Toni Hubmann, CEO Toni‘s Freilandeier / 4th International Soja-Symposium 2012

1. Toni´s Freilandeier Imagining a future without genetic engineering Toni Hubmann, CEO Toni‘s Freilandeier / 4th International Soja-Symposium 2012

2. … listen, think, then act! _ The challenge: consumers often don‘t know what they want _ But they know, what they don‘t want _ We just have to ask them, listen to them and act

3. The basis of good marketing _ Always include the consumer in our considerations _ What we have been doing for 25 years _ Looking at our animals’ needs _ And at the same time looking at what consumers need _ There is one thing they surely don‘t want …

4. What consumers reject … _ The picture is taken from a German magazine _ It exemplifies animal cruelty in general

5. A clear decision _ Consumers want the opposite of what we have seen _ They reject cruelty to animals _ This cruelty was visible in laying batteries _ Pictures like the one you just saw repelled people _ Thus clearing the way for alternative ways of producing eggs _ There is another thing they surely don‘t want …

6. What more and more consumers reject, too …

7. A surprising result? _ At first sight: genetically engineered food is cheap _ It is clean and economically advantageous _ Its production is rationally comprehensible _ Still, people have a certain „natural caution“ _ This „healthy distrust“ keeps them from buying GMO food

8. Not a surprising result: Caution and the love of nature outweigh all other arguments

9. Some pictures to illustrate my thesis

12. Not so long ago … _ Pictures like these were quite common, well into the 1960ies _ They still produce a feeling of trust and security _ The farmer was not yet anonymous – and his machines did not yet interfere with nature, to the extent of damaging it

13. Not so long ago … _ There was no use of aggressive chemicals in farming _ No use of unnatural means resulting in unnaturally high harvest

14. The main questions people ask themselves: _ Can this development be considered healthy? _ Does it incorporate any true advantages? _ Are there any visible positive effects on human health, the environment and the taste of food?

15. Or, do we rather long for a life with more experience … … and the memory of tradition and naturalness in agriculture?

16. Maybe a comparison can help _ There is a difference between riding a horse and driving a car … _ On a horse, you enjoy a far closer relationship to your means of transportation _ That’s what we have to ensure in agriculture as well…

17. Modern agriculture, while in the spirit of our ancestors … … means keeping in touch with nature

18. Sometimes, well meant isn‘t well done _ Ambition and innovation are important for human society _ But sometimes, they lead us in wrong directions _ When they move us away from what is good for us – and good for our environment

19. How can we meet these challenges?

20. By concentrating on traditional and rural free-range breeding _ And farmers’ families that know their animals _ Personally ensuring highest quality standards in their products _ Living the best possible form of freedom and autonomy in the value-creation chain

21. Which brings us to the question of feeding our animals _ A question that constitutes a clear challenge to us _ The rejection of GMO food also excludes its use in animal feedstuff _ Additionally, less and less consumers are willing to accept transport of such products over the atlantic _ The desire for traditional and near-natural production includes a clear commitment to locally sourced value creation _ Ideally around the corner, but at least on the same continent

22. What we are looking for _ Non-genetically modified foods and animal feed _ Produced within manageable region _ Coming from guaranteed origins

23. There are obvious reasons for our request

24. There are obvious reasons for our request There are obvious reasons for our search _ Consumers are no longer willing to accept tropical deforestation to grow soya beans and other agricultural products _ We therefore strongly suggest the implementation of the Basel Criteria for Responsible Soy Production, developed by the WWF Switzerland and the Swiss retailer COOP

25. There are obvious reasons for our search There are obvious reasons for our request Keeping countries and companies from further cutting down forests

26. No to GMO: with a limiting factor

27. The limiting factor is soya _ High share of imports from South America _ Producing dependency for european markets _ South american Soybeans are more often than not genetically modified

28. Our solution – Soya from Europe

29. Or, to be more precise – Soya from the Danube region

30. The consequences _ Protein supply that is independent, sustainable and non-genetically modified _ Regional value-creation and last, but not least – customer satisfaction resulting from a product that meets the present and future expectations of our European markets

31. A win-win situation for soya and egg producers _ By creating ecological and quality credibility _ By actively lowering negative effects on the climate _ By supplying our animals with high-quality food

32. The solution is on the table, let‘s grab the opportunities … Thank you for your attention