Vöm disputes WWF claims on soy

“The Austrian dairy industry has not used soy from overseas for years. This step was taken out of the conviction to exclude possible indirect climatic effects from clearing of the jungle. This is just one of the many special features which make Austrian milk so unique, in addition to its high quality standards, also from an ecological point of view,” says the president of the Association of Austrian Milk Processors (VÖM), Helmut Petschar. This is in view of the publication of a study by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), which shows that the European food industry has a great share in the responsibility of rainforest deforestation due to soy imports for feeding and margarine production.

To avoid soy from overseas, the Austrian dairy industry has banned palm oil products from the stables, so for over ten years it has been using the sustainability standards with no GMOs, as well as sustainable calf feeding. The fodder base is green fodder grown in Austria, the use of which also forms the basis for maintaining the meadows and the diversity of species in the grassland.

“For the Austrian dairy industry, this study is a renewed wake-up call for more awareness-raising for a sustainable purchasing policy on the part of buyers in the food trade and also on the part of consumers. A clear label of origin is necessary so that everyone can see, what they are buying and that they can support this environmentally friendly path through their daily purchase decision. Sustainable enjoyment is possible, and high-quality, local dairy products are the guarantee for it,” says Petschar.

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