Animal welfare up in Switzerland
Image: Swissmilk.ch
Since 2019, the Swiss dairy industry standard, Der Grüner Teppich (The Green Carpet), has grown so that 70% of total milk volume in Switzerland meets the high sustainability requirements of the production standard. Specifically, 90% of dairy milk and 33% of cheese milk is registered with the programme and benefit from the sustainability standard.
In a federal survey, a 1% increase in participation in the central animal welfare requirement BTS/RAUS was registered in 2022. Currently, 91% of dairy farms meet these requirements and 95% of the dairy cows are included.
As cheese milk producers also have registered for the Grüner Teppich, animal welfare in Swiss milk production will continue to increase in 2023.
Participation in the BTS and RAUS programmes is a central element of the first phase of the Grüner Teppich.