Overview
- A 2017 court ruling deems the term non-misleading only if cows graze at least 120 days per year for six hours daily.
- Practices vary by producer, leaving cows potentially off pasture up to 245 days a year with limited transparency about housing and feed.
- The PRO WEIDELAND seal enforces the 120/6 minimum and adds requirements including at least 2,000 square meters of grassland per animal, a ban on year-round tethering, and non-GMO feed.
- The two-star Für mehr Tierschutz label requires grazing from April to October for at least six hours daily and proof of sufficient pasture per cow.
- EU organic rules mandate outdoor access rather than pasture, and reporting indicates a stricter interpretation from 2026 would require seasonal pasture access.