Germany has seen an immense decrease in hog stocks in recent years. Never since German unification in 1990 have fewer pigs been kept in Germany, according to a recent US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report.

The decline is the consequence of multiple crises at different levels. In general, the economic situation of hog farmers has been difficult for years, mainly due to decreased demand and closed export markets because of outbreaks of African swine fever in Germany. But even though profitability has now been restored (after more than two years), many hog farmers are quitting the business because of the political and financial uncertainty they are facing.

The German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) envisages the introduction of the new mandatory label as a first step in setting directions in the transformation process of the livestock sector. However, the recently made public federal budget plans for 2024 do not include financial resources for the support of farmers willing to convert their barns. This indicates that the difficult economic situation for hog farmers is likely to remain the same.