2023-11-26 20:35:01
Do politicians want to plow up agriculture?
Photo: Marcel Bieri (Keystone)
Biodiversity is in poor condition. And it continues to dwindle. As serious as this federal finding is, politicians are in no hurry to respond appropriately.
The most recent example is the dispute over an ecological requirement: from January 1, 2024, farmers would have had to promote biodiversity on 3.5 percent of their arable land. But it is now becoming apparent that Parliament will postpone the introduction by a year – as it did two years ago when it set the start from 2023 to 2024.
If you believe the farmers’ lobby, it was the war in Ukraine and concerns about secure food supplies that demanded a delay. Now she is claiming deficiencies in the planned implementation.
The concerns are partly understandable. The administration obviously mismanaged the entire exercise. And that despite the fact that she has now had a year more time to do it. How can that be? Is it disinterest? Overwhelm? Or are SVP Agriculture Minister Guy Parmelin’s experts working against the greening of agriculture?
The bitter dispute over the drinking water and pesticide initiatives two years ago showed that more nature conservation in the fields can hardly be achieved against the will of the farmers. This makes it all the more important to take the farmers with you on this – admittedly – difficult journey. This opportunity has just been missed.
If the farmers’ lobby were to push for a postponement again, it would expose itself as a purely backward-looking force.
Federal Bern has angered and unsettled many farmers. Some of them have now simply plowed up meadows that are not actually arable land in order to turn them into the desired areas for promoting biodiversity. Others, on the other hand, have prepared meticulously for the innovation – and now feel like they’ve made a fool of themselves.
Agriculture Minister Parmelin will be in great demand in the near future. But the farmers’ lobby also has a duty. It must lend its hand to ensuring that the new eco-regulations are implemented effectively; so far she hasn’t actually done this.
If the farmers’ lobby were to push for a shift again in the new parliament in 2024 with the strengthened conservative wing, it would expose itself as a purely backward-looking force that wants to defend the status quo.
However, that would ultimately be politicized against their own interests. Agriculture must become more ecological. It needs healthy biodiversity. Otherwise, sooner or later it will lose its foundation.
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– A bad signal for the future
The farmers’ lobby is resisting a requirement to promote biodiversity in agriculture. The dispute leaves only losers.