published
Swiss organic farmers can now import feed from overseas. In Germany, organic farmers will soon have to resort to conventional feed.
The reason for this is the Ukraine war. Organic feed from Ukraine is now becoming scarce.
REUTERS
That’s why organic farmers are now allowed to feed their chickens and pigs organic feed from other countries.
20min/News-Scout
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The organic farmers are running out of feed.
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The reason is the Ukraine war.
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That is why they are allowed to purchase organic feed from overseas until the end of the year.
Organic farmers are sounding the alarm. They obtain up to 18 percent of their organic feed from Ukraine, but because of the war that is now becoming scarce. The Bio Suisse association is therefore relaxing the rules for feed for chickens and pigs.
By the end of the year, organic farmers will be able to source up to 40 percent of their soybeans from distant countries, like the “Sunday newspaper” writes. This was previously a taboo because genetically modified plants are permitted in many countries.
The raw materials are mainly from China, as a spokesman for Bio Suisse told the newspaper. The Chinese manufacturers would produce according to the Bio Suisse guidelines. To ensure that no genetically modified soy is included, each batch is checked for residues. Air transport is prohibited.
Now Euro-Bio is also possible instead of Bio-Knospe
It is not the only measure taken by Bio Suisse. The association now also allows the import of rapeseed and linseed as well as sunflower seeds and soya from Europe according to the European organic standard. So far, this has only been possible if the farms produce according to the stricter Biobud guidelines. For example, farms were not allowed to grow conventional goods alongside organic ones, which Euro-Bio, on the other hand, allows.
It is unclear whether this will solve the problem of the scarcity of feed. Especially since the German farmers’ association has already warned that organic fodder is becoming scarce because of the Ukraine war. The camps could be empty in a few weeks.
Then the German organic farms would have to resort to conventional feed. This is not planned at Bio Suisse. Although five percent conventional feed is now allowed for eggs, this is still within the standard guidelines of the association.
The Federal Office for Agriculture FOAG compares the price differences between conventional and organic food every month. In June 2021, organic edibles cost 48.4 percent more across all production categories. The difference was the smallest for milk: organic quality costs around a third more. The price difference for vegetables is a lot higher at 77 percent.