed to getting camera surveillance at slaughterhouses on the agenda in Brussels as well. To date, there is no legal obligation for the use of CCTV in any European country. In France, a bill is being prepared that will come into effect from 2018. 

Wouter Job

Wouter Baan is editor-in-chief of Boerenbusiness. He also focuses on dairy, pig and meat markets. He also follows (business) developments within agribusiness and interviews CEOs and policymakers.

w.baan@boerenbusiness. Nl

© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.