Fees for meat inspection in the Rems-Murr district rise drastically!

Fees for meat inspection in the Rems-Murr district rise drastically!

In the Rems-Murr district there are currently fresh news that affects not only the butchers, but also consumers. The fees for the meat inspection increase, and the costs for the slaughter of pigs and cattle become more expensive. From now on, butchers have to dig deep into the pocket for slaughtering a pig: 23.53 euros are due, before that it was 20.92 euros. This increase brings the district additional revenue of around 27,000 euros, which is a relief for the cash register, but also leaves worries with the craftsmen. The decision was not without reason that the district is striving to cover the costs for the meat inspection in the long term, such as the ZVW reported.

The Rems-Murr district has been taking care of the monitoring of meat hygiene since 1995. Unfortunately, a sensible fee regulation was missing over the years to cover the associated costs. The result was a deficit of over 1.5 million euros, which can no longer be subsidized by public funds. Now the district council has decided that no deficit may occur since 2021. The responsibility for this now lies with the battle companies that have to pay the increased fees. According to the Schwäbische Post , the slaughterhouses were informed about the upcoming changes a year ago

The craft butcher in competitive pressure

It becomes exciting when you look outside the box. In Bavaria, for example, a capping of the meat hygiene fees for smaller slaughterhouses will be introduced from December. According to the EU Commission, craft butchers and smaller companies receive a discount, so they will only have to pay 7 euros per pig and 14 euros per cattle. This is intended to help compensate for competitive disadvantages for the smaller companies, such as the BR . So far, a small butcher has paid over 28 euros for the slaughter of a pig, while a large slaughterhouse was only 1.64 euros.

The fees will soon be levied by the counties and cities and must be covered. However, the regular fee rates continue to exist for large companies. Good news for the municipalities: The reduction in the new fees are compensated for by the Ministry of the Environment and Agriculture so as not to put the companies under too much pressure.

Overall, it can be seen that there is a significant change in the area of slaughter fees both in the Rems-Murr district and in other regions such as Bavaria. This affects not only the butchers, but ultimately also the consumers who have to adjust to rising prices. It remains to be seen whether these developments lead to more sustainable food production.