Major resistance Migros plans mega slaughterhouse - thousands fight back
Migros wants to build a new slaughterhouse in the canton of Fribourg. Thousands are fighting back - but not everyone is allowed to simply sign objections.
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- Migros is planning a slaughterhouse in St-Aubin.
- Over 30 million chickens are to be slaughtered there every year.
- Now thousands are fighting back.
- But not everyone is allowed to object. They need to be in the immediate vicinity of the site.
The tranquil village of St-Aubin in the canton of Fribourg is currently at the center of a national debate. Migros subsidiary Micarna is planning to build Switzerland's largest poultry slaughterhouse there, which will slaughter over 30 million chickens a year from 2028. Micarna wants to replace the outdated slaughterhouse in Courtepin FR, which has been supplying Migros stores throughout the country for years. However, the project is facing massive opposition, as reported by the "Aargauer Zeitung" newspaper.
The planned abattoir in the Agrico innovation park in St-Aubin has triggered 1817 objections from all over Switzerland. Residents fear an increase in traffic and unpleasant smells, while environmentalists point to animal welfare and the need to reduce meat consumption.
In order to cope with the flood of objections, the municipality had to temporarily hire additional staff. However, most of the objections do not come from local residents: Around 90 percent of the objectors live outside St-Aubin, many even outside the canton.
Not everyone can lodge an objection
The Swiss League Against Animal Experiments and for Animal Rights organized a signature campaign that extended to the shores of Lake Neuchâtel and Lake Murten, where tourists from German-speaking Switzerland were also reached. "Anyone can oppose a project that is harmful to animals and the planet," explains Athénaïs Python from the League.
However, municipal president Michael Willimann emphasizes that an objection is only permissible if you are directly affected, for example by noise. "The opinion that we should eat less meat is not enough," he criticizes.
It remains unclear whether the opposition to the abattoir will ultimately prevail. A Migros spokesperson emphasizes the advantages of the new facility in terms of animal welfare, working conditions and sustainability. "The faster we can build in St-Aubin, the better it will be from the point of view of animal welfare, working conditions and sustainability."