German Agriculture Minister Cem Õzdemir has come up with his own modified proposal for voluntary reduction of pesticides in agriculture. It maintains a halving of the use of chemical agents over six years, but leaves room for chemicals: 'as little as possible, as much as necessary'.
Õzdemir (Greens) explicitly distances himself from the previous European Plant Directive (SUR) for bans on too much 'chemistry in agriculture'. This was proposed at the time in the Green Deal of then EU Commissioner Frans Timmermans and further tightened by Sarah Wiener of the Austrian Greens. Õzdemir says that a line was crossed there, and that he wants to distinguish himself with his approach.
The BMEL relies on cooperation, support, advice and innovation rather than on bans or legal requirements, it is now emphasised. The recommendations of the Borchert Future Commission for Agriculture (ZKL) are largely followed to keep the effects of crop protection measures on the environment, biodiversity and health as low as possible.
Õzdemir's proposal opts to first use and test as many other natural and biological plant protectors as possible. Berlin also says that there will be subsidies for the development of precision equipment for removing/picking weeds. But his proposal does not yet contain 'new money'; his BMEL ministry and the Bundestag must arrange that when adopting the annual budgets.
The federal minister also stressed that new methods should be tested in model farms and regions. “Of course, farmers must be able to continue to protect and treat their crops in the future if necessary,” Özdemir explained. “We will only be successful if we think of sustainability, yield and income security together.”
He also spoke about the dilemma facing agriculture. “The man-made climate crisis is presenting us with tasks that we cannot handle without pesticides. Recent harvest reports have shown in a shocking way how much storms and climate change are impacting yields,” Özdemir said.
“On the other hand, the decline in biodiversity makes it clear that we will have to change something. We cannot continue as before.” That is why Berlin also maintains its intention to expand the area for organic farming to 30% in the coming years.
The German Nature Conservation Association (Nabu) speaks in a reaction of a first step. DBV chairman Joachim Rukwied calls the now presented version better than earlier proposals of Õzdemir. But according to the Farmers' Association it is and remains a proposal aimed at reduction and limitation.
The organic association criticizes the fact that Õzdemir is now (after the farmer protests against it) abandoning his earlier plan for a levy or fertilizer fine on chemical use, in order to be able to provide subsidies for environmentally friendly products.