Por Redaccion 
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, stated on Tuesday that «animal welfare regulations are not only the present, but also the future of the sector» and that those in force in Spain have been approved «with absolute agreement» from livestock professionals.
«Sustainable production and animal welfare are here to stay,» responded Planas, addressing the opposition expressed by a part of the livestock sector in Aragon and by the President of the Government of Aragon, Jorge Azcón. The minister made these statements during a visit to the International Animal Production Fair (Figan) at Zaragoza Fairgrounds, where he stated that «in these matters, it is important to know what one is talking about and not just make a political statement.»
He emphasized the need to understand «where we come from and where we are going» and to leverage and «value» livestock products, particularly meat, in the eyes of consumers.
Regarding current regulations in Spain, Planas mentioned that two decrees have recently been put up for public consultation «with absolute agreement from the sector.» One of them aims to extend the regulations on capacity until 2026, and the other is to expand this capacity to farms with higher levels of animal welfare.
«Both measures seem absolutely logical to me, they are part of what we agreed with agricultural organizations during last year’s mobilizations, and I believe they are moving in a positive direction,» the minister pointed out.
The moratorium for the implementation of these measures until 2026 has been approved «simply to provide greater adaptation facilities» because «when traveling a path, the important thing is not so much the speed as achieving the corresponding milestones.»
COMMUNITY REGULATION
On the other hand, he referred to the community regulation on animal welfare, currently under discussion, where Spain has expressed «differences» regarding the European Commission’s proposal on the transport of live animals.
In this regard, he supported improvements in conditions but pointed out that due to distance and temperature reasons, there are different conditions in Spain.
Therefore, this debate, which has been ongoing for two years, «will continue,» as the Minister of Agriculture has asked the Commissioner in charge, Hungarian Olivér Várhelyi, to discuss jointly to find a future solution.
«I believe these issues need to be viewed from an environmental standpoint, but also from an economic performance perspective, that is, the profitability of farms,» Planas added, stating that «this is a very mature sector, which knows very well what needs to be done and how things should be done, and does not need anyone to give it lessons.»
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS OF THE SECTOR
The Agriculture Minister also highlighted the «magnificent effort» of all livestock sectors to reduce CO2 emissions, as well as in the treatment of manure, slurry, and the promotion of organic fertilization.
«This is a sector of the present and the future, with many possibilities,» emphasized Planas, who also stressed the importance of public opinion, as «consumers also have their say and citizens increasingly want products produced in a more natural and respectful manner, especially when it comes to meat.»
In this regard, Planas defended that «animal protein is irreplaceable and plays a fundamental role.»