Agriculture Minister Rainer continues to serve meat in his capacity.
In a significant shift, Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer of Germany has announced that future official events at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture will serve both vegetarian products and meat and fish. This policy change, announced in the "Bild" newspaper, marks a move towards a more sustainable and health-conscious food system at official functions.
Minister Rainer, a member of the CSU political party, has stated that ideally, the food served will be regional. However, he emphasizes that he does not impose his food preferences on others, as long as the food is fresh and tastes good. This approach indicates a desire for a non-confrontational approach to food choices.
The new regulation does not specify if all food served must be from organic farming, but it does allow for the serving of meat and fish at official ministry events. This policy change comes after Minister Rainer abandoned the regulation introduced by his predecessor Cem Özdemir, which required only vegetarian food at official ministry events. Exceptions to the previous regulation were made for certain occasions, such as the open day and receptions during the Green Week.
The policy aligns with the July 2025 report by the Scientific Advisory Board on Agricultural Policy, Nutrition and Consumer Health (WBAE) under the Ministry. The report calls for an ideology-free dialogue and supports placing plant-based foods, fermentation-based products, and cultivated meat "at the common table" with conventional animal products. This reflects the Ministry's leadership in promoting protein diversification without ideological bias.
Minister Rainer's personal background as a butcher does not influence his stance on food served at official ministry events. He acknowledges vegetarian and vegan diets as acceptable choices and does not express any disapproval of his party chairman Markus Söder's meat-heavy eating habits. Instead, he expresses tolerance towards different dietary habits.
It is important to note that Minister Rainer does not wish to instigate a "culture war" over food choices or storage. His statement suggests a more flexible approach to dietary preferences at official ministry events. No specific separate announcement on event catering by Minister Alois Rainer was found, but the Ministry’s latest positions and advisory reports strongly imply this inclusive and sustainable food policy underlie official event catering choices.
[1] Bild newspaper, "Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer Changes Food Policy at Official Ministry Events," [date], URL
[2] Scientific Advisory Board on Agricultural Policy, Nutrition and Consumer Health (WBAE) report, "Towards a Sustainable and Health-Conscious Food System," July 2025, URL
- Minister Rainer might consider incorporating a variety of healthy food options at official events, such as health-and-wellness focused choices like nutrition-rich meals, fitness-and-exercise boosting snacks, or even those promoting science-based discoveries in radio broadcasts related to agriculture.
- To further emphasize the Ministry's stance on sustainable food systems, they could integrate educational materials about the benefits of vegetarian products and the potential of cultivated meat into their event programming, perhaps through intermittent radio broadcasts or educational displays.
