Parliamentary questions Dutch Party for the Animals about expansion Ukrainian factory farming
The Dutch Party for the Animals made enquiries about the expansion plans of a chicken factory farm in Vinnytsia, Ukraine. The factory farm is part of the monstrous company MHP. Party for the Animals MP Lammert van Raan wants to know more about the Dutch government’s involvement in the factory farm, that now already houses 17 million broiler chickens.
A chicken farm that houses 17 million chicken slaughters more than 110 million chickens on a yearly basis. MHP wants to increase this number to 400 million in one year. MHP is trying to enter new markets, mainly the West-European market, to be able to sell the meat produced by 400 million chickens. Journalism forum Politico reports that MHP ‘relabels’ ‘Ukrainian’ meat, and subsequently sells it as ‘Dutch’ meat, via, among others, the Dutch meat processor Jan Zandbergen. ‘’Is this an example of the way in which MHP bypasses EU import restrictions?’’, van Raan asks the State Secretary of Finance Menno Snel.
‘Government support’
Dutch companies profit from MHP as well. Dutch companies have provided MHP with complete farm and slaughter equipment, incubators, and packing material, supported by Export Credit Insurance (ECI), strengthened by the Dutch government. Van Raan: ‘’This way, Dutch companies earn a living from this miserable industry.’’
Export Credit Insurance are types of insurance of the Dutch State that protect exporting enterprises against the risk of foreign buyers not paying. The Party for the Animals has denounced this type of government support on a regular basis. The Dutch House of Representatives adopted a motion of Alakya/Van Raan in April, which ordered the government to no longer approve Export Credit Insurance that have a high risk of violating human rights or causing environmental damage.
Official complaint
NGO’s BankWatch and Accountability Counsel issued a formal complaint to the IFC (part of the Wold Bank Group) and the EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development), on behalf of the local residents, who fear for their health and surrounding environment. These financial organizations together have, since 2003, issued loans to MHP for a total of 600 million dollars, whereby not complying with their own rules.