“Poland is the chicken coop of Europe.” Another promise of Donald Tusk has not been fulfilled

There are almost 1,300 industrial poultry farms in Poland, and this number is constantly growing. The expansion of the poultry industry creates serious environmental and health problems, and the law favors large corporations. Residents of local communities protest, but their voices are often ignored. Changes in regulations and greater transparency in the permitting process are needed to limit the negative effects of this activity.

“Poland is becoming the henhouse of Europe,” warns the portal next.gazeta.pl in an extensive article that describes in detail the growing problem of industrial poultry farms in our country.

As we read, on average 2-3 new industrial poultry farms are established every month. Production is huge, billions of chickens are bred and slaughtered, half of which is exported. Local residents face problems such as stench, pollution and health hazards, but their protests remain unanswered.

Unfulfilled promises

On March 22, residents of eastern Poland protested in front of the Prime Minister’s Office, demanding action from Donald Tusk and reminding him of his election promises.

“Just before the elections, the politicians forming the government today traveled around Poland and promised to solve the problem of farm basins. Now they have power, but they do not keep their promises,” said Bartosz Zając from the Stop Factory Farms Coalition.

Interestingly, Maria Koźlakiewicz, a newly minted MP from the Civic Coalition, is involved in several poultry businesses. He comes from the family of founders of Cedrob, which is the largest poultry producer in Poland. Although she did not win a seat in the elections, she will take the place of Marcin Kierwiński, who is leaving for Strasbourg, in the Sejm.

Ferm keeps coming

“Next” found that since the beginning of 2023, 32 new farms have been established in Poland, and 23 more are waiting for approval. The biggest problem are industrial farms, i.e. places where at least 40,000 people live. hens, and often even 60 thousand. or more in one hen house.

“Chicken basins” are developing in several regions of Poland. For companies, the concentration of production is economically beneficial, but for residents it means an accumulation of problems. Farms emit harmful substances into water, soil and air.

Moreover, there is no easy access to information about new farms because no state institution publishes such data. The existing concentration of poultry houses in the region is not taken into account in the permitting process.

Chicken problem in Mazovia

In northern Mazovia, especially in the Żuromin – Mława – Ciechanów triangle, tens of millions of chickens are bred. The largest farm in Wróblewo can accommodate 2.5 million broilers, which is 17 million birds per year.

Since the beginning of 2023, 12 new farms have been established in Masovia, and 11 more are on the way. Farms can be built even in close proximity to national parks. An example is Marianowo in Podlasie, where 2.7 million chickens will be bred 4 km from Narew.

No response to protests

Protests about factory farms are becoming more and more common, but they are rarely effective. It is often difficult for residents to learn about plans to build farms early enough to react appropriately.

“And even if they react quickly, there is no guarantee that it will bring results. A large farm can appear behind everyone’s net with virtually no restrictions. The law in Poland is on the side of powerful corporations,” says Bartosz Zając and adds that the only The only solution is local development plans, which most communes in Poland do not have.

However, there is a chance that this will change by the end of 2025, because by then most municipalities in Poland must adopt general plans. This is one of the points included in the KPO.

Bacteria in poultry from Lidl

In the context of health risks, yesterday’s reports about the quality of poultry at Lidl are disturbing. Research has shown the presence of superbugs in every third package of chicken sold in this chain. This shocking discovery highlights the risks associated with intensive poultry farming and the use of antibiotics, which can lead to the development of treatment-resistant bacteria.