witness statement



name: Franz Wirtz
section: Environment
for: The Defence
expertise: Activist and campaigner

summary:

The witness received a letter from McDonald's (Germany) in which they yet again denied any complicity in the destruction of rainforest territory. Which was a lie.
Concerning the question: Is McDonald's partly responsible for the destruction of tropical rainforests because of meat-imports?

No: This was already confirmed in 1983 by the chairman of the World Wildlife Fund, Prince Philipp, and also in 1988 by the Committee for Development Education and Journalism (ABP) of The Protestant Church of Germany.



cv:


Not available

Full cv:
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full statement:



McDonald's Licensee Germany
Third World Shop
Bierstrasse
4500 Osnabruck

08.05.89
Dear rainforest-savers,


We agree with you that the gross destruction of the rainforest causes severe changes of our environment.

But it is very simplistic to say McDonalds is guilty; that is not the right way and very one-sided. We would like to comment on the wrong assertions, which will be helpful to form an objective opinion.


Concerning the question: Is McDonald's partly responsible for the destruction of tropical rainforests because of meat-imports?

No : This was already confirmed in 1983 by the chairman of the World Wildlife Fund, Prince Philipp, and also in 1988 by the Committee for Development Education and Journalism (ABP) of The Protestant Church of Germany. ABP:

"The ABP finds it believable that McDonald's hamburgers do not use meat imported from overseas... It is a firm part of McDonald's philosophy to buy the raw materials for their products whenever possible in the same countries where the McDonald's restaurants are situated. The use of domestic meat is laid down in McDonald's specifications and binding for each supplier. Non-compliance may result in the cancelation of business relations. According to the meat-supplier, 99% of the beef which is processed for McDonalds Germany, comes from Germany, and1% from the ECC. This is valid for McDonalds Germany, McDonald's Europe, as well as McDonald's USA and McDonald's worldwide."

Concerning the question: Does McDonald's partly cause social and ecological damage in Third World countries ?

No: This was also confirmed by the Committee for Development Education and Journalism (ABP) of the Protestant Church of Germany. ABP:
"The ABP finds it believable ... that the percentage of animal feed imports from overseas is small in the production of McDonald's hamburgers." McDonald's worldwide does not own its own cattle-rearing nor cattle-fattening , nor meat-processing companies, nor slaughter- houses or similar, and no agricultural land of their own."
According to a statement from their meat-supplier, Lutz & Otto in Gunzburg, they process about 98 % meat from cows and young cows.

Research with the (German) Federal Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry, with scientific and official institutes, for animal nutition, with the Assosiation of the Animal-Feed Industry, and with McDonald's suppliers, came to the result,that the feed for dairy-cows (no high-yield cows) only contains about 1/3 special high-energy feed of which the protein content is 20%. As the mixed feeds are being put together according to cost-minimizing aspects, the parts of the possible protein base (e.g. rape-seed extract, linseed extract, soya-granulates and others) vary.

Because of that, the actual amount of soya-granulates, which the dairy-cows are being fed, cannot be determined exactly. It is only clear, that it is irrelevant, compared to the amount which is being used in fattening bulls. The processed cattle are exclusively grazing cattle and not fattened cattle from mass-keeping of animals.

For further information we are at your disposal. with friendly greetings.

McDonald's Restaurant
Ziemek Gmbh


London, 11th of February l994
The above is a translation from a letter in German, written by McDonald's licencee Ziemek Gmbh in Osnabruck, Germany, to the Third World Shop in Osnabruck, Germany.

Translator: Klaus Graichen, lecturer for German at Morley College
date signed: 8th May 1989
status: WRead out in court


references: Not applicable/ available
exhibits: Not applicable/ available

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