News Pigs
Gosschalk no longer under stricter supervision
The stricter supervision at the Gosschalk slaughterhouse in Epe by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has been lifted. According to the NVWA, the slaughterhouse has taken its responsibility and now complies with the applicable laws and regulations again. The slaughter speed is lower than before the intervention.
This is what agriculture minister Henk Staghouwer writes to the House of Representatives. The slaughterhouse is now again under regular permanent supervision, as is carried out by the NVWA at all large slaughterhouses.
The NVWA immediately closed Gosschalk at the beginning of July after video images of animal abuse were distributed. At the end of August, the slaughterhouse was allowed to start slaughtering again on a limited basis. The slaughter speed at Gosschalk is lower than before the intervention by the NVWA: at 75% of the original speed. Staghouwer does not rule out 'that with further adjustments and process improvements the slaughterhouse will be able to slaughter more pigs and/or cattle in the future'. "This only happens after consultation with the NVWA and within the accreditation that the slaughterhouse has," says Staghouwer.
Research on belt speed
The minister will continue the talks that his predecessor had with the meat sector about a more animal-friendly slaughter system. An investigation into the belt speed in relation to animal welfare, food safety and the ability to monitor is in the final phase.
Linda van Eekeres
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