What has been moving on Germany’s fields? If beet growers leave ir huge harvesting machines unrolled se days, prices are not fixed in advance for first time. Since Sunday, every farmer in European Union can grow and sell as many sugar beets as he wants. Without entitlement to minimum prices.
With European sugar regime, this is last vestige of a rar planned agricultural policy-after milk quota for past year. Almost 50 years, market for sweet fabric in European Union was isolated from competition. From now on, local farmers compete with sugar cane plantations in Brazil. For Germany’s farmers, it should only be first of many or political cuts in coming months. After Bundestag election, a new coalition will take next direction decisions. Will agricultural policy be more oriented towards market, as FDP calls for? Will billions of subsidies from Brussels be cut? Or should farmers by law be put in way of more environmental and animal protection, as Greens wish?
The Greens should vehemently claim environmental and Agrarressort
A field trial is being undertaken that infuses farmers across country. The incumbent Minister Christian Schmidt (CSU) repeatedly stressed that he enjoyed his office and also liked to remain minister. But even before exploratory talks for a possible Jamaica coalition, it is rar unlikely that CSU will be allowed to agriculture for four more years. With Horst Seehofer, Ilse Aigner, Hans-Peter Friedrich and Christian Schmidt, she has been occupying most important post for Christian social position for twelve years without interruption. Frankly, nobody wants to say that.
But in union circles it is said that “this could be end.” Because if offices are distributed in new government, smallest party is likely to have greatest interest. In no or electoral programme do food and agriculture play such a big role as Greens. Accordingly, party is likely to claim environmental and Agrarressort. This is owed to one’s own base, it is said in green headquarters. However, wher it is a new permit for plant venom glyphosate, stricter animal protection laws or conditions against too much slurry in German fields: possible coalition partners in Union and FDP have very different ideas about a new agricultural policy than Eco-party.
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The influential Farmers ‘ Association is dwindling, which is due to farmers: pressure of change has assumed such an enormous pace and magnitude that y could hardly be followed up, laments Udo Hemmerling, Deputy secretary general of German Farmers ‘ Association. Germany’s peasants felt increasingly confused by political and social debate. The business also lasted poorly.
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Because of fallen prices in milk and meat, more and more companies are struggling to survive. And more and more had to give up. At beginning of nineties, re were still 1.2 million people working in a farm. Meanwhile, it’s only 650 000. The biggest point of controversy is likely to be distribution of billions of EU agricultural subsidies. They are existential for many farmers in Germany. They receive an annual 6.2 billion euro from EU pot.
Currently, Brussels is negotiating how appropriations will be distributed to 2020. If we go to Greens, farmers will get more money if y do more for environment and animals. The Union is in favour of payments without conditions.
The FDP, in turn, advocates reducing subsidies. In forthcoming coalition talks, too, re should be a crash in or topics. Example animal welfare: The Greens do not only want more space and less antibiotics in stables. They also demand a new labelling of meat. As with eggs, customers should be able to see how animals were kept. “We end Kükenschreddern, Qualzucht at expense of animal health and misuse of antibiotics,” it says in electoral programme.
The Union and FDP, on or hand, are strictly opposed to stricter laws in national single aisle. One rejects undifferentiating bans, says FDP. According to Union, a voluntary programme is intended to provide more protection for animals. Even stricter environmental conditions should only exist if whole of Europe is moving in. But that is considered excluded. And while Greens demand even stricter slurry laws for protection of German groundwater and also want to impose a ban on controversial Planzengifts glyphosate, FDP and Union are against it.
“A coalition agreement is always an exercise in compromise.”
Wher re is any chance of agreement on such central points in this constellation of procedures? Only when Greens give up some of core demands is it said at Union and FDP. Even Robert Habeck has been looking for an answer for weeks. Schleswig-Holstein’s green environment and agriculture is considered one of architects of first Second Jamaica coalition at country level in Kiel.
Even for him, cooperation was first a cultural shock, he tells. The three parties should now work out where y can. That is harder than to distinguish mselves in election campaign. “The aim must be not to increase pressure on farmers furr, but to enable new ways.” Financial incentives for more environmental and animal welfare.
The recommendation from Kiel: The Greens should be willing to make concessions, finds Habeck. In view of serious changes in industry, a common line is possible. “A coalition agreement is always an exercise in compromise. In Schleswig-Holstein, too, talks threatened to burst several times. But we’ve come toger, “says Habeck. Wher he wants to go to Berlin himself? “Any speculation about post bans itself at this stage. That includes me. “
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