Apply for voluntary labeling of foreign food with the animal husbandry system

If, as a foreign food business, you sell fresh pork in Germany for final consumption that has been wholly or partly produced abroad, you can label it with the farming method of the animals. You need a permit for this.

Animal husbandry labeling ensures transparency and clarity with regard to the way animals are kept. If your company is based in another EU country or in a third country, you can apply for voluntary labeling from the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE). This applies to your food of animal origin that

• are sold for final consumption in Germany,
• are fresh pork, including
  • minced meat or
  • by-products of slaughter,
• originate from animals which, at the relevant stage of rearing, were
  • kept,
  • slaughtered or
  • were cut up or
• consist of meat products that were
  • produced or
  • treated abroad.

You submit the application for approval to the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE). The permit is granted for 2 years.

In the application, you provide information on

• the way in which the animals are kept
• the husbandry facilities

You specify the type of housing:

• Stable
• Stable + space
• Fresh air stable
• Outdoor run / pasture
• Organic

If the housing facilities you have named do not have identification numbers, the livestock farms can either request these from the BLE or the annex to the application must be completed and attached to it.

You can submit the application in German or English.

• Application for approval
• Proof of compliance with the requirements of the husbandry form in the individual husbandry facilities, for example
  • official certificates
  • Participation in a state animal welfare label
  • Certificates from accredited inspection bodies
• Proof of compliance with the requirements within the supply chain

• As a food company, you have your registered office abroad.
• You sell food of animal origin in Germany for final consumption.
• The animals from which the food is obtained were kept, slaughtered or cut up abroad during the relevant stage of husbandry or the food was produced or treated abroad.

• Appeal
• Further information on how to lodge an appeal can be found in the notification of your application.

You can apply for approval for labeling online via the contact form or in writing by post to the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE).

• Open the application form.
• You can complete the form digitally or print it out and complete it by hand.
• If you complete the form digitally, you do not need to sign it by hand.

Application by post:

• You print out the form, if you have not already done so, and send it to the BLE with the required documents and evidence.

Online application via the contact form:

• You save the completed application as a PDF.
• You name the files with documents according to their content.
• Open the BLE contact form in the desired language.
• Enter all the necessary information in the contact form. Select "Application" as the type of request.
• In the "Subject" field, enter "Application for approval to use voluntary labeling of foreign food of animal origin" as the reason for the message.
• In the "Your message" field, state the number of attached files and, if possible, number them so that they can be assigned more easily.
• Up to 10 attachments with a maximum of 10 MB are possible. If there are more files with more MB, please fill out the contact form again.
• You upload the document with the required documents and evidence.

The BLE will check the application and contact you if anything is unclear or if any information or evidence is missing.

If the information and documents are complete and the requirements for the notified form of husbandry and traceability are verified, you will receive a 2-year approval notice by post.

There are no fees.

There are no indications or special features.