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Last 1st April, the new Drugs Law (a new system for minimizing the use of antibiotics on fattening calves, pigs, chickens and turkeys farms) came into force.
The new regulation forces the farmers to inform to the relevant authority, every six months, of the amount of antibiotics used during this period and of the number of treated animals.
From the information given to the relevant veterinary authority, the Authorities will determine the frequency of the biannual inspection. If the use of antibiotics on a farm exceeds that of the average on the whole of the farms, the farmer and the veterinarians will have to work together to identify the causes and take the necessary measures that entail the reduction in the use of antibiotics.
The farmers may be summoned by the relevant authority so they also provide vaccine, environmental, animal feeding, stocking density or hygiene data. If the farms do not hand the information requested or the agreements are not met, fines may be imposed. As a last resource, the Authorities may order the suspension of the farming license.
Monday March 31, 2014/ Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft/ Germany.
http://www.bmel.de/
