The initiative, German Raiffeisen Association (DRV) represents the interests of co-operative enterprises in the German agriculture and food industry.

The industry says it is a vital link in the food value chain food with 2,316 DRV member companies having a turnover of €66 billion in agricultural trade and in the processing of agricultural products and a total of around 82,000 employees.

"This impressively underlines that it stands for innovation in the added value food chain,” said Dr Henning Ehlers, Secretary General of the German Raiffeisen Association (DRV).

“In less than two years it has been possible through close and intensive cooperation to develop a unique system for even more animal welfare.

Now it is up to consumers, when buying processed meats to send a positive signal back to the pig producing farms."

The DRV and its member companies from the livestock and meat industry have been working intensively in recent months on preparations for the implementation of the animal welfare criteria.

Numerous education sessions, individual farm consultations, pre-audits and the extensive registration process have meant that by 28 April, more than 25 million animals were signed up for the animal welfare initiative.

However, the DRV said that at present, the available capital is not quite sufficient at end of the first half of the registration process.

"Now we face another challenge. In the coming weeks and months we will have to work together to ensure that all sales channels of meat and sausage products in Germany take part in financing the initiative," said Dr Ehlers.